Following two years of negotiations, the $15 million Somerville Collection, will be officially handed over to the people of NSW, bringing to fruition Warren Somerville's dream of a permanent home, for his unique collection.

A consortium of regional stakeholders together with the Australian Museum has finally ensured one of Australia's most significant fossil and mineral collections will be preserved for all and particularly accessible to the people of regional NSW. With support from the NSW Premier Bob Carr Minister for the Arts, the Collection will be on permanent display in a new museum planned for the Heritage listed former TAFE buildings in Bathurst.

The Somerville Collection is the result of a lifelong interest by Mr Somerville, the former museum operator and apple orchardist from Orange who collected his first fossil at the age of 12.

Bathurst City Council, Charles Sturt University and the Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy have collaborated with the Australian Museum in the establishment of a company to manage the new museum in Bathurst.

The Collection includes thousands of exceptional Australian and international fossil and mineral specimens, including the famous T-Rex skeleton, 100 million-year-old reptile and bird skeletons from China, Australia's finest collection of dinosaur eggs from around the world, complete skulls of the dolphin-like ichthyosaur and a sabre-toothed lion.

"Having the Somerville Collection on display in Bathurst continues the Australian Museum's commitment to providing greater access for people in regional areas to our vast collections," said Australian Museum Director, Professor Mike Archer.

"With a strong history of its own, Bathurst is very proud to be able to host this significant fossil collection, provide greater access to people in regional NSW to such a significant cultural asset and welcome the opportunity to attract visitors from the metropolitan area to the region," said Bathurst City Mayor Cr Ian Macintosh.