For over two decades, a boulder sat unnoticed in the foyer of Biloela State High School in rural Queensland, Australia. Students and teachers walked past it daily, unaware that it contained one of the highest concentrations of dinosaur footprints ever recorded in the country. Recent research by University of Queensland palaeontologist Dr. Anthony Romilio has now revealed the rock’s extraordinary significance.
A Rare Glimpse into the Jurassic
The fossil, measuring just under one square meter, contains 66 distinct dinosaur footprints dating back to the Early Jurassic period, around 200 million years ago. The tracks were made by Anomoepus scambus, a small, two-legged herbivore with a chunky body, long legs, and short arms. Until now, no skeletal remains from this period had been found in Australia, making these footprints a crucial window into the country’s prehistoric past. “It’s an unprecedented snapshot of dinosaur abundance, movement, and behavior,” Dr. Romilio said. “We don’t have their bones, but we know they were around because of these footprints.”
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How the Fossil Was Discovered
The boulder was originally unearthed in 2002 by coal miners at the Callide Mine. Recognizing the unusual imprints, a geologist named Wes Nichols rescued it from destruction and donated it to Biloela State High School, where his wife was a teacher. However, its scientific value remained unrecognized for years.
The discovery came to light when community members, aware of Dr. Romilio’s previous work on dinosaur tracks in Mount Morgan, reached out to him. When he visited Biloela, he was astonished by the fossil’s richness. “To find out the significance … it was a bit shocking, a bit surprising, and a bit exciting,” said David Hall, the school’s deputy principal.
Another Surprise in a Car Park
While investigating the Callide region, Dr. Romilio made another unexpected discovery—this time in a coal mine car park. A two-tonne boulder, placed to prevent vehicles from driving onto the grass, contained two clear dinosaur footprints. “My jaw dropped when I saw that,” he said.
This highlights a recurring theme in Australian palaeontology: major discoveries are often made by everyday people rather than scientists actively searching for fossils. “Significant fossils like this can sit unnoticed for years, even in plain sight,” Dr. Romilio explained.
Role of Coal Mining in Fossil Preservation
The discovery also challenges assumptions about fossil preservation in mining operations. Open-pit coal mining is often associated with destruction, but in some cases, it has helped unearth prehistoric remains.
Dr. Romilio explained that coal miners dig into Triassic-era coal seams, removing Jurassic-age rock above them, which they consider waste material. However, this “rubbish rock” can contain valuable fossils. Some mines have taken steps to protect and extract fossils when found, but many specimens have been lost due to the mining process.
“There’s a whole bunch of specimens that we haven’t been able to find even though they have been described by former workers from the mine,” he said. He believes stronger regulations are needed to ensure palaeontologists are present during mining activities, as is required in some other countries.
Preserving the Fossil for Future Generations
Given the importance of the Biloela fossil, efforts are now underway to preserve and display it properly. The school is working with Dr. Romilio to create a cast of the rock, ensuring a copy remains in the school foyer while the original is moved to the Banana Shire Council office for public viewing.
Local officials recognize the significance of the find. “This is huge – not just for Biloela but for the whole country,” said Banana Shire Mayor Nev Ferrier. “Who would have thought that a simple rock sitting in the school foyer for years would turn out to be one of Australia’s most important fossil finds?”
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Despite the lack of Anomoepus bones in Australia, Dr. Romilio is optimistic that future finds may emerge. He emphasizes the importance of public awareness and encourages people to report potential fossils. “For the vast majority of fossils in Australia, most … are not found by palaeontologists – it’s other people raising their hand and asking: is this significant or not?” he said. “Maybe this will be another start to another adventure.”
The findings have been published in the journal Historical Biology.