A recent study published in Historical Biology has uncovered a 200-million-year-old dinosaur footprint hidden in plain sight at Biloela State High School in Australia. The discovery was made after paleontologist Anthony Romilio from the University of Queensland examined a boulder that had sat in the school’s foyer for over two decades.
The boulder, measuring around three feet long, contained 66 distinct dinosaur footprints left by 47 different dinosaurs during the Jurassic Period. The most significant find belonged to Anomoepus scambus, a small herbivorous dinosaur characterized by a sturdy body and short arms that roamed the Earth approximately 200 million years ago.
Anomoepus scambus was on the smaller end of the spectrum, with an estimated height between 10 inches to just over a foot tall. The three-toed prints left behind provide valuable insights into their movement patterns and behavior.
The discovery has shed light on a period in Australian prehistory for which few dinosaur bones have been found. Romilio hopes that the boulder will eventually be relocated to a more public setting, allowing the public to view the tracks firsthand and gain a deeper appreciation for Australia’s prehistoric past.
With its potential to reveal more about life during the Jurassic Period, this discovery has significant implications for paleontology in Australia. The large number of tracks found suggests that there may be many more dinosaur footprints waiting to be discovered, providing further insight into ancient ecosystems on the continent.
Source: https://dailygalaxy.com/2025/03/this-australian-high-school-boulder-hides-a-200-million-year-old-dinosaur-secret