Australia’s First Dinosaur Celebrates A Centenary

Australia’s first named dinosaur, Rhoetosaurus brownei celebrates 100 years since its discovery near Roma in 1924.

As the most complete pre-Cretaceous dinosaur yet discovered in Australia, Rhoetosaurus brownei is one of the largest and most intact Australian dinosaurs and takes pride and place in Queensland Museum’s State Collection.

A team of jackaroos who originally found the bones thought that the colossal skeletal remains might be from an escaped circus elephant. Bones unearthed by station manager Mr Arthur J. Browne were sent to Mr A. Heber Longman, Director, Queensland Museum who recognised they were a new species.

Browne arranged for the collecting and transfer of the bones to Queensland Museum. He had packed them so carefully that it was possible for Longman to reconstruct the vertebrae. Longman scientifically described the bones in 1926 as a new type of sauropod dinosaur, Rhoetosaurus brownei, which he named after Browne and Rhoetos, one of the giants in Greek mythology. After 100 years, Rhoetosaurus brownei remains the only Australian dinosaur from the Jurassic period (between 145 and 201 million years ago) and is one-of-a-kind, with no other specimens of this species found to date.

Queensland Museum CEO Dr Jim Thompson said as we celebrate National Fossil Day on 26 June we recognise Rhoetosaurus brownei, being Australia’s first dinosaur fossil and a significant part of the State Collection.

“We are proud to be able to say our team scientifically described not only Australia’s first major dinosaur discovery, Rhoetosaurus brownei, but also Australia’s only dinosaur known from the Jurassic period,” Dr Thompson said.

“Visitors to Dinosaurs Unearthed at Queensland Museum are able to measure up against a replica of Rhoetosaurus brownei.”

Within the museum collection is the impressive near complete skeleton of the foot and toe bones of the dinosaur, which were uncovered in subsequent field trips in the 1970s, as well as pieces of the original fossils found in the 1920s, including fossil vertebrae.

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said the Rhoetosaurus brownei display is a rare opportunity for visitors to view one of the nation’s most important dinosaur fossils and to trace the unique stories it reveals about Queensland’s ancient past.

“Queensland Museum has used innovative technology to scientifically describe some of Australia’s prominent dinosaur discoveries, including the State’s fossil emblem Muttaburrasaurus and the nation’s largest dinosaur Australotitan cooperensis.

“These centenary celebrations of Australia’s first dinosaur, Rhoetosaurus brownei, reinforce Queensland’s status as a leader in palaeontology and highlights Queensland Museum’s significant role in advancing new discoveries, exhibitions and displays that enable the community to engage with our state’s cultural collections, while preserving them for future generations.,” Minister Enoch said.

“Uncovering stories that span millions of years helps nurture the knowledge of visitors of all ages and reinforces Queensland’s reputation for cultural tourism in the lead-up to Brisbane 2032,” the Minister said.

Queensland Museum Principal Scientist and Curator of Palaeobotany Dr Andrew Rozefelds said research into the fossil is ongoing and it highlights the significant advances in research methodologies that have occurred in palaeontology over the past century and shows how research into our fossil history continues.

“Rhoetosaurus brownei is the oldest and only Jurassic-aged sauropod from Australia and we need to explore beyond Australia to find its nearest relatives,” Dr Rozefelds said.

“A century following its discovery, palaeontologists are still researching Rhoetosaurus brownei as this important fossil provides insights into our prehistoric past.

“Recently, researchers have been able to date zircons (a type of mineral) found in the sediments associated with the skeleton. This has pinned down the maximum age of the fossil at 162.6 =/- 1.1. Million years.”