21 September 2017
The Turnbull Government will provide $50,000 to help the Queensland Museum to purchase a rare 15.3 kilogram meteorite, the first of its type to be discovered in Australia.
The funding, through the National Cultural Heritage Account, secures the dendritic trolite-irons meteorite, worth an estimated $153,000.
Out of the five other known meteorites of this type in the world, this meteorite is believed to be the largest.
The Turnbull Government is committed to preserving Australia’s rare and significant cultural items.
The Government’s National Cultural Heritage Account provides support for institutions such as the Queensland Museum to acquire significant objects and ensure they are kept in Australia for public display.
This significant acquisition will allow scientists and researchers to study the chemical and mineralogical differences of asteroids and meteorites, contributing to our scientific understanding of these objects.
The meteorite was found by a gold prospector in 2015 at Western Creek Station, 20 kilometres south of Georgetown in north eastern Queensland. The prospector has generously agreed to sell the meteorite for $100,000 to keep it in Australia and display it publicly.
The Queensland Museum is contributing the remaining $50,000 required to purchase this important specimen.
For more information about the Account visit: www.arts.gov.au/NCHA