Digitally sculpted by palaeo-artist Travis Tischler,the models, two of which are long-necked sauropod dinosaurs, were in productionfor nearly 12 months and were cast at a foundry in Thailand.
The largest sauropod, 17m long and four metres high,was too large to transport in a standard shipping container and had to betransported from Thailand to Townsville with its neck and tail removed.
Other models in the collection include a 10 metre-longsub-adult sauropod, emu-sized ornithopod dinosaurs, and chicken-sizedcarnivorous theropods.
Due to their immense size the models were lifted bycrane and placed at Dinosaur Canyon, the home of AAOD’s newest exhibition, Marchof the Titanosaurs.
Centred on a newly-discovered 60 metre-long sauropodtrackway now being relocated from a property west of Winton, March of theTitanosaurs will feature the preserved dinosaur tracks inside a 900sqmsolar-powered building at Dinosaur Canyon.
March of the Titanosaurs will form part of AAOD’sDynamic Destination project, an upcoming attraction funded through theQueensland Government’s $25 million Growing Tourism Infrastructure fund.
Chairman of AAOD, David Elliott OAM (pictured below), said the safearrival of the bronze models, and the thought of visitors being able to standnext to the dinosaurs that created the trackways, was very exciting.
-type: imageimage:- ’/assets/david-elliot-next-to-bronze-model-1604450305.jpeg“The logistics in getting these models built andtransported all the way to Winton from Thailand has been very intense, sohaving them finally arrive without a scratch is a huge relief,” Mr Elliottsaid.
“The sauropod models are based on the bones ofDiamantinasaurus that were discovered near Winton about 15 years ago.
“The models are massive and incredibly detailed. Theywill be a significant drawcard for tourism in the region well into the future.”
The Dynamic Destination project is due forcompletion by mid-2021.
