Fossil Bluff

Fossil Bluff is a prominent coastal sandstone headland located just north of Wynyard in north-west Tasmania within the Waratah-Wynyard municipality. It is renowned as one of Australia's most significant paleontological sites, containing abundant 25-million-year-old marine fossils embedded in Miocene sandstone. The bluff offers dramatic coastal views toward Table Cape, a small beach at its base, and opportunities for fossil observation at low tide, attracting visitors interested in geology, natural history and coastal scenery.

Visitors can expect a rugged sandstone cliff rising above a narrow beach and Bass Strait, with panoramic views to Table Cape and the Wynyard coastline. At low tide, the foreshore and fallen blocks expose fossil-rich sandstone where marine fossils can be observed. The site includes a car park above the bluff, a short walking track and steps down to the beach, interpretive signage about geology, and open coastal scenery suitable for sightseeing and photography.

Fossil Bluff is a nationally significant paleontological site dating to the Early Miocene, approximately 25 million years ago. Fossils were first noted in the 1840s and the site has been extensively studied for its diverse marine invertebrate fossils, including molluscs, brachiopods and bryozoans. It is considered one of the most important Cenozoic marine fossil localities in Australia and has contributed to understanding Tasmania's geological history.

The bluff and surrounding coastline lie within the traditional lands of the north-west Tasmanian Aboriginal people and holds natural heritage value for the local community. Today it is valued as an educational and natural heritage site managed for conservation and visitor appreciation of geology and coastal landscape.