Aus Geographic gong for dino couple

DAVID and Judy Elliott have once again been recognised for their significant contribution to the world of palaeontology, this time by the Australian Geographic Society.

The Elliotts were presented with the 2006 conservation award by well-known adventurer Lincoln Hall at a special ceremony in Sydney last month.

This award adds to a long list of accomplishments for the Winton graziers, which Mr Elliott believes is adding to the integrity of their work.

"I am still not sure why they presented us with the conservation award," Mr Elliott said with a laugh.

"I reckon we are the world’s worst conservationists – were trying to save something that’s already dead. We might have left it a little late!
"But in all seriousness, to have the Australian Geographic Society recognise what we have done is great.
"It’s important to us that people value our work."

In 1999, Mr Elliott stumbled across a thigh bone belonging to one of Australia’s largest dinosaurs, the sauropod.

Little did Mr Elliott realise that this discovery would turn not only his life, but his family’s life, upside down.

Since the discovery of ‘Elliott’, the Winton couple have been hosting dinosaur digs on their property with help from the Queensland Museum, uncovering thousands of ancient fossils.

Mr and Mrs Elliott are now working to build Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History into a world-class institution for housing fossils in Western Queensland.

"We just found so much exciting stuff during the year – the shed is fully stacked with rocks and fossils," Mr Elliott said.

"Rather than staging more digs next year, we plan to hold preparation workshops.
"There is a lot of work to get through, probably two year’s worth.
"But the preparation of the fossils, I think, is the most exciting part of it.
"While it is good to be out in the field digging up the material, you never actually get to see the entire bone because it is usually pretty fragile and covered in bits of rock.
"But when you are preparing in the shed, you get to see the bone emerge out of the rock – all of its little details.
"It’s quite fantastic."

Mr Elliott is hopeful that a fully operational Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum will open in Winton within the next few years.