Queensland
WintonA national treasure of Australian heritage and culture, there are so many reasons the remote outback town of Winton appears in our history books; from world-renowned dinosaur discoveries to the birthplace of legendary Australian icons."Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong..." You'll be forgiven for relentlessly whistling this famous tune while you're in Winton, as it's the very home of Banjo Patterson's 'Waltzing Matilda'. Reputedly inspired by an 1894 shearer's suicide at the nearby Combo Waterhole and first performed in Winton's North Gregory Hotel on 6th April 1895, you can learn all about Banjo and the adopted national anthem at the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton.
First settled in 1875 and originally called 'Pelican Waterhole', Winton has plenty on offer to keep you busy for at least a day or two. The town is home to Boulder opals that you can view and buy in town and a day trip will take you to Queensland's oldest opal fields at Opalton. Also just out of Winton is Lark Quarry, where 93 million-year-old dinosaur fossils will give you a glimpse into prehistoric times. The quirky Winton Music Fence, developed by percussionist and composer Graeme Leak, is free and a fantastic spot to let the kids explore their hidden musical talents.
Arno's Wall, a wall surrounding a private residential property in town, is worth a look for its unique construction from all sorts of things including motorbikes, lawnmowers, crockery and historical items. Winton is in the heart of Matilda Country, a diverse region in which vast Mitchell grass plains are broken by magnificently coloured gorges, ridges and mesas; what the locals call 'jump-ups'.
Visitors to the region will be amazed by the vastness of the plains and the undulating nature of the landscape.
There is a wide variety of animal and birdlife in the area, generally best seen around dusk and dawn on minor roads and tracks.
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Walk with the dinosaurs at Australian Age of Dinosaurs
The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History is home to the world's largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils.
A working dinosaur museum with the most productive Fossil Preparation Laboratory in the Southern Hemisphere, it's located on 1,800 hectares of spectacular mesa plateau with vast scenery, wildlife and walking trails.
At the museum, you'll see and hear about their exciting finds of unique dinosaurs that lived 100 million years ago, including gigantic sauropods and "Banjo", Australia's greatest carnivorous dinosaur.
In 2017 the Museum introduced Dinosaur Canyon to the world. The new attraction consists of five outdoor galleries featuring life-sized bronze dinosaurs.
Board the Noble Express shuttle and prepare yourself for the adventure of a lifetime! Tours are conducted hourly through the Laboratory, Collection Room and Dinosaur Canyon starting at 9 am daily. The last full tour for the day leaves a 2 pm. Half tours are available thereafter. The entire tour takes three hours.
Please aim to arrive 15 minutes before your tour start time so that you have time to purchase your tickets and to enjoy a cold or hot drink at the Cretaceous Cafe before your tour.
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- Atherton Tablelands
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- Carnarvon Gorge, Carnarvon National Park
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- Winton