Bass Coast reimagined: when polar dinosaurs roamed this coast.
By Catherine Watson
“HERO” dinosaurs, a Gondwana garden, virtual reality fossil hunts, light shows and sculptures are part of the vision for the proposed Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail.
A draft master plan released for community comment last week proposes that four dinosaurs and a huge polar amphibian will be used to differentiate six crucial sites at San Remo, Kilcunda, Wonthaggi, Eagles Nest, The Caves and Inverloch. Each stop on the trail would have a different theme and character, exemplified by its own dinosaur.
The plan was developed for the council by Melbourne consultants Hassell, in partnership with Parks Victoria, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, the Bunurong Land Council, the Science and Research Expertise Committee and local tourism bodies and community organisations.
“HERO” dinosaurs, a Gondwana garden, virtual reality fossil hunts, light shows and sculptures are part of the vision for the proposed Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail.
A draft master plan released for community comment last week proposes that four dinosaurs and a huge polar amphibian will be used to differentiate six crucial sites at San Remo, Kilcunda, Wonthaggi, Eagles Nest, The Caves and Inverloch. Each stop on the trail would have a different theme and character, exemplified by its own dinosaur.
The plan was developed for the council by Melbourne consultants Hassell, in partnership with Parks Victoria, the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, the Bunurong Land Council, the Science and Research Expertise Committee and local tourism bodies and community organisations.
| It documents the overall vision, design framework, site planning, design narrative for each location and supporting strategies for the trail. Hassell also produced the draft masterplan for the proposed Yallock-Bulluk Coast Trail, which was released two months ago. That plan was criticised by local environmental and community groups for its lack of local knowledge, and potential to harm environmentally sensitive areas along the coast. Now the council is seeking community feedback on the dinosaur trail master plan to ensure it’s on the right track. Bass Coast Mayor Brett Tessari said the trail aimed to amplify the region’s heritage and elevate it as an exciting visitor experience. “For more than 40 years, researchers, scientists and hundreds of volunteers have uncovered and researched polar dinosaurs along the Bass Coast. Their work makes the region one of the most significant places in Australia and the world for the discovery of dinosaur fossils.” | Dinosaurs Trail drop-in sessions
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Cr Tessari said community feedback was an essential component for the development of the Bass Coast Dinosaurs Trail.
The council is providing a host of opportunities for feedback, including online and drop in sessions, as well as an online survey.
The Masterplan, as well as a link to the survey, can be found at basscoast.vic.gov.au/dinotrail. Hard copies of the Masterplan are also available to inspect at the council’s customer service centres in Wonthaggi, Cowes, Grantville and Inverloch.
The council is providing a host of opportunities for feedback, including online and drop in sessions, as well as an online survey.
The Masterplan, as well as a link to the survey, can be found at basscoast.vic.gov.au/dinotrail. Hard copies of the Masterplan are also available to inspect at the council’s customer service centres in Wonthaggi, Cowes, Grantville and Inverloch.
THE DINOSAUR EXPERIENCE
 Inverloch: Science, art and imagination The Wyeth-McNamara Park site immerses visitors in scientific enquiry and discovery. Highly sensory and participatory, the installations invite visitors to investigate, inquire, experiment, uncover, ponder, wonder and imagine. Hero dinosaur: the Ankylosaur, a heavy-bodied quadruped about 3m long and weighing up to 1.5 tons. Despite their size they are herbivores.  Eagles Nest: Fossil fragments Visitors are invited to walk across an extensive virtual fossil field where they can identify a diversity of tracks, footprints, bone fragments, jaws, teeth, leaves and feathers. A virtual reality experience illustrates how the Eagles Nest site may have looked during the time of the polar dinosaurs, framing key views east and west. Hero dinosaur: Carnosaur. a large Therapod, a speedy carnivore 6m long and weighing 350kgs, described as the cheetah of Cretaceous Australia. Wonthaggi: Past polar insights Dramatic, large-scale sculptural and landscape installation that visually demonstrates the link between coal and dinosaurs. It immerses visitors in the past polar environment, including the plants and animals that lived alongside the dinosaurs. Includes sound and light installations, art and a Gondwana garden. |  The Caves: Passion and perseverance Personal stories about those who discovered the polar dinosaur, from William Ferguson’s discovery of Australia’s first dinosaur fossil in 1903, to the local Dinosaur Dreamers of today. Digital platforms and QR codes bring the discoveries to life. Hero dinosaur: Qantassaurus interpidus a small herbivorous dinosaur about the size of a kangaroo. Discovered by Nicole Everard and described by Patricia Vickers-Rich and Tom Rich at Inverloch, Victoria in 1994.  Kilcunda: Forces of Nature and Time Expansive, elevated views and the exposed nature of the site are the perfect setting to prompt visitors to consider deep time, the evolutionary links between dinosaurs and birds, and our role as custodians of the Earth. Artworks should harness the wind to represent the forces of nature and time that are at play around us. Hero dinosaur: Serendipaceratops arthurcclarkei a herbivore up to two metres and 350kgs, discovered by Mike Cleeland, near Kilcunda, in 1993.  San Remo: Distinct and diverse The playground lends itself to an expansive and playful, installation that visually showcases the diversity of polar wildlife and what they could have looked like, connecting to the community and tourism. Hero amphibian: Koolasuchus cleelandi a large amphibian carnivore 4.5m long and 500kg, discovered by Leslie Kool and Mike Cleeland near San Remo in 1990. |