Dinosaurs lived between 245 and 66 million years ago, during the Mesozoic Era, and their remains have been found on every continent on Earth. Despite their abundance elsewhere, less discoveries have been made in Australia because of the geology. Australia has been subject to 30 million years of erosion and weathering, therefore paleontologists have smaller areas of suitable exposed rocks to look at when searching for fossils.

Given Australia’s geographic isolation many of Australia’s dinosaurs evolved as unique species adapted to extreme conditions. Dinosaur fossils have been found mainly in the eastern half of Australia (Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria). These fossils give us insight into what they might have looked like and how they may have lived.

Victoria may have had one of the world’s most diverse array of small ornithopod dinosaurs, which had a surprisingly hardy ability to survive at least three months of winter darkness annually. These ornithopods moved around on two legs, ate plants, lived together in herds for safety, and included unique features such as large eyes for the gloomy light.

No prior knowledge is required.

This is a stand-alone program. It cannot be done in conjunction with the ‘Dinos and Beasts’ onsite program (Level F-2) or the ‘Dinosaurs of Australia’ video conference (Level F-2) as it covers some of the same content.

How do paleontologists use evidence to learn about the types of dinosaurs that once lived in Australia?

In this program students will:

• Discover various dinosaurs from Victoria and other parts of Australia.
• Compare and contrast the size, shape, diet and other features of various dinosaurs of Australia.
• Learn that fossils are evidence that dinosaurs once roamed Australia millions of years ago.

In this program students will:

• Observe various Australian dinosaurs .
• Work collaboratively to identify the diet, size, shape, movement and other features of various Australian dinosaurs that enabled them to survive.
• Compare and contrast between the various dinosaurs.
• Predict the habitat based on the features observed.
• Create a model of an Australian dinosaur.

Science: Science as a human endeavour

• Scientific knowledge is based on observations of the natural world using the senses, and scientific tools and instruments (VC2S2H01)

Science: Science Understanding

• Plants and animals have observable features that can be used to group them in different ways (VC2S2U01)
• Plants and animals have basic needs, including air, water, food and shelter; the places where they live meet those needs (VC2S2U02)
• Plants and animals have external features that perform different functions to enable their survival; in plants these features include roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit, bulbs, trunks and branches while different features in animals enable them to move, breathe, eat and respond to their environment (VC2S2U03)

Science: Science Understanding

• Experiences can be used as a basis for posing questions to explore observed patterns and relationships, and to make predictions (VC2S2I01)
• Observations, findings and ideas can be shared with others by using everyday and some scientific vocabulary (VC2S2I06)