Step into the wonders of the Devonian world at 87 Beaufort Street (next to Victoria Girls' High School), where 360-million-year-old fossils reveal a past world. Featuring extraordinary specimens from Waterloo Farm—located just outside Makhanda—this display showcases the most complete estuarine ecosystem of its age ever discovered. Highlights include Africa’s earliest known four-legged animals, the oldest coelacanth, the world’s oldest lamprey and many more fascinating fossilised creatures, brought to life through scientific reconstructions.

Children’s worksheets will be on hand to encourage interaction with the exhibits. Twice during the festival a draw will be conducted from correctly filled in worksheets, with prizes given to a lucky winner. A children’s art competition will also be ongoing throughout the festival, giving learners the opportunity to produce pictures depicting a given Devonian scene. Children’s art will be displayed in the lecture room and towards the end of the festival a prize will be awarded to the best artwork that adheres to the given topic.

Children (and adults) may visit the gallery between 9 and 4:30 daily throughout the festival. Guided tours in isiXhosa and/or English will be available for free.