Walking in the footsteps of dinosaurs

Nelson's Sophie Thomson, 11, with some of the 70 millon-year-old dinosaur footprints. An exhibition displaying the prints will come to Rotorua in September. Photo/Supplied

An exhibition of 70-million-year-old dinosaur footprints found near Nelson will arrive in Rotorua in September.

"Dinosaur Footprints: A Story of Discovery", features four footprints discovered in Late Cretaceous period coastal sandstone rocks northwest of Nelson.

They are the first dinosaur footprints found in New Zealand and the first evidence of dinosaurs found in the South Island.

They were discovered by GNS Science geologist Dr Greg Browne who worked through a process of elimination to conclude the marks were made by dinosaurs.

The Rotorua Museum will host the exhibition from September 6 to October 12.

"While geologists know that dinosaurs were present in ancient New Zealand, the record of their presence is very sketchy," Dr Browne said.

The touring exhibition consists of two triangular display modules with footprints left by dinosaurs as the focal point.

It has two audio-video presentations and visitors can also touch replicas of the actual footprints.

The roughly circular footprints have been found at six locations stretching over 10km of northwest Nelson coastline.

Dr Browne spent several years wondering what kind of animal might have made the marks. He concluded they were made by sauropods, a plant-eating dinosaur. "Based on the record of birds, fish, mammals and reptiles from the Late Cretaceous period, dinosaurs were the only animal of sufficient size and weight that could have made these imprints," Dr Browne said.

Visitors will also see a striking enlargement of an original New Zealand watercolour of the sauropods on a beach, by illustrator and author Dave Gunson.