Vandals damage dinosaur footprint
Iconic sight: the dinosaur footprint damaged by vandals near Flat Rocks at Inverloch.
Popular location: the Flat Rocks area of Inverloch has been thoroughly explored by dinosaur enthusiasts over the years, as they look for fossils.
A DINOSAUR footprint at Inverloch has been damaged by vandals.
Parks Victoria was disappointed to discover a dinosaur footprint at the renowned Dinosaur Dreaming site within the Bunurong Marine Park had been attacked.
The Flat Rocks locality near Inverloch is exceptional in being one of only a handful of polar dinosaur sites in the world, which includes the dinosaur footprint.
Upon the original discovery in 2006, palaeontologists from Museum Victoria and Monash University made a silicon rubber mould of the footprint.
Rather than remove and store it at the Melbourne Museum, they decided it should be left in the rock, so visitors to the site could have the thrill of seeing it in its natural state.
The significance of the footprint is that it represents a moment frozen in time when a meat-eating dinosaur stood on that spot and left an impression of its foot.
This differs from the recovery of the bones of dead animals from the nearby fossil layer that have been carried along in the water column of a fast- flowing river and deposited at that point.
So, it was quite disheartening for a site of such significance that attracts hundreds of people every year to the area has been damaged in such a careless manner.
Parks Victoria ranger team leader Brian Martin said, “It is sad to think a person or persons who knew the location of the footprint would deliberately damage an important local icon that is recognised as being off international scientific significance.”
Bunurong Environment Centre education officer, Mike Cleeland, was equally angry.
“The thrill of seeing a real dinosaur footprint has been diminished with the callous act of vandalism,” he said.
“Fortunately, I was able to retrieve some of the broken pieces of the footprint and hopefully the technicians at Museum Victoria may be able to restore the footprint to some degree.”
Mr Cleeland said the sample was the best dinosaur footprint in Gippsland.
“Although it is still visible, the damage will make it more difficult to show visiting students the shape and structure of this unique feature,” he said.
“The importance of educational sites like these cannot be overstated, and I urge anyone with information to come forward and assist in the protection of our fascinating geological heritage.”
Dinosaur Dreaming’s Lesley Kool has been involved with many fossil digs at the site in the past.
“It leaves a sour taste in the mouth that anyone would deliberately destroy something that has brought pleasure to so many people over the years,” she said.
Parks Victoria will be investigating the matter further and if you have any information call 13 1963 or visit www.parks.vic.gov.au
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