Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our Doorstep

Consultation has concluded

Final Report

The “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” project told the science-related story of South Australia’s only World Heritage listed site, the Naracoorte Caves, to the wider community and focused on the science related to the Caves being one of the world's 10 greatest fossil sites. To view a copy of the final report click here.

The project was funded by Inspiring South Australia’s, 2017 South Australian Regional Science-Arts Collaboration. The Naracoorte Lucindale Council also contributed funds to the project and was the project manager.

The project had three components as follows:

  1. Visual arts science story telling workshops (18 and 19 July 2017)

  2. Art exhibition “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery (Sunday 13th August to Sunday 10th September 2017)

  3. Live performance Footsteps Around the Campfire (27 April 2018). The full performance can be viewed on youtube by clicking here.

The visual arts and performance focused on the following four science themes:

  1. Mega-fauna - what are they, what were they like including their size and what they ate and link this to the fossil evidence.

  2. Fossils - How did the fossils get in the caves – including pitfalls, evidence on the bones and timeline of bone deposits

  3. Environment - What can the Caves tell us about the environment in the past and what does this tell us about the future and how it links to conservation

  4. Extinction - what do the Caves tell us about extinction, when did the animals die, using the fossil evidence explain why animals became extinct, how do we know animals have become extinct and how does this relate to today

Throughout these four themes was the overriding science stories of why the Naracoorte Caves is the best site for understanding mega fauna, the link between the World Heritage status and science and exploring facts verses fiction of the four themes. The themes were used to explore how scientists use evidence, the scientific process, science career paths and the fact that science is all around us.


Stage 3 - Live Performance update

ATTENTION all performers, singers, dancers, musicians, writers, actors, poets, and others with an interest in theatre…

We’re seeking people of all ages to help build on the great work from last year's Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage On Our Doorstep art science art workshop and exhibition.

Come along to an information session on Tuesday 13th February, 4:30pm, at the Naracoorte Public Library where writer/producer Michael Mills will provide an update of what happens next in the community performance being developed to tell the story of the Naracoorte Caves, and how you can be involved.

Final rehearsals will be held at the Naracoorte Town Hall in the morning from Monday 23rd April to Friday 27th April 2018. The performance will be held at the Naracoorte Town Hall on Friday 27 April. For more information, contact the Community Services team on 8760 1100.

This is your opportunity to help tell our story, and share it with the rest of the community, in a performance titled “Footprints around the campfire”.


Stages 1 and 2 - Science Art Workshop and Exhibition are now complete

Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our Doorstep is an ambitious project to use visual and performing art to tell the science-related story of South Australia’s only World Heritage listed site, the Naracoorte Caves, to the wider community.

The visual and performing art will leverage the Naracoorte Caves’ status as one of the world's 10 greatest fossil sites.


You can be involved in the project by


  1. Visiting the “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” exhibition at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery.
  2. While at the Gallery contribute to the story by writing a comment on a post it note telling us why the Naracoorte Caves are important to you.
  3. Leave a comment in the guest book below telling us why the Naracoorte Caves are important to you. To leave a comment you need to register to get involved. To register click on the brown register button. To find out more about registering click here.
  4. If you have a skill or interest as a writer, actor, singer, dancer, or musician or maybe you would like to help out behind the scenes and work backstage - we want to hear from you! Register your interest for participating in the Live Performance, stage 3 of our exciting project. Register by clicking here.


The story of the Naracoorte Caves has been told in the artworks completed by young artists during the July 2017 school holidays.


The art works created at the workshops are on display at the “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” exhibition at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery from 9th August to 10th September 2017. Everyone is welcome to drop into the Gallery and contribute to the story telling by sharing your reflections of the artworks and your connection to the Naracoorte Caves.


Michael Mills (aka Professor Flint) from Heaps Good Production will use the stories to create and produce a live performance.


Development and writing of the work is now ongoing, and will continue over the next several months.


Performances are scheduled to be held in the second week of the April School holidays, 2018 in Naracoorte.


Funding support of $10,000 has been provided by Inspiring South Australia. The Inspiring South Australia Program is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, the South Australian Department of State Development, the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, Flinders University and the South Australian Museum.

More information on Inspiring South Australia is available at www.inspiringsa.org.au


Final Report

The “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” project told the science-related story of South Australia’s only World Heritage listed site, the Naracoorte Caves, to the wider community and focused on the science related to the Caves being one of the world's 10 greatest fossil sites. To view a copy of the final report click here.

The project was funded by Inspiring South Australia’s, 2017 South Australian Regional Science-Arts Collaboration. The Naracoorte Lucindale Council also contributed funds to the project and was the project manager.

The project had three components as follows:

  1. Visual arts science story telling workshops (18 and 19 July 2017)

  2. Art exhibition “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery (Sunday 13th August to Sunday 10th September 2017)

  3. Live performance Footsteps Around the Campfire (27 April 2018). The full performance can be viewed on youtube by clicking here.

The visual arts and performance focused on the following four science themes:

  1. Mega-fauna - what are they, what were they like including their size and what they ate and link this to the fossil evidence.

  2. Fossils - How did the fossils get in the caves – including pitfalls, evidence on the bones and timeline of bone deposits

  3. Environment - What can the Caves tell us about the environment in the past and what does this tell us about the future and how it links to conservation

  4. Extinction - what do the Caves tell us about extinction, when did the animals die, using the fossil evidence explain why animals became extinct, how do we know animals have become extinct and how does this relate to today

Throughout these four themes was the overriding science stories of why the Naracoorte Caves is the best site for understanding mega fauna, the link between the World Heritage status and science and exploring facts verses fiction of the four themes. The themes were used to explore how scientists use evidence, the scientific process, science career paths and the fact that science is all around us.


Stage 3 - Live Performance update

ATTENTION all performers, singers, dancers, musicians, writers, actors, poets, and others with an interest in theatre…

We’re seeking people of all ages to help build on the great work from last year's Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage On Our Doorstep art science art workshop and exhibition.

Come along to an information session on Tuesday 13th February, 4:30pm, at the Naracoorte Public Library where writer/producer Michael Mills will provide an update of what happens next in the community performance being developed to tell the story of the Naracoorte Caves, and how you can be involved.

Final rehearsals will be held at the Naracoorte Town Hall in the morning from Monday 23rd April to Friday 27th April 2018. The performance will be held at the Naracoorte Town Hall on Friday 27 April. For more information, contact the Community Services team on 8760 1100.

This is your opportunity to help tell our story, and share it with the rest of the community, in a performance titled “Footprints around the campfire”.


Stages 1 and 2 - Science Art Workshop and Exhibition are now complete

Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our Doorstep is an ambitious project to use visual and performing art to tell the science-related story of South Australia’s only World Heritage listed site, the Naracoorte Caves, to the wider community.

The visual and performing art will leverage the Naracoorte Caves’ status as one of the world's 10 greatest fossil sites.


You can be involved in the project by


  1. Visiting the “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” exhibition at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery.
  2. While at the Gallery contribute to the story by writing a comment on a post it note telling us why the Naracoorte Caves are important to you.
  3. Leave a comment in the guest book below telling us why the Naracoorte Caves are important to you. To leave a comment you need to register to get involved. To register click on the brown register button. To find out more about registering click here.
  4. If you have a skill or interest as a writer, actor, singer, dancer, or musician or maybe you would like to help out behind the scenes and work backstage - we want to hear from you! Register your interest for participating in the Live Performance, stage 3 of our exciting project. Register by clicking here.


The story of the Naracoorte Caves has been told in the artworks completed by young artists during the July 2017 school holidays.


The art works created at the workshops are on display at the “Naracoorte Caves - World Heritage on our doorstep” exhibition at the Naracoorte Regional Art Gallery from 9th August to 10th September 2017. Everyone is welcome to drop into the Gallery and contribute to the story telling by sharing your reflections of the artworks and your connection to the Naracoorte Caves.


Michael Mills (aka Professor Flint) from Heaps Good Production will use the stories to create and produce a live performance.


Development and writing of the work is now ongoing, and will continue over the next several months.


Performances are scheduled to be held in the second week of the April School holidays, 2018 in Naracoorte.


Funding support of $10,000 has been provided by Inspiring South Australia. The Inspiring South Australia Program is supported by the Australian Government through the Department of Industry, Innovation and Science, the South Australian Department of State Development, the University of Adelaide, the University of South Australia, Flinders University and the South Australian Museum.

More information on Inspiring South Australia is available at www.inspiringsa.org.au