They have been gone from the Earth for more than 60 million years, yet they retain a powerful grip on the imagination, especially that of children.
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And they may well be a smart investment too.
Queensland mining billionaire Clive Palmer seems to think so, proposing a 160-strong herd of replica dinosaurs at the Sunshine Coast's Coolum Resort, a plan approved by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council last month.
While some have lampooned Mr Palmer's plan, Canberra's National Dinosaur Museum manager, Richard Mancuso, said investing in dinosaurs made sense both financially and educationally. He praised Mr Palmer for ''thinking big'' with his plans for Australia's largest dinosaur park.
''He is thinking big; there's no problem with that. I say, good on him. I wouldn't be surprised if the media attention does generate fresh interest in dinosaurs and paleontology,'' Mr Mancuso said. ''There are peaks and troughs [in public interest] and the peaks are often driven by movies, documentaries and discoveries in which dinosaurs feature.''
Mr Mancuso said the mining boss seemed to have a genuine interest in dinosaurs and that, as long as he incorporated an educational element and made sure the creations were scientifically accurate, the Coolum dinosaur park would be a good thing.
Mr Mancuso said the Gold Creek attraction he has managed for the past two years had traditionally benefited from dinosaur stories in the media and this should be no exception.
The Canberra attraction was established 20 years ago, clear evidence public interest in dinosaurs was not just a flash in the pan.
The Gold Creek dinosaurs occasionally attract unwanted attention and security has been upgraded since an utahraptor was taken for three days in March. The museum's tyrannosaurus rex head model was also attacked by vandals in August 2012.
Mr Palmer, already well known for his love of big things, with work on his Titanic II currently under way and ambitious plans to be elected Australia's next prime minister, has already installed an eight-metre tyrannosaurus rex (named Jeff, after Queensland's deputy premier) at the resort golf course.
National Dinosaur Museum team member Morgan Burgess said there were good reasons why dinosaurs continued to be so popular. ''They are pretty great,'' she said. ''They are just so big. We know a lot about them even though they lived so long ago and they bring that past to life.''
Ms Burgess said it was a joy to share children's first experience of walking with dinosaurs with youngsters on their first visit to the Gold Creek museum. ''They are usually pretty excited. It is a special thing for them and I just love sharing that. I just love children and working with them is the best part of my job.''
Education is very high on the agenda at the National Dinosaur Museum. It has just received a National Science Week grant to assist with touring the show Dinosaurs Down Under to country schools in NSW and Victoria.
The show will feature figures from the museum, interactive displays and a range of exhibits.
The museum was also awarded $76,688 in federal government tourism quality funding recently. A similar grant of $84,425 was made to the Canberra YMCA.
