Geotourism Conference – Yerevan, Armenia
15 October 2019
Tom Kapitany was an invited speaker at the Geotourism Conference held in Yerevan, Armenia.
Presentation
Searching for the Oldest Rocks on the World
Supporting Document :
Proceedings of the International Geotourism Conference, Yerevan, Armenia, 15–18 October 2019 (PDF)
https://geology.am/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Geoturism-Conference-book-15-18.2019-Armenia.pdf
Museum Victoria Cultural Gifts Program Donation
2003
Tom Kapitany donated an important collection of minerals and fossils valued at more than A$200,000 to Museum Victoria under the Australian Government’s Cultural Gifts Program. The donation became part of the museum’s permanent scientific collection and was recognised in the Museum Victoria Annual Report 2002–2003.
Supporting Documents:
Department of Communications, Information Technology and the Arts (DCITA) –Donation Certificate 8675 and Donation Certificate 8023
Australian Financial Review – Bottom of the Sea Delivers Tax Breaks
Museum Victoria Annual Report 2002–2003 (PDF)
https://museumsvictoria.com.au/media/3683/museum-victoria-annual-report-2002-2003.pdf
Australia’s Own Indiana Jones and His Crystal World
6 July 2025
This feature article profiles Tom Kapitany’s career as a geologist, explorer, collector and founder of Crystal World. It highlights decades of geological fieldwork, international expeditions, museum contributions and his role in developing one of Australia’s largest private collections of minerals, fossils and meteorites.
Supporting Article:
Australia’s Own Indiana Jones and His Crystal World
https://sergeaus.com/2025/07/06/australias-own-indiana-jones-and-his-crystal-world/
South Australian Gypsum Mine Receives Court Approval
26 April 2017
This news article reports on court approval for a proposed small-scale gypsum mining operation near Port Augusta despite objections from native title claimants. Tom Kapitany is featured as the proponent of the project and discusses its scale and intended operation.
Supporting Article:
Small-scale mining of gypsum near Port Augusta wins court approval despite opposition from native title claimants
https://www.adelaidenow.com.au/business/sa-business-journal/smallscale-mining-of-gypsum-near-port-augusta-wins-court-approval-despite-opposition-from-native-title-claimants/news-story/16eb8efe6ab876a1321a6879a8a0fe51
Giant Dinosaur Exhibition Proposal
7 December 2022
This news article reports on plans for a large dinosaur exhibit at Crystal World and the planning process associated with its proposed installation in Devon Meadows.
Supporting Article:
Tom Kapitany fights with Casey Council town planners as giant dinosaur awaits delivery
https://www.heraldsun.com.au/leader/south-east/tom-kapitany-fights-with-casey-council-town-planners-as-giant-dinosaur-awaits-delivery/news-story/0314f316e9c29f818649bae0830ee382
National Rock Garden Advisory Council
2023–Present
Tom Kapitany serves on the Advisory Council of the National Rock Garden, contributing expertise in geology, palaeontology, museum collections and science education to support Australia’s national geological heritage initiative. The Advisory Council provides strategic advice to the National Rock Garden Steering Committee and comprises leading scientists, community representatives and business leaders.
Supporting Document:
National Rock Garden – Governance
https://nationalrockgarden.com.au/about-us/governance
Species Named in Honour – Ambigaster kapitanyi
2024
The peer-reviewed paper Permian asteroids (Echinodermata) from Australia describes the new fossil sea star species Ambigaster kapitanyi. The species was named for Tom Kapitany, who collected the asteroid specimens and donated them to the Western Australian Museum.
Supporting Document:
Permian asteroids (Echinodermata) from Australia
Permian asteroids (Echinodermata) from Australia Gale and McNamara 2024 (PDF)
https://muse.jhu.edu/article/935036/figure/fig05
Rod Tallis Memorial Youth Award
1984 (awarded in 1983; published in the 1984 proceedings)
Tom Kapitany received the Rod Tallis Memorial Youth Award from the International Plant Propagators’ Society in recognition of his early contribution to horticulture and plant propagation. The award is recorded in the Society’s historical award listings.
Supporting Document:
International Plant Propagators’ Society – 2018 Summary Report
https://ipps.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2018_summary_report.pdf
Unesco Participation Award
28 August 2022
The certificate was awarded to Tamas Kapitany for his participation in the International Geological Summer School, “Millions of years before the Silk Road,” held in Kyrgyzstan from 15–28 August 2022.
The programme covered:
- Planetology
- Stratigraphy
- Geohazards
- Geoheritage
- Palaeontological research of Mesozoic and Cenozoic rock sequences
- Fieldwork in Maydygen Geopark and other sites of the Southern Tian Shan
The certificate was issued by the UNESCO Almaty Cluster Office in cooperation with the Tian Shan Geological Society and other participating geological organisations.
Supporting Certificate:
Certificate of Participation – International Geological Summer School, Kyrgyzstan
Kimberley Smith Sentenced for Illegal Turquoise Mining
28 January 2026
This ABC News article reports on the sentencing of Queensland gemstone dealer Kimberley Smith for illegally mining turquoise from a protected Aboriginal sacred site in the Northern Territory. The article also provides background on Tom Kapitany’s involvement in identifying and documenting the provenance of the turquoise specimens during the subsequent investigation
Supporting News Article:
Kimberley Smith Sentenced for Illegal Turquoise Mining (ABC News)
Operation Bushtrack- Footprint Charges Follow Drug Arrests
2 December 1998
A newspaper article reporting on Operation Bushtrack, a joint investigation involving Broome Detectives, Police, the Organised Crime Operations Squad, Asset Investigation Squad, and the Australian Federal Police and Customs. The article reports on arrests connected with a sophisticated cannabis-growing operation and the alleged theft of dinosaur and human footprints from the Broome area.
Supporting News Article:
Footprint charges follow drug arrests (Broome Advertiser and West Kimberley Chronicle)
