[meteorite-list] Cunnamulla meteorite ownership divides town

From: Greg Catterton <star_wars_collector_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Mon, 18 Jan 2010 08:46:28 -0800 (PST)
Message-ID: <291935.70847.qm_at_web46409.mail.sp1.yahoo.com>

Neat story, enjoy.

Greg C.

http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/story/0,20797,26603785-3102,00.html?from=public_rss

AN ongoing dispute over a bizarre-looking rock has landed in court.

Residents in Cunnamulla, about 825km west of Brisbane, have been bickering for months over the discovery of a 25kg object which could be the state's second-biggest stony meteorite.

Disability pensioner Tom King, 53, was caretaker at the property, Rywanda Plainview, 70km south of Cunnamulla, when he found the rock and claimed it in October, sparking a dispute with the property's owners.

Police took the rock from him less than 24 hours later and now the unresolved dispute over the rock's ownership will be taken to the Cunnamulla Magistrates Court.

Police yesterday refused to disclose where the stony object was being held for "security reasons".

But they confirmed the matter was not finalised and "no lawful owner has been determined at this stage".

Mr King was afraid he might never see the rock again, suggesting it could be replaced with a replica.

"There's talk that the rock's not at the (Cunnamulla) police station anymore anyway," he said.

If the rock turns out to be a meteorite, it could be worth a small fortune.

Mr King hopes it will be housed in Cunnamulla's museum in the town centre.

"I'd like to see me get the rock so it can go to the museum in Cunnamulla like I've always said," he said.

"Our little town is dying . . . if I can give something to the town that I was born and bred in, why not give it to them?"

A planned dispute resolution between the warring parties including the police, the property owners and Mr King was arranged for this week.

But last Friday Mr King received written confirmation from Cunnamulla's officer in charge, Sean Relf, that the meeting had been cancelled.

"The Queensland Police Service does not have the authority to determine ownership of this property and is only holding the property until ownership is determined through the court system," he wrote. Queensland Museum curator Dr Alex Cook has previously said he hoped the meteorite would be given to the Brisbane museum "to allow experts to analyse and study it".

An application to establish ownership of the rock will be heard in court on March 2.





      
Received on Mon 18 Jan 2010 11:46:28 AM PST