230 Million-Year-Old Footprint Rewrites Australia's Dinosaur History

A sandstone slab found in 1958 with an 18.5 cm fossil footprint has been confirmed as Australia's oldest known dinosaur fossil, dated to about 230 million years ago in the earliest Late Triassic.

A sandstone slab found by a Brisbane teenager in 1958 has now been confirmed as Australia's oldest known dinosaur fossil. The rock contains an 18.5 centimetre fossilised footprint dated to about 230 million years ago, in the earliest part of the Late Triassic. The print is believed to have been made by a sauropodomorph. The find has attracted attention because it changes the known timeline for early dinosaurs in Australia. Key details: - The slab was discovered in 1958 by a Brisbane teenager who was fossicking for plant fossils in a quarry. - The fossilised footprint measures 18.5 centimetres and is preserved in sandstone. - Researchers date the footprint to about 230 million years ago, in the earliest Late Triassic. - The print is believed to have been made by a sauropodomorph. - The specimen is confirmed as Australia's oldest known dinosaur fossil. Summary: The finding extends the documented presence of dinosaurs in Australia back to roughly 230 million years ago and updates the timeline for their early occurrence on the continent. Undetermined at this time.