Devonian Ecosystems Project

04/09/2026

🦴 A Visit from P.J. Olivier High School! 🐟🌿

This week, we had the pleasure of welcoming the Grade 10 Life Sciences learners from P.J. Olivier High School to the Devonian Ecosystems Laboratory in Makhanda.

Ryan hosted the group and introduced the learners to the Waterloo Farm fossil site, explaining how this Late Devonian fossil locality provides us with a glimpse into an ecosystem that existed more than 360 million years ago.

The learners also had the opportunity to get hands-on with examples of the fossil-bearing black shale from Waterloo Farm, learning how palaeontologists carefully split the shale to search for fossil plants, fish and other remains preserved within the rock.

It was wonderful to see such enthusiasm and curiosity from the learners throughout the visit!

A special thank you to their Life Sciences teacher for organising the visit and bringing the learners along. We always enjoy having young scientists visit the lab and hope the experience inspired a few future palaeontologists! 🦴🔍

Thank you, P.J. Olivier High School, for visiting us!

12/08/2026

Today we had the pleasure of welcoming the Grade 10 Life Sciences learners from Capstone Christian School in Makhanda to the Devonian Ecosystems Project. 🐟🪨

The learners enjoyed a lesson on fossils and palaeontology, followed by a hands-on demonstration of how fossils are discovered and carefully exposed from the surrounding rock.

It was wonderful to share a little of South Africa’s remarkable fossil heritage with an enthusiastic group of young learners. A big thank you to Capstone Christian School for visiting us!

28/07/2026

25/07/2026

07/07/2026

A message from the Devonian Ground Café - Coffee from another era

"Dear Friends,
What an incredible National Arts Festival it has been!
From our very first cup of coffee to the last milkshake of the festival, we've loved welcoming each and every one of you to Devonian Ground Café.

Thank you for your support, your smiles, your kind words and for making us part of your festival experience. We've even been lucky enough to gain a few wonderful regulars already!

Getting the café ready in time for the festival was no small feat. After a mammoth effort, we're running on empty and it's time for us to recharge our batteries.

We'll be taking a short break and will reopen on Monday, 20 July, just in time to welcome everyone back for the start of the new school term.

While we're away, we'll also be dreaming up new ideas, adding a few special touches and planning some exciting things for the café as we continue to grow.

Thank you again for supporting our little café with a very big story. We can't wait to welcome you back soon. Until then... stay curious, stay warm, and we'll see you on 20 July!

☕ Coffee from another era."

06/07/2026

🦴 A fantastic National Arts Festival attendance at the Devonian Ecosystems Gallery!

Thank you to everyone who joined Dr. Rob Gess for his talk on the world-renowned Waterloo Farm Lagerstätte and its exceptional fossil preservation.

Visitors also enjoyed a live fossil preparation demonstration, where Dr. Gess showed how fossils are carefully uncovered from the black shale—revealing the fossils hidden within the rock.

It was wonderful to see such a great turnout and so much enthusiasm for South Africa's ancient past!

📸 Here are a few highlights from the day.

29/06/2026

☕ The Devonian Ground Café is Now Open! 🦴

Visiting the Devonian Ecosystems Gallery during the National Arts Festival? Make sure you stop by our pop-up Devonian Ground Café – the perfect place to enjoy a great cup of freshly brewed coffee ☕!

While you're here, browse our range of Devonian Ecosystems Project merchandise, including mugs, stickers, and other souvenirs—perfect for taking a little piece of the Devonian home with you!

📍 Devonian Ecosystems Gallery (just a short walk from the National Arts Festival Market Grounds)

We look forward to welcoming you for coffee from another era! ☕🐟

27/06/2026

🦴 Thank you to everyone who joined today's fossil talk and live preparation demonstration! It was a pleasure sharing some of South Africa's incredible fossil heritage with you.

If you missed it, don't worry—you can catch the talk again next Sunday at 11:00.

Tomorrow at 11:00 Dr. Rob Gess also be hosting an informal Q&A session, so come along with your questions about fossils, palaeontology, and fossil preparation.

We look forward to seeing you there!

26/06/2026

🔎 Journey 360 Million Years Back in Time

Join Dr Rob Gess for an immersive palaeontology experience that brings South Africa’s ancient heritage to life.

📖 Public Lecture + 🪨 Live Fossil Rock‑Splitting Demo
✨ Explore fossils, stories, and interactive insights into our deep past.

Don’t miss this chance to witness science in action and connect with the origins of life as we know it!

20/05/2026

A major new open-access review, The Cape Supergroup (Middle Ordovician–Lower Carboniferous) of South Africa: A Review, has been published in The Geology of South Africa series. The paper is co-authored by Dr Rob Gess, together with Cameron Penn-Clarke, Clair Browning, and Clarisa Vorster.

The review provides an up-to-date synthesis of the stratigraphy, sedimentology and fossil record of the Cape Supergroup, including the globally significant Waterloo Farm Lagerstätte in the Eastern Cape, which has yielded exceptionally preserved Late Devonian vertebrates, plants and invertebrates.

An excellent resource for anyone interested in South African geology and palaeontology.

https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gssa/sajg/article/129/1/109/727966/The-Cape-Supergroup-Middle-Ordovician-Lower