Unearthed! New Dinosaur Bones

The Mackenzie family have lived on their property in rural Eromanga, Queensland for nearly 80 years. They share the property with some creatures who came upon Eromanga a bit earlier. Around 100 million years earlier, in fact.

The home of Santos’ Annual Dinosaur Dig, property owner Robyn Mackenzie spotted ‘something odd’ on a drive down aa private road the family has used for generations.

A fresh dig site was established, and work began.

“We’re digging through the silt that filled Australia’s inland sea millions of years ago, and that’s where we find these dinosaur bones,” explained Robyn.

Among the finds: Three highly prized tailbones. The remains reportedly from a colossal, plant-eating dinosaur that stomped the grounds of the Mackenzie family’s property around 95 million years before the end of the 2023-24 financial year.

The unique combination of the regional Queensland area’s geology and soil makes it a hotspot for prehistoric paraphernalia. According to Santos geologist Mel Wilkinson, the thick layer of black soil soil’s seasonal expansion and contraction helps expose these ancient bones.

The discovery is part of The Santos Dinosaur Dig, a two-week annual event. Now in its 18th year The Dig draws enthused palaeontologists from around the country to see if they can become a part of pre-history.

The site is also home to one of the region’s first gas wells, established in 1966. The gas industry has worked closely with the Mackenzie family to conduct fossil heritage surveys before any soil is disturbed, preserving valuable sites.

This collaborative effort between Santos and the local community preserves Australia’s prehistoric heritage while fostering economic and educational opportunities. The bones discovered are to be displayed at the Eromanga Natural History Museum. Attracting over 10,000 visitors a year, the museum is a local economic success story.

A Santos Dinosaur Dig in 2022.

Stuart Mackenzie, Chair of the Outback Gondwana Foundation and property owner, emphasized the broader benefits. “This area produces amazing fossils that draw tourists and introduce kids to fascinating science, creating jobs that wouldn’t otherwise exist here.”

Santos geologist Mel Wilkinson, a volunteer at the dig since it started in 2006, shared his excitement. “My day job involves looking for oil and gas, but searching for dinosaurs is very similar. Everyone dreams of finding a dinosaur; I’m living that dream.”