Eromanga/Cooper Basin Discoveries

Natural History Society

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‘COOPER’ Australia’s Largest Dinosaur

Based on skeletal remains found so far, ‘Cooper’ is Australia’s largest dinosaur. Named after Cooper Creek and the Cooper Basin where it was discovered. Cooper is Australia’s largest dinosaur and one of the world’s largest dinosaurs. Cooper is most likely a new genus and species of dinosaur and is one of the largest animals to have walked the earth.

Currently the scientific classification is waiting on the bones being housed in the proposed Eromanga Natural History Museum.

Profile of Cooper

Location: Eromanga, South-west Queensland, Australia.

Age: Approximately 95-98 million years ago: Cenomanian Epoch, mid-Cretaceous Period.

Size: The exact length of Cooper is unknown. Based on the length of the humerus and femur and comparison to titanosauriform sauropods, Cooper was most likely between 25-30m long, making it one of the top ten largest dinosaurs worldwide!

Type: Very large, long necked plant eating (herbivorous) sauropod dinosaur.

Formation: Winton Formation, Eromanga Basin.

Classification: Cooper is a titanosauriform sauropod, most likely a saltasaurid or close relative. Full classification of Cooper awaits the preparationf of more specimens and the scientific study to be completed. The specimens are unique enought that they most likely represent a new species of sauropod, unique to Australia.

Excavation: Excavation of Cooper’s skeleton has ceased for the time being so that work can be concentrated on preparing the numerous massive bones already excavated. Many weeks over a three year period have been spent excavating these bones and palaeontologists think it is possible that the site has still more to yield.

Interesting facts about Cooper:

Largest dinosaur ever to be discovered in Australia.
Cooper is in the top ten of the largest dinosaurs in the world.
Cooper’s collection of bones represent some of the most complete giant titanosaur bones known.
At least ten metres larger than any other dinosaur found so far in Australia.
Cooper represents a new dinosaur species to the world.
Cooper was found on a tributary of the famous inland river system, Cooper Creek in the Cooper/Eromanga Basin and this is where the nickname came from.