Terrifying crocodile-like monster released nationally

Australia's Age of Dinosaurs, a celebration of years of the local scientific research behind the new Australia Post stamp release portraying these ancient treasures, which once graced the landscape of Australia, will be presented at the Australian Synchrotron tomorrow.

Emeritus Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich, Director of PrimeSci, Chair of Paleontology, from the School of Geosciences at Monash University, said the event provides the opportunity to meet the scientists, technicians and volunteers who have discovered, dug up, studied and brought these fossil treasures of Australia to life in the latest issue of Australia Post stamps.

Curator of Paleontology at Museum Victoria, Dr Tom Rich said it was also a chance to see the latest yet-to-be-published discoveries and get an idea of how synchrotron science has allowed these new discoveries to be studied in a way never before applied.

"While we had information about the larger structures of these dinos, our research group turned to experts Karen Siu (Monash University) and Anton Maksimenko (Australian Synchrotron) to fill in the details," Dr Rich said.

The new release Australia Post stamp set features:

• A formidable water-dwelling monster that filled the ecological niche now occupied by crocodiles (Koolasuchus cleelandi, from Victoria)
• A dinosaur named after science fiction author Arthur C Clarke, who was inspired by dinosaurs to go into science (Serendipaceratops arthurcclarkei, from Victoria)
• A near-relative of T. rex, originally thought to be a harmless bird-mimic but with further discoveries turned out to be a relative of T. rex (Timimus hermani, from Victoria)
• One of the few dinosaurs known to have thrived in polar areas and named after our national Airline [along with Timimus and Serendipaceratops] (Qantassaurus intrepidus, from Victoria)
• A dinosaur so big that it must have spent most of the day eating, just to maintain its figure (Diamantinasaurus matildae, from Queensland)
• A formidable carnivore that lived at a time when southern Australia lay close to the south pole, but because of its northern abode, enjoyed warmer climes (Australovenator wintonensis, from Queensland)

Australia's Age of Dinosaurs, presented by PrimeSci! and the Australian Synchrotron, will showcased on Tuesday, 24 September from 11am at the Australian Synchrotron, 800 Blackburn Road, Clayton (corner of Blackburn and Wellington Roads).

Opportunity to interview the scientists, technicians, volunteer diggers (DinoDreaming) who discovered, prepared and studied these ancient animals.

The Australian Synchrotron will be open to the public for further exploration on Sunday 13 October.

Provided by Monash University