31/07/2026
BIRCHWOOD IS AN ARCHAEOLOGICAL SITE OF SIGNIFICANCE
Kia ora whānau
You may have noticed that a large area of grass was recently dug up in Jellystone Park. While the digging originally took place to relocate some underground cables, something completely unexpected was uncovered...
Prehistoric bones, fossilised eggs, and ancient fossils were discovered!
These incredible artefacts appeared to have been hidden beneath our school grounds for thousands—perhaps even millions—of years. It was an extraordinary discovery, and experts were eager to investigate.
On Thursday morning, shortly after 9.00 am, every class had the opportunity to visit the discovery site and see these remarkable finds up close before they were carefully removed for preservation and further study.
Adding to the excitement, a local newspaper reporter visited the site to photograph the discovery and interview staff about what had been found so they could share this incredible story with our wider community. A scientist from the Cawthron Institute was also on site, carefully documenting the discovery, examining the evidence, and beginning to piece together the story behind these fascinating prehistoric remains.
In all of Birchwood's history, we have never experienced anything quite like this. It was a unique opportunity for our students to witness what happens when an important prehistoric discovery is made and to imagine what life may have been like long before our school existed.
Who knows what secrets our school grounds have been hiding all this time? We can't wait to continue exploring the mystery together!
See the photos and watch history unfold!
