The Dinosaur Coast occurs on the Dampier Peninsula in the Kimberley region of Western Australia.
Thousands of dinosaur tracks occur along beaches from Roebuck Bay near Broome, north to Minarrinay (Coulomb Point). The dinosaur tracks are preserved in rocks of the Broome Sandstone, and form part of the West Kimberley National Heritage Area (Place ID 106063).
Knowledge of Kimberley dinosaur tracks stretches back a long way. Learn more about the Cultural Significance of the dinosaur tracks and the history of trackway discoveries.
Broome Dinosaurs up close and personal
This is a scientifically verified image of a Broome beach 130 million years ago.
Occasionally dinosaurs emerged from the forest to cross the sandy tidal flats and river channels leaving tracks that would persist for millions of years. There were herds of sauropods, with a few theropods.
The tidal flats/delta system were probably 5 to 10 kilometres across (mainland to sea) and barren of vegetation.
Sauropods were gigantic long-necked plant-eaters that moved on four legs. Their teeth were blunt and good for stripping off vegetation, but like birds and crocodiles they swallowed stones that helped to grind up the tough plant fibres.
The ‘Broome’ sauropods measured 10 to 30 plus metre in length and stood 3.2 to 5.5 metres high at the hips and include the largest sauropod in the world.
Theropods were meat-eaters, they ran on two legs and had sharp claws and teeth to help catch and devour their prey.
The ‘Broome’ theropods measured 3.5 to 7 metres in length and stood 1.3 to 2 metres high at the hips. While the tracks were scientifically described in the late 1960s they are well known to local indigenous people back into the Dreamtime.
Paleo Artist: Damir G Martin
Walmadany Dinosaur Coast dinosaur scene
Walmadany (James Price Point ) on the Dampier Peninsula, 130 million years ago would have looked similar to the Limpopo River of sub-Saharan Africa – a vast river plain, criss-crossed with abandoned channels and sand bars, opening into a delta system farther south.
Wandering across it would have been herds of lumbering sauropods, stegosaurs and giant ornithopods making their way to fern dominated swamp forests on either side. A lone predatory theropod might have stalked the herds from afar.
Paleo Artist: Damir G Martin