Winton Dinosaur Capital of Australia

Gateway to australia’s Dinosaur trail

australian age of Dinosaurs Museum of natural History

Dinosaur stampede at lark Quarry Conservation Park

Just 24km south-east of Winton is a giant mesa called The Jump-Up, a primeval place with huge cliffs and gorges and panoramic views of

the rolling plains. It’s a different world – a beautiful wilderness area and home of the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum. From humble beginnings as a fossil preparation workshop in a farm shed, the Museum has grown rapidly into the most productive fossil preparation facility in the Southern Hemisphere with the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils.

Laboratory & Tour Manager Trish (Tricky) Sloan says, “All our animals were alive about 100

What

Australian Age of Dinosaurs is a not-for-profit science and education initiative bringing Australian dinosaurs to the world. By involving the public directly it fast-tracks the discovery and display of Australia's ancient dinosaur heritage.

Where

Australian Age of Dinosaurs is located south-east of Winton on the highway to Longreach. The turnoff is signposted at 11km, plus 13km on a gazetted gravel road.

When

Open every day from April to September. Closed Sundays from October to March, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Guided tours hourly from 9am. Allow two hours.

COntaCt

Phone: +61 7 4657 0712 (Bookings to 4657 0079)

email: [email protected] Website: www.australianageofdinosaurs.com

Australian Age of Dinosaurs

million years ago. Our most famous dinosaur is Banjo (Australovenator wintonensis), the largest predatory animal ever discovered in Australia, but most of our dinosaurs are gigantic, plant-eating sauropods.”

The Museum offers hourly guided tours seven days a week from April to September; six days a week from October to March. The tour takes in the two halves of the operation – the Laboratory and the Collection Room, housed in the Museum’s new and award-winning Reception Centre. Visitors find out how the Winton area has evolved over the last 600 million years, where and how the

dinosaur bones are found and what’s involved with digging them up. They see the fossils being worked on and revealed in all their scientific and artistic glory for the first time in 100 million years, then puzzled back together again, researched and displayed for everyone’s fascination and enjoyment. (Last Laboratory tour 3pm, last Collection Room tour 4pm.)

A 500 metre walking path along the cliff edge links the two main buildings, or visitors can drive between sites. The Jump-Up is home to many bird species and animals so keep your camera at the ready!

Australian Age of Dinosaurs has an open-door science policy and two programs are offered for members of the public who want to get involved. Firstly, Prep-A-Dino which allows people to work in the Laboratory with Museum staff, removing rock from the fossils with pneumatic scribes.

To fulfil the ultimate dinosaur dream, Dig-A-Dino can’t be beaten as a full-on immersion experience, getting involved on the dig site for a week with other dinosaur enthusiasts, professional and field palaeontologists, and Museum staff. The digs have been an outstanding success with dinosaurs that are new to the world of science being unearthed every year.

The Museum Shop stocks a range of dinosaur-related clothing and souvenirs and the Museum Café offers hot and cold drinks, light food options and an extraordinary view.

Embark on a prehistoric journey, following in the footsteps of those who roamed this Earth millions of years ago. Where

over three thousand dinosaur tracks mark the site of the only known dinosaur stampede on the planet. In a remarkable piece of scientific detective work, scientists from the Queensland Museum have pieced together a dramatic tale of hunter and hunted from the footprints left behind.

About 95 million years ago, Western Queensland looked quite different. Rainfall was more than a metre per year, and conifers and ferns were abundant in a flat landscape of creeks and rivers meandering to an inland sea. Back then, a herd of around three hundred dinosaurs, some as small as chickens (called Coelurosaurs) and some about the size of an emu (called Ornithopods) were drinking on the muddy shore of a lake. The herd panicked and started the mad dash to escape when a large meat-eating dinosaur appeared close by and on the hunt for food. Trapped by the

Make Tracks to the Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park!

What

The Dinosaur Stampede – a dramatic interpretation of the hunter and the hunted, the only known evidence of a Dinosaur Stampede on the planet, with over 3,300 dinosaur footprints immortalised in stone.

Where

Lark Quarry Conservation Park is located 110km south-west of Winton along the Winton-Jundah Road with half of which is sealed.

When

Open every day including weekends and public holidays. Closed Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Tour times are 10.00am, 12noon and 2.00pm. Tours run for one (1) hour.

Note: The Dinosaur Stampede is a cash only facility. B.Y.O. refreshments including water.

COntaCt

Phone: 1300 665 115 (Winton Visitor Information Centre)

email: [email protected] Website: www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au

water, the herd ran back towards the predator, colliding with each other and running over each other until eventually they ran past the predator, herded together again and uniformly ran away from the site.

This prehistoric activity was recorded in the mud, preserved by the natural environment, immortalised in stone and uncovered by accident in recent times to become the only known record of a dinosaur stampede in the world today. In a unique twist, the footprints of the meat-eating predator at the Dinosaur Stampede have recently been shown to possibly match the foot of Banjo found by, and on display at, the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum.

Now preserved inside a modern building, this amazing Dinosaur Stampede is accessible to everyone at Lark Quarry Conservation Park. Starkly beautiful red earth and spinifex-studded landscape is a dramatic contrast to the moist green world that existed at the time of the dinosaurs. Located 110km south-west

of Winton, half of which is sealed, the only way to experience the Dinosaur Stampede is via guided tour with one of the dinosaur-mad guides. The tour interprets the Stampede from creation to discovery and display, as well as the surrounding environment and other Cretaceous fossils. Learn about the geological history of the area and how the Stampede was discovered, before proceeding into the Fossil Room to see some of the fossils found locally, from the Cretaceous period – including dinosaur food! Guided tours of the Stampede run daily, at 10.00am, 12noon and 2.00pm except Christmas Day and Boxing Day, and take one hour. Individuals do not need to book for a tour, simply arrive approximately 15 to 30 minutes before a tour to allow for time to purchase tickets.

RICHMOND“The Fossil Capital of Australia”Kronosaurus KornerP (07) 4741 3429E [email protected] www.kronosauruskorner.com.au

HUGHENDENFlinders Discovery CentreHughendenP (07) 4741 2970E [email protected] www.flinders.qld.gov.au

WINTONWinton Visitor Information CentreWaltzing Matilda CentreP 1300 665 115E [email protected] www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au

Travelling in Queensland's Outback is easy.All major roads are sealed and well-

signposted, with most towns no more than twohours apart. The Matilda Highway will take youall the way from Barringun on the New SouthWales border to Karumba, passing throughmany great outback towns along the way.Running from Townsville to Tennant Creek, theOverlander's Way follows the route of ourpioneers across north west Queensland.

For those wishing to adventure a little furtherthere are many sealed byways and loops thatcan be incorporated into your itinerary toenable you to immerse yourself in outback life.

Queensland's Outback has it all - from themagnificent natural diversity of the Channel

It's all waiting to be discovered by you - today's Outback adventurer!

For more information contact Outback Queensland Tourism on 1800 247 966

or visit www.outbackholidays.info

Country in the south west, the heritage-richMatilda Country of the central west and theancient lands of the Dinosaur, Fossil and MiningCountry in the north west. But perhaps the bestpart of your outback adventure will be the warmcountry hospitality of the people you meet.Queensland's outback is a place where charactersshare a yarn and people stop and say "g'day".

There's plenty to do in Queensland's Outback!Wet a line in a billabong, try your luck fossickingfor opals, go digging for prehistoric treasures,marvel at the brilliant night skies, explore themany natural wonders or simply sit back andenjoy a peaceful Outback sunset.

To make the most of your visit, it's also a greatidea to join a local tour which will provide the

benefit of a local's knowledge and access toareas you can't get to on your own.

This amazing region has a range of Outbackexperiences and attractions that convey thehistory and heritage of the destination. Visitorscan discover the attractions of the QueenslandHeritage Trails Network, encompassingeverything from historical landmarks to true-blue Aussie experiences - as well as a surpriseor two along the way.

There's never been a better time to discover

the magic of Queensland's Outback.

Enjoy the freedom of travelling at your own

pace and experience the people, the places

and the wide open spaces of this magnificent

region. It's time to adventure out there!

www.dinosaurcapital.com.au

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Muttaburra 208kmBarcaldine 355km

Aramac 298kmBarcaldine 364km

The Lynd Junction 266kmCairns 644kmCroydon

Julia Creek 144kmMount Isa 397km

Longreach 179km

Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry

Conservation Park

Charters Towers 32kmTownsville 166km

The Lynd Junction

Muttaburra 188km

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44 44

51

32

40

95

Marine F

ossil

Byway

Dinosaur W

ay

Matilda Highway

Australian Ageof Dinosaurs

This map is for promotional use only.For gazetted road names and accurate details, please refer to a quality touring map.

This map only contains strategic touring routes and does not include any regional routes or local drives.

Unsealed Road

Strategic touring routeS

Australia’s Country Way

Capricorn Highway

Great Inland Way

Leichhardt Hwy & Newell

Hwy

Matilda Hwy & Kidman Way

Overlander’s Way

Pacific Coast Touring Route

Savannah Way

Warrego Highway

legend

Getting to the Dinosaur Capital











































www.australiasdinosaurtrail.com

Winton Dinosaur Capital of Australia

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