OGF Newsletter Issue III Nov 2010
Featuring:
Science & Art
Eromanga Dinosaurs
Searching for Wallabies in Idalia
Eromangasaurus - Queensland’s own Loch Ness Monster
The Perfection of Collection
*As represented by skeletal remains.
Bee Fly – a new species of Australian Beefly, Palirika mackenziei, found on Plevna Downs has been described and named after Collections Manager, Robyn Mackenzie. The beefly was captured during a 2011 trip to Quilpie and Eromanga by Qld Museum Curator of Entomology, Dr Christine Lambkin. For more details: http://ogf.org.au/biodiversity-south-west-project/
OGF’s full application under the auspices of the Quilpie Shire council was submitted ontime. Announcement of the successful applicants will be made by the minister in mid to late May.
To find out more Regional Development Australia Fund Round Two
OGF with the support of the Quilpie Shire Council has passed the Expression of Interest stage and is currently submitting a full application for funding from the RDAF. If successful, this will be used to build the first stage of the Eromanga Natural History Museum which will provide a permanent Research, Education and Tourist Facility.
To find out more Regional Development Australia Fund Round Two
Watch fossil preparators work on a huge leg bone from of one the Eromanga dinosaurs.
To find out more http://www.southbank.qm.qld.gov.au/Events and Exhibitions/Events/2011/01/I Dig Dinos
In 1998, Dr Paul Sereno (Palaeontologist, University of Chicago, USA) along with student, Jonathan Marcot, Dr Ralph Molnar (Curator, Geosciences, Queensland Museum) and Joanne Wilkinson (Technician, Queensland Museum) visited Plevna Downs. They were searching for cretaceous vertebrate fossil material – nothing was found at this time.
In 2004, the first piece of dinosaur bone was discovered at Plevna Downs by 14 year old Sandy Mackenzie (Jnr) marking the first discovery of dinosaur evidence in South-western Queensland.
In 2005, the ‘Cooper’ & ‘George’ sites were discovered. Since then many other dinosaur and fossil fauna sites have been identified.
In 2007, at the Queensland Museum, an official Government announcement by the Honourable Rod Welford, Minister for Arts and Education, revealed the discoveries of ‘Cooper’ and George’. Scott Hocknull (Curator/Palaeontologist, Geosciences, Queensland Museum) confirmed these dinosaurs to be two massive Titanosaurs – and Australia’s largest dinosaurs discovered to-date.*
The Eromanga Dinosaur Project’s two week dinosaur dig at ‘Cooper’s’ site has been completed for 2008. Many new dinosaur bones were unearthed adding to the already impressive collection from this site
Excavations at Cooper’s site are continuing each year. This site has still to be fully excavated and has proven to be an extremely rich fossil deposit. Preparation and storage of the bones is carried out in a Field Station and Dinosaur Preparation Laboratory about 35kms away from Cooper’s site.
All the field and laboratory work on ‘Cooper’ has been done by volunteers, with help and support from the Queensland Museum and OGF’s sponsors.
*as represented by bone.
Queensland Museum: http://www.qm.qld.gov.au/features/dinosaurs/queensland/giants.asp