AAOD JOURNAL
ISSUE 5

FEATURES

26  FLIGHTS OF FANCY!
      On the trail of the Aussie pterosaurs
      Story by Scott Hocknull and Dr Alex Cook

36  THE IISISFORD CROCODILE
      The world's first "modern crocodile"
      Story by Joanne Wilkinson

44  THE TALBRAGAR FISH BEDS UNCOVERED
      Rediscovering a world famous fossil site
      Story by Patricia Meagher and Dr Cathy Offard

56  TO FIND A FALLEN STAR
      Search for the Winton meteorite
      Story by David Elliott

62  OUT OF THE FREEZER
      The vanished forests of Antarctica
      Story by Stephen McLoughlin

74  LONG WAIT FOR A SNAKE SKULL
      The fossil snakes of Riversleigh
      Story by John Scanlon

REGULARS

2    EDITORIAL

4    DIGGERS DIARY NEWS AND VIEWS

7    BLACKSOIL
      A muddie on the beach
      On the floor of a forest
      The tracks that weren't
      A "missing link" from South Australia
      The monsters of Euromanga

17  DIARY OF AN AUSTRALIAN DREAM

86  PALEO PROILE

88  TAIL BONES

OUR COVER
Pterosaurs snatch fish from the ancient sea which covered what is now western Queensland. The reconstruction of this flying reptile is based on a partial skull discovered in the Hughenden area in 1991. The 100-million-year-old fossil is very similar to one of similar age from Brazil called Anhanguera.
Illustration by Laurie Beirne

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Front Cover: Laurie Beirne.
Blacksoil: Paul Tierney, David Elliott, Dr Ben Kear, South Australian Museum, Scott Hocknull, Dr Alex Cook, Queensland Museum, John Hocknull.
Features: Dr Alex Cook, Scott Hocknull, Joanne Wilkinson, Lynne Bean, David Elliott, Dr Stephen McLoughlin, Dr John Scanlon. (see articles for further acknowledgements)
Science Behind the Scenes: Kristin Spring.
Palaeo-Profile: Dr Alex Cook.
Tail Bones: Trish Sloan, Bill O’Brien.

How do you write down the achievements of a whole year in a few simple paragraphs and still do them justice? And out of a whole pile of exciting developments, what do you choose to write about in an editorial that is only written once a year?

These are the questions that I ponder at this time each year. Do I write a little about some of the exciting new fossil discoveries that seem to be turning up at an alarming rate, or do I comment on the excellent range of stories that have been painstakingly put together for this journal by volunteers from around Australia? Certainly I should acknowledge the generosity and commitment of our supporters, but that is a lot of acknowledgements to fit into a small space and if I go there I really need to talk a little about what they have done!

I am happy to say that this year I have been saved from a lot of indecision by the inclusion of our new section, Diary of an Australian Dream. Put together by our dedicated team at AAOD, this article is eight pages of everything; an overview of an incredible year and a ‘thank you’ to many people. Maybe it hasn’t got as much information on the dinosaur digs as some of our readers would like to see and perhaps it might seem a little too promotional (for want of a better word) to others. However, the strength and future of AAOD relies every bit as much on its supporters as it does on its dinosaurs and it is the enthusiastic involvement of these people that has got us to where we are today.

Since we first began operations five years ago, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum has been slowly and steadily building. Each year has seen the development of new ideas and new products and every new development has brought with it a host of wonderful contributors. Slowly and surely we have inched our way forward and then, on September 24 last year our whole future changed in one simple gesture. We were gifted the most beautiful wilderness area I have ever seen as the site for the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History.

I can only marvel at the generosity and commitment shown by the Britton family of Mt Landsborough Station near Winton and regardless of how many times I acknowledge them, it still seems inadequate.

This one act of kindness has seen the Australian Age of Dinosaurs concept literally snowball overnight, and suddenly any limitations we had have simply evaporated.

Can you imagine driving through the seemingly endless, rolling western plains of outback Queensland when suddenly before you is a massive flat topped mesa, jutting 70 metres up into the sky? Imagine the excitement of a busload of children as their vehicle weaves its way around massive boulders to the top and then drives across a vast expanse of solid flat rock. Ahead of them on their right, across the gulf of a spectacular chasm is the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History; a striking building flanked by a herd of massive sauropods that appear to meander their way along the rim of the gorge. Could you keep those kids quiet?

Imagine being able to wander among the magnificent dinosaur fossils that are being prepared and displayed around you in the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum and then walking among the incredible animals that they once represented as you follow the walking trails through the cliffs and gorges of the mesa. The possibilities are endless. Whether it’s birdwatching, painting, bushwalking, photography or spectacular scenery you love, you will find it at this site and it is this natural wonder coupled with a world class depiction of Australia’s unique natural heritage that will ensure an incredible future for this museum.

I think I have said something along these lines in every AAOD editorial I have written and I’m not about to stop now. That is; if you want to do something really wonderful for our country, then get involved. Whether it is as a sponsor, a volunteer, an ambassador or a member; your support will help to make a difference. To truly understand where our country is going, it is vital that we understand where it has been and to do this we need to tell our children the story of Australia as it has never been told before. Today’s children are tomorrow’s leaders and the more they understand about their country, the better they will care for it. We owe them that much and with your help, we can provide it.