Discovering Marine Dinosaurs in the Flat Plains of Richmond, Queensland

Around 100 to 115 million years ago, current day outback Queenland, was dominated by a vast inland sea teeming with life. It seems quite improbable when looking at the sparse, dusty landscape in the area today. In Richmond, a tiny town of only 650 residents, there is a fabulous museum called Kronosaurus Korner. Despite being only a small town museum, most of the fossils are world class! Upon entering the museum, you are introduced to the world as it was 100 million years ago with an animated video showing the strange and wonderful creatures that lived in the water at the time. This video really helped contextualise the fossil displays and brought these amazing animals to life!

Road from Julia Creek to Richmond – very flat and sparse landscape now. Millions of years ago, this was a vast inland sea teeming with life resulting in the amazing marine fossils being found around Richmond.
Replica of a Kronosaurus at Kronosaurus Korner – a carnivorous, marine reptile, 9 – 11m in length that used to live in shallow inland seas.
Plesiosaur Skeleton – Look at the completeness of this skeleton and all those bones in the flippers! Amazing! What a stunningly preserved specimen housed in a small town museum!
Inside Kronosaurus Korner
Public bins in Richmond – this small town has an amazing history with fossils and dinosaurs. Love how even the bins carry on the theme!

Another marvelous aspect of this museum is that they allow ordinary people to purchase permits, at only $5, to dig for fossils at a couple of nearby sites. It is easy to assume that this is a tourism gimmick until you peruse the museum and see that a number of the most complete and interesting fossils have come in recent years from the free dig site and were found by ordinary people and tourists having a go!

The highlight of Richmond, Queensland is undoubtedly, Kronosaurus Korner. Despite that, do not leave without an easy stroll around the artifical Lake Fred Tritton. The path around the lake is well lit at night and wheelchair accessible. If you circumnavigate the lake clockwise, you will come across small brass plaques set into the walking path detailing the history of Richmond in chronological order. A lovely touch for visitors and a beautiful example of Richmond community pride. The lake is also stocked with fish for recreational fishing.

Lake Fred Tritton, Richmond

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