An excellent introduction to vertebrate palaeontology in Australia. Includes the start of palaeontoly in Australia, the changing environment of Australia and essays on fossil vertebrates with accompanying colour plates.

This extraordinary book covers a wide variety of extinct Australian vertebrates most of which are virtually unknown outside Australia. The first few chapters “set the scene” and then specialists discuss their own areas of expertise. It may come as a surprise to find that Australia once had its own freshwater dolphin and hosted some of the world’s biggest flightless birds. The title is an Aboriginal word for strange monsters and this is certainly what is presented. The book is superbly illustrated by Frank Knight who utilises recent knowledge to the full in his reconstructions.