The card enabled a person to attend the 'Popular Science Lectures' which were held in the lecture hall of the school. These were the Winter course of 1882. The Lectures were from 8p.m. They ran from June 9 through to October 11. The subjects were varied and a guest speaker was responsible for each session. G Foord (Royal Mint) - Alchemy; Rev Ick (Sandhurst) - The Wonders of Coral Life; R Ellery (Government Astronomer) - The Sun's Distances and the Transits of Venus; J Thomas (Geelong) - The Stellar Universe; J Usher (Doctor) - Physiology, Body and Bones; Baron Von Mueller (Government Botanist) - General observations on the Flora of Australia; Professor Mica Smith - Gold; Professor F Kraush - Volcanic rocks of the Ballarat District. This was organised by the School Councilwhen James Oddie was Vice-President.Beige coloured card written on both sidespopular science lectures, winter course 1882, guest speakers, g foord, royal mint, alchemy, reverend ick, sandhurst, coral life, r ellery, government astronomer, sun's distances, transits of venus, j thomas, stellar universe, baron von mueller, flora of australia, government botanist, mica smith, gold, f m kraush, volcanic rocks

Dendrites are deposits of black minerals, typically manganese oxides that precipitated from water seeping through fractures in fine-grain rocks like a sandstone or limestone. Dendrites are much less regular than plant fossils and lacks vein structures. The manganese cryztallizes through the process called 'supercooling'. Some samples of dendrites occur in volcanic rocks in the Lilydale district, east of Melbourne. Sandstones are made of tiny sand grains that may have been deposited in the sea and later formed together. Most sandstones are made of quartz which are chemically-resistant minerals. This particular specimen was donated by Alfred Selwyn in 1868 as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria. It is connected to the original 1875 catalogue on Geological Specimen with number 189 'Quartz Crystals_Quartz Crystals (two are polished)'Dendrites on sandstones This specimen is an important contribution to the geological history of Victoria, as well as its links to the 1868 Geological Survey of Victoria. This specimen is part of larger collection of significant geological specimens in the Burke Museum that was collected from around the world between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collection as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria 1852-1974. The Geological Survey of Victoria was an organisation founded in response to the Victorian gold rush to explore the geological and mineral resources and to record a detailed map of the state. It was headed by British geologist, Alfred Richard Cecil Selwyn (1824-1902), who was responsible for issuing over 60 geological maps during his 17 years as director. These maps were all hand-drawn and coloured and became the benchmark for accuracy for geological mapping. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study. A hand-sized slice of light brown sandstone with dendrites formed from crystallized manganese oxide.Existing label: Not sure what / 'Slica dondrites' / means. / Sample is sandstone and original label / identifies it as from / the Grampians near Stawell. / C. Willman / 15/4/21 Other label: [illegible] / stone [ illegible] / from Grampians Stawell / 1894 /geological specimen, geology, geology collection, burke museum, beechworth, dendrites, sandstones, quartz, lilydale district, geological survey of victoria, grampians, victoria rocks, minerals, rocks, manganese oxides, alfred selwyn

Feldspathic arenites are sandstones that contain less than 90% quartz, and more feldspar than unstable lithic fragments, and minor accessory minerals.Feldspathic sandstones are commonly immature or sub-mature.These sandstones occur in association with cratonic or stable shelf settings. Feldspathic sandstones are derived from granitic-type, primary crystalline, rocks. If the sandstone is dominantly plagioclase, then it is igneous in origin Sandstone features prominently in public buildings throughout Victoria. Most of the sandstone used as dimension stone in the State came from three sources: the Heatherlie quarry in the Grampians (Silurian), the Bacchus Marsh area (Permian), and the Barrabool Hills near Geelong (Cretaceous).Sandstone features prominently in public buildings throughout Victoria, making this specimen special as it shows the materials used by Victorian building companies. Sandstone can also be crushed, crushed stone is used in the construction of roadways and road structures such as bridges, and in buildings, both commercial and residential. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study. A feldspar-rich sandstone, a sandstone intermediate in composition between an arkosic sandstone and a quartz sandstone, containing 10% to 25% feldspar and less than 20% matrix material of clay, sericite, and chlorite. Feldspathic arenite containing less than 90 percent of the composition of quartz. Feldspar is the main composition. Feldspathic arenite may contain fragments of unstable rock, and a little amount of other minerals such as mica and heavy minerals. Some feldspathic arenite have pink or red color because of the presence of potassium feldspar or iron oxide. There are also colored light gray to white. These sandstones are usually medium to coarse grained and can contain a high percentage of granules with angular until subangular roundness. The content of the matrix can appear as the rest up to more than 15 percent, and sorting of grains can present as moderate to poorly sorted. Feldspathic sandstones are generally immature in textural maturity. Feldspathic arenite can not be judged from the structure of the sediment. Bedding can emerge from the laminate parallel to the crossbed. Fossils may appear in the layer deposited on the sea. Feldspathic arenites usually appear on the craton or the continental shelf, which can be associated with conglomerate, quartz lithic arenite, carbonate rock, or evaporites. This sandstone may also appear on the succession of sedimentary basins deposited on an unstable or deep sea, and moving arc setting. According to Pettijohn (1963) Arkose make up about 15 percent of all sandstones. Some Arkose formed in situ when the granite and related rocks disintegrate and generate granular sediments. Most of the material feldspathic sandstones derived from primary crystalline granitic rocks, such as granite or metasomatic rocks containing abundant potassium feldspar. Mineral contained in sandstones is mostly a form of plagioclase feldspar derived from quartz diorite or volcanic rock. Feldspar contained on this sandstone comes from arid to cool climates when the chemical weathering process is reduced.sandstone, natural stone, feldspathic sandstone, burke museum, geology, geological, geological specimen

Contour map of the Queenstown area in Tasmania, Australia.department of mines tasmania, volcanics, mount read, queesntown, whip spur, mining, king river, gormanston, mt owen, lynchford

Grubbing rocks at "Boswell Park" Lake Bolac, in order to prepare the ground for ploughing and cropping. Most ground on the Western District volcanic plains had to be prepared in this way before the soil could be tilled. "Boswell Park" was run by the Moreton family.lake bolac, boswell park, grubbing rocks, moreton, cropping

Olivine is mostly found on the Earth's surface in igneous rocks that are dark-coloured. It is common at divergent plate boundaries and at warm spots, such as volcanic areas. It crystalises and forms during the cooling of magma. Olivine is used in refractory sand, bricks, and gemstones. Olivine has been found on a number of meteorites, which might have originated from large asteroids or the mantle of a now-destroyed planet. This olivine crystal is thought to originate from Mount Noorat, with speculation that it could have originated from Mount Shadwell. Mount Noorat is a dormant volcano cone located in the Newer Volcanics Province of Victoria. Mount Noorat belongs to the Kirrae Wuurong people, who used the Mount as a place for meetings and gatherings prior to European settlement. Contact was first made between European settlers and the Indigenous people in 1841. The Mount has mostly been used for cattle and sheep grazing. Mount Shadwell is a well-known source of olivine and is the highest of a gathering of volcanic cones. The New Volcanic Province is located in South East Australia and covers 15000 square kilometres. It contains 400 explosive vents and small shield volcanoes. The last eruption is thought to have occurred 5000 years ago at Mount Gambier and Mount Schank. This olivine crystal has been identified as a volcanic bomb, which is a molten rock which was pushed out and ejected into the air when a volcano reupts. A rock needs to be larger than 65 mm in diameter to be classified as a volcanic bomb. This olivine volcanic bomb and its locality is historically and socially significant. The olivine was found in the Newer Volcanic Province, an area which contains over 400 dormant volcanoes. This olivine is one part of a volcanic bomb, which would have ejected when magma erupted out of a volcano. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.A solid iron-magnesium silicate mineral with shades of green and brownburke museum, beechworth, geological, geological specimen, olivine, igneous rock, volcanic, gemstones, volcanic bomb, meteorites, asteroids, plantes, mount noorat, mount shadwell, indigenous, kirrae wuurong people, newer volcanics province, victoria, european settlement, eruption

Thunderegg Agates are formed within rhyolite volcanic ash layers. They are rough spherical shapes, varying in size from less than an inch to over a metre long. Thundereggs usually contain centres of chalcedony which may have been fractured followed by deposition of agate, jasper or opal, either uniquely or in combination. A unique characteristic that these specimens have is the fact that they often look like ordinary rocks on the outside, but slicing them in half and polishing them may reveal intricate patterns and colours. These particular specimens are examples of thunderegg agates. Agate is a variety of chalcedony, a cryptocrystalline form of quartz. The agate component contributes to the intriguing internal patterns of the specimens. The specific locality of these specimens is unknown but they can be found in flows of rhyolite lava. They are formed in gas pockets in the lava, which act as moulds. These specimens can be found globally, with specific locations in Germany being particularly abundant. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.Two small solid specimens with pale, sandy-coloured exteriors and fractured internal patterns. burke museum, beechworth, geological, geological specimen, thundereggs, thundereggs agate, agate, rhyolite, rhyolite lava, volcanic ash, chalcedony, cryptocrystalline

A fossil refers to any remains or traces of past life that are preserved in the rock. It could be remains of plants or animals. Fossil leaves are commonly found on different types of rocks. These fossils can go as far back as the Triassic Age just like the series of fossil plants collected at Denmark Hill, Ipswich in Queensland. Fossils leaves are formed when dead plants get buried by sediments like mud, sand, or volcanic ash. Often, it gets detached cleanly from stems along a special layer of weak cells, then twigs, and, less commonly, cones of conifers and fruits and seeds of flowering plants. Over time, the leaves or pieces of leaves get buried by more sediments and eventually gets 'lithified' or hardened into a rock. Erosions and mining can cause the rocks to break and reveal the fossils buried in it. Fossilisation frequently takes place at sites in the lowlands where deposits of clay, silt, sand are found. This is usually due to weathering and erosion of rocks. Fossil leaves can provide information about ancient Australia's way of living. It contributes to Victorian biodiversity records and its botanical collections. It also contributes information on the geographical profile of Victoria as fossilisation usually occur at estuaries and deltas of rivers, river flood plains, ponds and lakes. This specimen is part of a larger collection of geological and mineral specimens collected from around Australia (and some parts of the world) and donated to the Burke Museum between 1868-1880. A large percentage of these specimens were collected in Victoria as part of the Geological Survey of Victoria that begun in 1852 (in response to the Gold Rush) to study and map the geology of Victoria. Collecting geological specimens was an important part of mapping and understanding the scientific makeup of the earth. Many of these specimens were sent to research and collecting organisations across Australia, including the Burke Museum, to educate and encourage further study.Piece of light brown rock with fossilised leaves in shades of golden yellow and brown.Existing label: Fossil Leaves / Locality unknown / might be worth checking if this is Glossopteris, a Permian age plant. / C. William 16/4/21 geological specimen, geology, geology collection, burke museum, beechworth, fossil leaves, fossilization, 1868 geological survey of victoria, lithified, rocks, fossilised leaf, rock, fossils, leaves