A number of isolated vertebrae have been The oldest Australian fossil freshwater found between San Remo and Inverloch, but crustacean burrows can be seen at a number the one Mike found is of sites along the Bass Coast. the largest so far. They were identified in 2006 by Dr. An- tony Martin, a palaeoichnologist (old tracks and traces) from Emory University In 1903 field geologist for the Geological in Atlanta Georgia, USA. The first set of Survey of , William Ferguson, was burrows was found near The Caves and exploring the rocky shore platform at Eagles since then more have been found at other Nest, a few kilometres from the localities along the coast. Theropod (THAIR-row-pod) sleepy seaside town of Inverloch. He The best part about searching for dinosaurs Although the Flat Rocks site is the richest made a detailed map of the area in his search fossil locality along the Bass Coast, there along the Bass Coast is that erosion is a con- th are other sites where very exciting fossils stant process that slowly wears away the for coal deposits and on May 7 he came have been found, including: rock exposing new bones. Regular pros- across a small fossil bone exposed on the shore pecting for these newly exposed bones is a platform. Recognising it as a fossil, he care- Giant amphibian jaws from San Remo: very important part of the research being fully chipped it out of the rock and took it back This animal looked like a giant axoloti or carried out by Museum Victoria and Monash Mexican Walking fish and was the size of a University, and we look forward to more ex- to the Museum of Victoria, from where it was large salt water crocodile. It belonged to a citing discoveries in the future. sent to London’s Natural History Museum for group of animals that went extinct every- identification. It was identified as a claw where else in the world more than 50mil- If you think you have found a fossil bone lion years earlier. Named Koolasuchus in the rocks along the Bass Coast, please from a medium sized carnivorous dinosaur cleelandi after the two people who found contact the Bunurong Environment Cen- similar to Megalosaurus and it became known the first evidence of it, it is the last of its tre in Inverloch (5674 3738) and they will as the “ claw”. It is the very kind anywhere in the world. pass the information on to the researchers. It is VERY important to make a careful note first dinosaur bone found in . Ausktribosphenos nyktos The remains of a large carnivorous dinosaur of where you found the fossil. (The first Inverloch mammal) claw near Kilcunda, was found by Mike Taking a photograph is the best way to se- Cleeland. It was in a large boulder, and cure its location. If you do not have a cam- era, then note any obvious landmarks near most of the claw had eroded away by the time he found it. However, there was the fossil which will help you find it again. enough of the claw left to be able to recon- It is amazing how many people have found struct it to its original size, and it would something of interest and then never been It was not until 1978 that another geologist, have been about 20cms long – about the able to find it again. Rob Glenie, and two Monash Univsersity size of a large Allosaurus claw. Happy hunting – Lesley Kool – Dinosaur students, Tim Flannery and John Long, Mike also found part of the backbone of a Dreaming Co-ordinator decided to retrace Ferguson’s footsteps at For more information on this project visit Eagles Nest. large plant eating dinosaur in August 2008. websites: www.sci.monash.edu.au/smsc/dinodream www.dinodreaming.blogspot.com Almost immediately they started finding more Sedimentary structures in the cliff close to the Flat Such was the day we decided to check the rocks at fossil bones exposed in the rocks and it was these Rocks site suggest that temperatures dropped The Caves in 1991. There had been a storm in the discoveries that really started dinosaur hunting in below freezing during the polar winter when the area the day before, and when we arrived at The Victoria. sun disappeared below the horizon, and did not Caves, all the sand had been washed off the beach return for two to three months. to expose the underlying rocks. Inverloch is situated on the southern coast of Victoria approximately 150 kilometres southeast The diversity of animals represented by the Working our way along the shore platform to- of where Early Cretaceous sedimen- fossil bones found along the Bass Coast is very tary rocks outcrop along the coast from San Remo wards Inverloch, we came across a four-metre wide high considering the harsh conditions they cross section through a fossil layer that had more to Inverloch. existed in. There is no modern analogue for than 20 bones exposed on the surface. This was The rocks have been dated at approximately 115 these climatic conditions at high latitudes today. the largest concentration of fossils we had found -200 million years old, and represent sedi- anywhere along the south coast of Victoria. ments that accumulated in a vast rift valley that existed between Antarctica and the south coast Subsequent excavations at what was to be named of Australia. the “Flat Rocks site” proved it to be the richest Early Cretaceous fossil locality in Victoria. From At this time, Australia was still firmly attached this one locality we have removed thousands to Antarctica and represented the last of the of fossil bones over the last 16 years, including great super continent Gondwana. Australia Carnosaurs evidence of: was also situated much further south than it is to- day; approximately 75° South; within the polar Regular prospecting of the rocks along the Bass  Five different types of dinosaurs circle. Coast from San Remo to Inverloch began in the  Four types of mammals, including the mid 1980’s. Led by Lesley Kool, from Monash This area would have looked very different to smallest and oldest monotreme University, and local geologist Mike Cleeland,  The oldest evidence of birds in Australia what it looks like today. Instead of cliffs and groups would systematically search the shore sea, there was a wide, flat-bottomed valley with  Primitive short-necked turtle platforms at low tide, looking for exposed fossil  Freshwater plesiosaur mountain ranges to the north and south. bones.  Small pterosaurs In the valley lived many different animals,  Large and small fish including dinosaurs, birds, mammals, pterosaurs, Many isolated bones have been found over the  Freshwater molluscs freshwater plesiosaurs, giant amphibians and years, but rarely in any concentration until March turtles. Large and small fish lived in the rivers 1991, when a group were prospecting the coast- In 2006, dinosaur footprints were discovered along with the amphibians, turtles, freshwater line between The Caves and Inverloch. near the Flat Rocks site. crustaceans and molluscs. For most of the year the rocks outcropping on the At least three footprints were found in the rocky Plants dominated by coniferous species included shore platform are covered with a layer of sand. shore platform, made by three different theropod or tree ferns, cyads, and araucarian trees and ginkgos When the sand covers the rocks it is impossible to meat-eating dinosaurs. The best print is very close grew in the valley. Fossilised tree trunks and spot the fossils, but sometimes we can be lucky. to the dig site, but is only accessible a few hours branches can be seen sticking out of the rocky either side of low tide. shore platform, particularly around Eagles Nest and Flat Rocks.