Factsheet 19 – Why Are Dinosaur Fossils Being Found in the Outback?

Factsheet 19 – Why are dinosaur fossils being found in the Outback?

Quirky fact : Australian Curriculum Links Year Subject Curriculum Links The Muttaburrasaurus 5 Science ACSHE081 was the first dinosaur 6 Science ACSSU094, ACSHE098 in Australia to be 7 Science ACSSU111, ACSHE119 cast and mounted 8 Geography ACHGK050 on display. Science ACSSU153, ACSHE134

Background Information Sauropods The discovery of dinosaur remains dates back to 1865 when Sauropods are very large plant-eating dinosaurs with long James Sutherland unearthed an ichthyosaurus on the Flinders necks and tails. Since 1932, the fossil bones of several River. The pieces of vertebrae were sent to the Museum of individual sauropods have been found in the Flinders region Victoria where their discovery was briefly noted in 1867. While of Queensland. They probably belonged to Austrosaurus. waiting on the museum’s findings, Sutherland continued to The remains of an Austrosaurus Mckillopi were discovered uncover a more complete specimen, including a skull and by the McKillop family on Clutha Station west of Richmond, many more vertebrae. Again, these were sent to Melbourne in 1932, and were dated to be 100 million years old. Half of for further study. Despite a second paper in 1869 describing a cervical (neck) vertebra from another sauropod was found the new material, it was not until 1984 that Dr Mary Wade of the Queensland Museum published the finding of two skulls near Hughenden. It is similar to the vertebra of Brachiosaurus, present in the material. Other palaeontology discoveries in a huge sauropod with long forelegs found in Africa and the area include: North America. The Queensland animal is known as the ‘Hughenden sauropod’. The size of the bones found suggests 1888 – other ichthyosaur material described as an animal 20 – 22 metres long and perhaps weighing up to Ichthyosaurus Marathonensis was found at Marathon Station, east of Richmond. 50 tonnes. It used its long neck to reach the lower branches of the trees. 1899 – a scrap of a large reptile jawbone was identified by the Queensland Museum as the giant plesiosaur Kronosaurus. Muttaburrasaurus Some 40 kms outside Hughenden a pterosaur skull Muttaburrasaurus Langdoni roamed the Australian landscape and jaw fragment were found. approximately 100 million years ago during the Cretaceous 1962 – a Muttaburrasaurus was collected from many Period. This dinosaur is thought to have been quite common fragments in a cattle yard on the Thomson River near and four specimens have been found in central and northern Muttaburra. Many pieces had been souvenired by locals, Queensland. Muttaburrasaurus Langdoni was first discovered but a public appeal soon saw these handed in to the in 1963 by grazier Doug Langdon, whose property was in the museum. Throughout the 80s there were several other Channel Country of the Thomson River just outside the town Muttaburrasaurus finds around Hughenden, the most of Muttaburra. recent being in 1987 when Dr Mary Wade discovered a second Muttaburrasaurus skull. A museum team collected five tonnes of rock material from 1989 – One of the world’s best examples of an the site and transported it to Brisbane. It took many years of ankylosaur was found by Ian and Rob Ievers on Marathon painstaking work to piece together the bones and the study Station at Minmi Crossing East of Richmond. The Minmi of the animal is still not complete. The team has no real idea find is more than 90 per cent complete. of the environment in which Muttaburrasaurus lived because 1989 – The most complete skeleton of a Cretaceous all four specimens from Queensland have been found in pliosaur was also discovered on Marathon Station. an area that was once covered by a vast inland sea.

88 Outback Queensland Education Handbook | Australian Curriculum Factsheets Inquiry Questions ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Queensland Museum Subject Years Questions Phone: (07) 3840 7555 Email: [email protected] Science 5/6 What evidence do fossils give of how the www.qm.qld.gov.au/Find+out+about/Dinosa landscapes and enviornment have changed? urs+and+Ancient+Life+of+Queensland 7/8 How do scientists collect and analyse evidence, Australian Museum including fossils and minerals? Factsheet on Muttaburrasaurus www.australianmuseum.net.au/ Geography 8 What can you find out about how a landform Muttaburrasaurus-langdoni/ was produced? Australian Dinosaur Trail www.australiasdinosaurtrail.com/

ABC Points of Interest www.abc.net.au/dinosaurs/meet_the_dinos Flinders Discovery Centre, Hughenden ABC – The Age of Reptiles www.flinders.qld.gov.au www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/ Kronosaurus Korner, Richmond ageofreptiles/eromanga/kronosaurus.htm www.kronosauruskorner.com.au Australian Museum Research Library enquiries: Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park Phone: (02) 9320 6152 www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au/home Scientific enquiries: Phone: (02) 9320 6202

Riversleigh Fossil Fields, Boodjamulla (Lawn Hill) National Park Australian Dinosaur Story www.outbackatisa.com.au/Attractions/Riversleigh-Fossil-Centre.aspx Australian Government Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton Population and Communities www.australianageofdinosaurs.com Email: [email protected] www.environment.gov.au/node/19647 Outback Gondwana Foundation, Eromanga REFERENC ES www.ogf.org.au Flinders Discovery Centre www.flinders.qld.gov.au

Queensland Museum www.qm.qld.gov.au

FURTHER INFORMATION Flinders Discovery Centre 37 Gray Street, Hughenden QLD 4821 Phone: (07) 4741 2970 Email: [email protected] www.flinders.qld.gov.au

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