New dig finds oldest dinosaur bones

A two-week dig expedition on a site west of Eromanga has unearthed dozens of dinosaur bones and plant fossils believed to be around 97 million years old.

The sheep and cattle station already boasts Australia's largest dinosaur, Cooper, a new titanosaur species, measuring about 26 to 28 metres long. He was discovered in a previous expedition.

Queensland Museum palaeontologists with the help of local volunteers have identified another dinosaur, nicknamed Zac.

Zac awaits official identification but is believed to be another species of long-necked sauropod.

Queensland Museum palaeontologist, Scott Hocknull, said although smaller than Cooper, Zac's skeleton was more
complete.

He said he believed the discovery to be one of the most exciting in the region.

"The discoveries made this year confirm the southwest Queensland site is likely to be of great significance - not only for Australia - but for a wider scientific understanding of the age of dinosaurs," Mr Hocknull said.

Other discoveries in the region include a long-necked plant-eating sauropod, Rhoetosaurus, found in the 1930s at Roma and believed to be 170 million years old.

Winton is also known for harbouring many dinosaur fossils with some dating from 98-95 million years ago.

Banjo (a carnivorous theropod), Matilda and Clancy (giant plant-eating sauropods) were found in a vast geological deposit near Winton that dates from 98 million years ago.