David Elliott OAM had a chance discovery of a dinosaur fossil during routine sheep mustering in 1999 that led to the revival of Australia’s paleontology field – and the creation of a paleo-tourism industry that put outback Queensland on the map.

David’s initial fossil discovery was followed by others. As paleontologists began to return to the region to investigate, David Elliott and his wife Judy founded the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History in 2002 as a not-for-profit charity.

The Museum first operated on the couple’s property, where they conducted dinosaur digs and built an impressive collection of fossils. Later, it was moved onto donated land.

His significant contributions to the local, national and global communities have been far-reaching, with a profound impact on the field of paleontology. Through the establishment and development of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History, he has pioneered a new form of tourism known as “palaeotourism“, attracting new visitors to regional Australia. Today, it houses Australia’s most significant collection of fossils from the country’s largest dinosaurs. A major tourist attraction, it serves as a center for Australian paleontological research and discovery.

David Elliott was recognised for his contributions to science with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2015.