Australia's extinct animals

Snapshots through time

The geological time scale divides the Earth's 4.5 billion years of existence into a series of time periods corresponding to natural chapters in its history. These snapshots showcase some of these chapters in Australia's fossil history.

More about Snapshots through time

Extinction events and processes

Find out more about the processes and events in Australia that led to extinctions over time.

More about Extinction events and processes
- Megafauna extinction theories - patterns of extinction

Monotremes

Living monotremes are represented by the platypus and echidnas. Ancient monotremes however were once more diverse and widespread.

More about Monotremes

Marsupials

Marsupials have inhabited Australia for over 50 million years beggining as small tree dwellers and culminating in the huge roaming megafauna .

More about Marsupials

Placental Mammals

Native Australia placental mammals are mostly represented by bats and rodents.

More about Placental Mammals

Dinosaurs

Australia, once part of Gondwana, has a unique Dinosaur history.

More about Dinosaurs
- Minmi paravertebra
- Muttaburrasaurus langdoni

Marine Reptiles

These include the giant pliosaur Kronosaurus and the world famous 'Eric' the opalised pliosaur.

More about Marine Reptiles
- Platypterygius australis

Crocodiles

Crocodiles have been around in Australia since the days of the dinosaurs.

More about Crocodiles

Snakes and Lizards

Australia has some of the largest fossil snakes and lizard known.

More about Snakes and Lizards
- Alamitophis tingamarra
- Liasis dubudingala

Flying Reptiles

Australia was home to both large and small pterosaurs, or flying reptiles.

More about Flying Reptiles
- Mythunga camara

Image gallery

Australia's extinct animals: illustrations

Birds

Australia's extinct birds include the giant 'thunderbirds' such as Genyornis, large raptors and even flamingoes.

More about Birds

Turtles

These include the spectacular horned turtles and soft-shell turtles both of which are now extinct in Australia.

More about Turtles
- Murgonemys braithwaitei

Fossils in the Australian Museum Collections

The Australian Museum palaeontology collection contains some of the Museum's greatest treasures. One of the most spectacular is 'Eric' the opalised pliosaur from Coober Pedy. The collection also contains some of Australia's oldest mammal fossils, collected from the opal fields of Lightning Ridge in northern New South Wales.