COSMOS MAGAZINE
Dozens of three-toed dinosaur footprints, nearly 200 million years old, were discovered on a rock that had been displayed at Biloela State High School for over a decade.
Dr Anthony Romilio brushes Specimen 1 at Biloela State High School. Credit: University of Queensland/Supplied.
The rock was dug up 20 years ago at Callide Mine, an open cut mining operation in the state’s east. Rocks from the Callide Basin date back to the early part of the Jurassic period (201 to 145 million years ago).
Specimen 2 at the mine carpark. Credit: University of Queensland/Supplied.
The footprints were made by small herbivorous dinosaurs. They represent the highest concentration ever discovered in the country, offering rare insight into the Early Jurassic period.
Detailed highlights of the rock sample at Biloela in Queensland. Credit: University of Queensland/Supplied.
Though the tracks are assigned to the ichnospecies Anomoepus scambus, the exact species remains unknown, adding to the enigma.
Psinosaurus, a dinosaur like the ones that left footprints on the rock displayed at Biloela State High School. Credit: University of Queensland/Supplied.
This discovery provides a glimpse into a time when Australia was part of the supercontinent Gondwana, with a warm, humid climate, and highlights the scarcity of fossils from this period.