The Centre

OPENING TIMES:
MON – SAT	8h30 – 16h30
SUN	8h30 – 12h00
PUBLIC HOLIDAYS	8h30 – 12h00
CLOSED ON	CHRISTMAS DAY, NEW YEARS DAY AND EASTER SUNDAY

ADVENTURE FEES:
One Hour Guided Tour	R50 per person (in addition to entry fee). Minimum of 4 people. Pre-booking ESSENTIAL.
Adults	R100
Under 18	R50 (under 5 enter for free)
Pensioners	R70
Family of 4	R270 (hereafter R50 per extra child)
Group of 10	R800
Annual Pass	R400
School Groups	contact li*@*********co.za

The Karoo Through Time

Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre is a remarkable palaeontological exhibition centre positioned in Graaff-Reinet, the Gem of the Karoo, which is internationally renowned for its rich history of prehistoric discoveries.

What many people do not know about the Karoo, more specifically Graaff-Reinet, is that nearly 300 million years ago it was part of the supercontinent Gondwana and covered by sea. The remnants of Gondwana make up around two-thirds of today’s continental area, including South America, Africa, Antarctica, Australia, Zealandia, Arabia, and the Indian subcontinent.

The 120 million year-long (Permian to Jurassic) rock record of the Karoo, with its wealth of fossils, preserves an internationally renowned history tracing the origin of mammals and dinosaurs.

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From Field to Display: Curating the Karoo

The discovery of a remarkably complete 30cm long skull of a large flesh-eating mammal-like reptile by Sidney Rubidge in 1934 was described as a new species, Dinogorgon rubidgei, by the internationally acclaimed palaeontologist Dr Robert Broom.

The find sparked an intensive and extensive search for more fossils and today the collection comprising more than 850 fossil skulls, of which 120 are type specimens (the reference specimens of a newly described species), is of international importance.

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The Significance of The Rubidge Collection

The world renowned Rubidge Collection is a significant collection of fossil vertebrates, primarily from the Karoo Supergroup in South Africa amassed over several generations by the Rubidge family.

It contains numerous unique specimens of prehistoric animals from the region and is considered a key source for studying the evolution of early mammals and other Permian and Triassic creatures. 

Most of the fossils in the collection are from the Karoo sedimentary basin, known for its rich fossil record of early mammal-like reptiles (therapsids). Before being moved to Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre, the collection was housed at the Rubidge family’s ‘Wellwood Farm’ near Nieu-Bethesda in the Karoo.

CLICK HERE FOR A HISTORY OF THE RUBIDGE COLLECTION

MEET THE TEAM

The Karoo Origins team is as special as the centre itself and they have one mission in mind – to make your visit memorable.

Bruce Sidney Rubidge

Director

Professor Bruce Rubidge, who was born and raised in Graaff-Reinet, has palaeontology in his blood and has gone on to become a highly respected expert in his field locally and internationally. During his career he has worked in Bloemfontein and Johannesburg in various academic pursuits.

He and his wife Marina are now living in Graaff-Reinet, where he grew up, and running Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre. He is currently still employed by the University of Witwatersrand as a Distinguished Professor.

Following completion of his B.Sc., B.Sc. (Hons) cum laude at Stellenbosch University he was appointed to the Karoo Palaeontology Department at the National Museum in Bloemfontein in 1980, becoming Head of the Department in 1982. He achieved his PhD in Geology through the University of Port Elizabeth in 1988.

In 1990 he was appointed Director of the Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research (BPI) and Head of the Palaeontology Department at the University of the Witwatersrand. In 2013 he became Director of the Evolutionary Studies Institute at Wits and at the same time Director of the newly established National DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Palaeosciences, a position he held for ten years until December 2022. He has an ‘A rating’ from the National Research Foundation (NRF) and has published more than 200 research publications in internationally accredited journals. 36 MSc and PhD students have achieved their degrees under his supervision.

His passion to expose the palaeoheritage of South Africa to the public has seen him instrumental in setting up a palaeoscience museum at Wits which forms the core of an active palaeoscience outreach programme. He was also involved in the development of the Cradle of Humankind World Heritage site, the Golden Gate Dinosaur exhibition Centre, and setting up the Kitching Fossil Exploration Centre in Nieu Bethesda as a sustainable palaeotourism business. He is currently Director of Karoo Origins in Graaff-Reinet.

Marina Rubidge

Office Administrator

After completing a BLib and Higher Education Diploma at the University of the Orange Free State in 1982, Marina worked as a Regional Librarian for the Provincial Library Services until 1988. In 1994 she was appointed as a librarian at the Commercial law firm, Glyn Marais Inc. where she remained for 18 years.

In January 2012, she was appointed as manager of the Firstrand Legal’s Knowledge Centre and Electronic Portal until November 2019. It was here that she established an electronic library portal that serviced all Legal Departments within the Firstrand Group. Marina is a creative person who has a great passion for research. She is currently extensively involved with administrative tasks at Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre.

Viktor Radermacher

Post Doctoral Fellow

Doctor Viktor Radermacher completed his B.Sc., majoring in Zoology and Geology, B.Sc. Honours cum laude, and M.Sc. cum laude at the University of Witwatersrand, and then moved to the USA to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. He recently returned to South Africa as a Postdoctoral

Research Fellow with Karoo Origins, Graaff-Reinet, and the Evolutionary Studies Institute (ESI) at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg.

Viktor Radermacher was born in George, Western Cape where he developed a deep love of nature and the origins of life. Understanding the interplay between life and changing landscapes through time is something only palaeontology can do. Viktor’s research has focused on untangling the forces that shaped aspects of dinosaur biology like their breathing anatomy, family-tree relationships, and unique dental systems.

Being passionate to make science available to the public, Viktor has produced outreach materials and workshops that bridge the gap between public and science. His artwork has been used in internationally produced documentaries and news headlines in NatGeo, CNN, FOX, and SABC. Whether it be artwork that gives life back to bones, popular science talks that entertain and inform audiences, or workshops that use tactile and artistic means to inspire young and old, Viktor finds it critical that people learn about the wonderful stories of life hiding under their feet.

Justin Arnols

Technician

Justin Arnols, who was born and raised in the Graaff-Reinet district, completed his matric at Spandau Secondary School in 2021. Before joining Karoo Origins in 2022, he briefly worked as a casual worker at Mount Camdeboo Private Game Reserve. In his current role, Justin leads the Technical

Division at Karoo Origins, responsible for all maintenance tasks, including exhibits, but his primary focus is to prepare fossils for research purposes.

Justin actively participates in the Karoo Origins research programme and coordinates logistics for field trips. His remarkable ability to identify fossils from even the tiniest fragments of exposed bone makes him an invaluable and productive member of the team. Notably, many of the fossils he prepares for research originate from the lowest rocks of the Beaufort Group, which lack a distinct separation between the bone and matrix. Consequently, Justin has developed a specialised technique for acid preparation, a time-consuming process that involves extended periods of fossil washing between acid immersions.

Kristin Wilkens

Reception & Commercial Space

Kristin Wilckens was born and raised in Johannesburg. Mother of three children and of German descent she decided to raise her children in Germany. For eighteen years Kristin ran her own Nail and Sunbed Salon, before returning to South Africa she managed a Bakery in Landsberg.

She also was manager of a Restaurant. Her interest in history and the beautiful surroundings made the choice of Graaff-Reinet easy. Kristin will be at the reception and in charge of the coffee shop.

Lindsay Kingwill

Educational Outreach Officer

We are delighted to introduce Lindsay Kingwill, our Educational Outreach Officer at Karoo Origins – The Fossil Centre.

A confident, approachable and passionate educator, Lindsay brings with her a deep love for the biological sciences and a genuine enthusiasm for working with learners.

Growing up on the farm Ripplemead in the Karoo, just outside Graaff-Reinet, she developed a profound appreciation for nature and animals—an early connection that sparked her lifelong interest in biology and the natural world.

Lindsay holds a BSc in Human Life Sciences with Psychology from Stellenbosch University, along with an Honours degree in Psychology and a Postgraduate Certificate in Education from UNISA. Her greatest passion lies in teaching and inspiring students, helping them connect new concepts to their own lives, particularly in the fields of anatomy and the environment.

She is especially excited to work with learners in Graaff-Reinet through the Karoo Origins centre, where she brings the rich history of the Karoo to life—showcasing just how fascinating, relevant and exciting the Biological Sciences can be within this unique and remarkable landscape.

We are thrilled to have Lindsay on our team and look forward to the meaningful impact she will make in our community.

Maraai Arnolds

Receptionist

Maraai Arnolds was born in Graaff-Reinet and matriculated at Spandau Secondary High School. Having spent time working at the Drostdy Hotel, Maria’s Coffee, and the Graaff Reinet Museum makes her ideal for her role at the centre. Her personable nature and keen interest

in the heritage of Graaff-Reinet will be of great benefit and she will be supporting at reception and the coffee shop.

Ursula Meintjies

Receptionist

Ursula Meintjies was born and raised in Graaff- Reinet and matriculated at Spandau Secondary High School. She received training in hospitality services at the Drostdy Hotel, Our Yard and Frontiers Restaurant. This hard working lady is always up for a new challenge

and her people skills and friendly manner make her the ideal person to welcome visitors to the centre. Her skills as a barista allow her to make a good cup of coffee and she is always ready to lend a helping hand where needed.

Elgina Jacobs

Cleaner

Elgina “Poppie” Jacobs is the newest member of our team. Appointed as our cleaner, Poppie has taken on the important (and rather daunting!) task of keeping the museum spotless and dust-free — no small feat in a fossil centre where even the tiniest speck of dust can be a daily challenge. Her presence has already made a noticeable difference, and we are thrilled to have her on board.

Poppie is a single mom whose radiant positivity lights up every room she enters.

Always cheerful, always smiling, she brings warmth and energy to the museum each day. Though we are still getting to know her better, one thing is certain: her uplifting spirit and tireless work ethic are already making her an indispensable part of the Karoo Origins family.