The Brisbane buildings made from sandstone touched by dinosaurs
Fossilised footprints belonging to 230-million-year-old dinosaurs have been unearthed in Brisbane, indented into the same sandstone that constructed the city's most recognisable buildings.
Brisbane's oldest heritage-listed buildings may be harboring clues about the prehistoric past, as fossilised footprints of 230-million-year-old dinosaurs have been discovered within the sandstone used to construct them. Dr. Anthony Romilio, a palaeontologist, noted that the buildings, such as the General Post Office and St Stephen's Cathedral, showcase these ancient footprints, which belonged to Sauropodomorph dinosaurs.
These creatures, which walked on their back legs and retained long necks and tails, predated more familiar dinosaurs like the brontosaurus.
The footprints were initially found by a teenager at Petrie's Quarry, a site that was later transformed into the suburb of Albion. Petrie's Quarry, named after the Petrie family who established it in the 1860s, played a crucial role in Brisbane's architectural landscape since the sandstone from the quarry was used to build notable structures like the General Post Office, All Hallows School, and Old Customs House.
The Petrie family was known for constructing churches and other buildings regardless of the religious affiliation of the individuals they served.
The discovery of these dinosaur footprints within the sandstone used for Brisbane's architecture is not unique to the city. Dr. Romilio emphasized that all one needs is the right aged material and a keen eye to uncover such evidence. He added that Queensland is rich in dinosaur relics, making Brisbane an even more remarkable city in terms of its geological history.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
