An incredibly rare and ancient discovery in outback Queensland has sparked a frenzy of excitement among Aussies.
A passionate fossil enthusiast and her family were exploring their neighbour’s land, 100km south of McKinlay in Queensland’s North West, when they stumbled upon something sticking out of the dirt. The item, identified as a small bone, prompted Cassandra Prince and her family to dig further.
With the help of heavy machinery and hours of painstaking work alongside David and Judy Elliott, owners of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum, they had uncovered the near-complete skeleton of an ichthyosaur, a dolphin-like marine predator that roamed an Australian inland sea over 100 million years ago.
The 7.1 metre long specimen features rare hind flippers, a full vertebral column and an almost complete skull, making it one of the most complete marine reptiles ever found in Australia.
Cassandra, who told the ABC she was “pretty excited about this find”, sought permission to explore her neighbour Sam Daniels’ Toolebuc Station, due to her land having “too much grass” on her own property.
Remarkably, after the dig was complete in 2024, Daniels donated the fossil to the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum, where it will be displayed for Aussies to see.
“This find is amazing for science and for everyone who loves dinosaurs and marine reptiles,” said David Elliott OAM, co-founder of the Museum. “Cassandra and her family’s dedication made this possible, and we can’t wait to share this piece of Australia’s ancient oceans with visitors for years to come.”
The platypterygius australis roamed an inland sea over 100 million years ago. Source: Australian Museum
What is an ichthyosaur?
According to the Australian Museum, the ichthyosaur, also known as Platypterygius australis, lived in the cool, high-latitude Erogmana Sea, an inland sea that covered vast areas of Australia inland between 125 and 100 million years ago.
The large reptile fed on fish and cephalopods and had the largest eyes of any vertebrate species to help spot prey in dark, cold waters.
Like a dolphin, the species was air-breathing. It had long, toothed snouts with up to 200 teeth. But unlike dolphins and whales, which have horizontal tails, the ichthyosaur’s tail is vertical like a shark’s.
Dr Espen Knutsen, Senior Scientist and Curator Palaeontology with the Queensland Museum Tropics in Townsville, said the specimen is “yet another example of the incredible palaeontological resource that is regional Queensland.
“Such fossils are not only crucial for improving our understanding of extinct species and ancient ecosystems, but are also excellent ambassadors for Australia’s natural heritage and increasing public interest in palaeontology and STEM subjects.”
The museum said it will be sharing “every step” of the journey as it prepares the specimen for display. It’s expected to be ready by “mid 2026”.
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