The ACT has formally adopted a new emblem, more than two years after it was selected in a public vote to decide which fossil would best represent the territory.
The fossil is one of the most common in the ACT. We've got more details of it lower in the article, but first we thought you could see how well you know our city's formal emblems (or you could jump below the quiz and see which fossil was chosen).
Batocara mitchelli was formally adopted as the territory's fossil emblem after the Legislative Assembly voted to recognise the fossil this week.
The fossil was selected as the emblem after a public vote, beating out a field of five fossils, winning 30 per cent of the vote. About 1100 people cast a vote for the fossil emblem.
Being a trilobite, it's a marine animal that existed when the territory was underwater. It went extinct 250 million years ago.
It is normally found in fragments but an almost complete fossil was found during the construction of the John Gorton Building. The ACT emblem is based off the specimen found at the building.
While a fossil emblem might seem unconventional, Geoscience chief scientist Dr Steve Hill previously said a fossil emblem would help to reinforce the community's connection with the earth.
"The ACT has amazing fossils in its rocks and so why not celebrate that and acknowledge that," Dr Hill said in October 2020,when announcing the winner of the poll.
"The best thing about it is it also makes people more aware of it and then people are able to better connect with that bit of planet earth."
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