Riversleigh is one of the great wonders of the palaeontological world.

What other site has produced such an extraordinary assemblage of mammals, birds, reptiles and many other creatures hitherto completely new to science.

Not just one or two species but literally hundreds of them.

And not just new but undreamed of.

Who would have dared to imagine herds of marsupials the size of sheep grazing in the tree tops while hanging upside down like sloths?

These revelations are the more remarkable when it is remembered that the difficulty of preparing Riversleigh specimens is also almost unparalleled.

But that very difficulty has brought its own reward.

It has preserved not just the bones and teeth of these prehistoric animals, but even soft tissues, in fact so perfectly preserved that actual cells can be seen.

Astoundingly, even structures within these cells, like the nucleus that once contained the animals' ancient DNA, have also been recovered from Riversleigh's rocks.

And just as importantly, Riversleigh's fossils are making it possible to determine how to save one of the rarest of surviving marsupials, the Mountain Pygmy-possum, a critically endangered alpine marsupial now threatened with extinction because of global warming.

Understanding the deep time history of this possum's lineage recorded in the Riversleigh rocks has now made it possible to devise a strategy by which the surviving species may be saved.

As a result, Riversleigh fossils, while extraordinary in their own right, are now teaching us how to rescue the living.

Will the revelations of Riversleigh ever come to an end?

My bet is there are lots more to come and that the next twenty five years of research into the resources of these World Heritage listed fossil deposits will add far more to Riversleigh's already extraordinary story.

Sir David Attenborough,

6 June, 2019

Chronic pain - pain that doesn't go away after the injury or illness has resolved and lasts at least three months - is arguably Australia and the world's fastest growing medical condition and is a significant issue affecting Australians.

Living with ongoing pain can lead to feelings of hopelessness and can all too often lead to isolation, mental health issues and a declining ability to effectively manage pain - an extremely vicious and heart-breaking cycle.

Pain is often invisible and people face the additional burden of not being believed.

National Pain Week (22 - 28 July 2019) is an annual initiative of Chronic Pain Australia, the voice of Australians living in chronic pain.

It aims to destigmatise the experiences of people living with chronic pain and provide an outlet to share their stories and experiences with the wider community.

This year's theme is 'Equal Partners in my healthcare' to highlight the need for people with chronic pain to be included in the decisions and policies that affect their lives.

During National Pain Week, people living with chronic pain are encouraged to share their experiences and ideas on the (https://chronicpainaustralia.org.au/forum) or on social media using the hashtags #NPW2019, #nationalpainweek, #equalpartnersinhealthcare.

We appreciate your support.

Jarrod McMaugh

President

Chronic Pain Australia