James Moore Memorial Palaeontology Prize for High School Students

Congratulations to the 2024 James Moore Memorial Prize winners Matilda Coventry (metro), Ethan Davidson (metro) and Jack Wilson (regional).

The high school students will go on a palaeontology expedition with the Flinders team early next year and each receive $400 prize money.

Are you a high school student?

Are you hooked on fossils?

Do you want to go on an expedition with Flinders palaeontologists?

The James Moore Memorial Palaeontology Prize is annual award for one regional and one metropolitan secondary school student in SA plus one from an interstate school to participate in a fossil field trip and to help curate fossils in the Flinders Palaeontology Lab.

James Moore was a student at Flinders University who devoted his studies to learning about remains of prehistoric creatures in the Flinders University Palaeontology Laboratory. He became hooked on fossils as a high-school student when he grasped the opportunity to participate in Flinders palaeontology expeditions to collect the bones of ancient megafauna.

He loved the thrill of travelling to remote sites and back through time to discover remains of weird and wonderful animals from Australia’s past.

Born and raised in Whyalla, James was passionate about engaging with school students, and encouraging them to interact with scientists and to participate in research.

Sadly, James died in 2014 at the age of just 24. The prize was created in his honour and continues to be supported by community donations to inspire school students to unearth their fascination for fossils. Learn about supporting the prize.

Previous Expeditions

Wellington Caves, NSW
Alcoota megafauna fossil site, 250km north east of Alice Springs
Bone Gulch, near the Murray River in western NSW
Naracoorte Caves, SA

What did the prize winners love about the experience?

“The feeling of bringing the ancient remains of long-gone beasts into the light for the first time in 6-to-8 million years is almost indescribable. The first fossil I pulled from the ground, the tibia of an Ilbandornis woodburnei (giant flightless bird), was especially special, even if it was a bit fragmented. I just loved being in the central Australian desert, looking over the Mitchell grass plains, following dry riverbeds and sitting under the breathtaking night sky.”

Antoni Camozzato from St Michael’s College, Henley Beach

“The experience I had in Alcoota, learning about Australian megafauna and identifying what bones belonged to which animal, was exhausting, gratifying and fulfilling.”

Laluloy Bucar from Edward John Eyre High School, Whyalla

“I’ve often thought that being the first person to uncover fossils that have not been seen for thousands to millions of years would be exciting, and winning the James Moore Memorial Prize gave me the opportunity to experience the real thing.”

Keisha Hadland from Kangaroo Island Community Education

“It was such a new experience for me. I loved sorting the bones and being in the caves – it was so much fun – and I’d never previously thought much about studying palaeontology as a specific subject, but now I’m really keen.”

Sophie Field from Reynella East High School

Details

Entries close 5:00 PM Tuesday 17 September 2025

Open to Year 10 and 11 secondary school students (any age within these year levels) from anywhere in Australia
The prize is a 1 week field trip with the world-leading Flinders University Palaeontology team in April or May of the following year of entry (e.g the field trip for the 2024 prize winners would occur in 2025).
Prize money of $400 per winner, plus costs associated with the field trip are covered by the James Moore Memorial Palaeontology Prize.
If you have further questions and would like to know more details, email gavin.prideaux@flinders.edu.au