Dinosaur Trail Weekend - Richmond to Winton Australia's Dinosaur Trail encompasses the towns of Richmond, Hughenden and Winton which all tell ...
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Dinosaur Trail Weekend
Richmond to Winton
Australia’s Dinosaur Trail encompasses the towns of Richmond, Hughenden and Winton
which all tell their own unique dinosaur stories.
Dinosaur Trail Weekend
Dinosaur Trail Weekend
Richmond to Winton
Follow in the footsteps of the prehistoric
creatures that once roamed this ancient
land. Australia’s Dinosaur Trail encompasses
the towns of Richmond, Hughenden and
Winton which all have their own unique
dinosaur stories to tell. From prehistoric
to historic, wander through these small
towns to discover their significant heritage
and impact in helping to shape Queensland
today. You can also dig for gems and fossick
for fossils along the route.
Kronosaurus Korner Fossil Centre,
Richmond
Begin your dinosaur tour of discovery
and imagination in Richmond, situated on
the Overlander’s Way halfway between
Townsville and Mount Isa. The Kronosaurus
Korner Fossil Centre on Goldring Street on
the Overlander’s Way is primarily dedicated
to displaying marine reptiles. However,
Kronosaurus Korner is also home to
Australia’s best preserved dinosaur skeleton.
After visiting Kronosaurus Korner you may
like to try your hand at finding your very own
fossil.
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Richmond Heritage Trail activities. Every October the lake hosts the
If stepping forward in time from the October Full Moon Festival where you can
prehistoric era to a more recent past is experience jazz under the stars.
more your scene, then take a heritage
walk around the town, viewing the signs Hughenden (114km)
depicting yesteryear. Pay your respects to West of Richmond, lies Hughenden. Here you
the pioneers that shaped this country at can follow the windmill blades through the
the Pioneer Cemetery, visit the Cambridge streets of Hughenden, exploring the Outback
Ruins 40 kilometres out of town, or take a history and art features of the town.
walk along the Flinders River.
Flinders Discovery Centre, Hughenden
Lake Fred Tritton, Richmond Visit ‘Hughie’, the seven-metre
Lake Fred Tritton is conveniently located Muttaburrasaurus and an impressive fossil
at the edge of town. With a 1.2 kilometre collection at the Flinders Discovery Centre.
circumference and a maximum depth While you are there, relive the glory days of
of eight metres, Lake Fred Tritton allows sheep production and its subsequent demise
visitors and locals the opportunity to enjoy in the ‘Shearing Straggler’ exhibit.
a wide range of water sports and leisure
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Basalt Byway, Hughenden Canyon’. Take a 2.4 kilometre walk along a
The Basalt Byway is a four wheel drive track to the base and listen for the calls of
track winding between the landscapes currawongs, parrots and soaring birds of
north of Hughenden. Leave the town prey. Look closely to see black ducks, red-
heading towards Porcupine Gorge and winged parrots, pardalotes and honeyeaters.
take the gravel road after a couple of You may also see common wallaroos and
kilometres. This track takes you on a rock-wallabies.
journey through some amazing country,
featuring rolling walls of basalt, creating Chudleigh Park Gemfields
deep meandering valleys and lava flows. Fossicking enthusiasts will delight in the
Excellent lookouts show the depth and Chudleigh Park Gemfields 140 kilometres
length of many of the valleys you will wind north of Hughenden. Peridot, rare sapphires
through. One lookout in particular is over and black spinel are generally found in this
an open downs area with the township of area. Whilst general permission for fossicking
Hughenden in the distance. and camping has been given to holders
of fossicking licences, please check at the
Porcupine Gorge National Park Flinders Discovery Centre prior to arrival.
See 500 million years of layers of rock
formations in this deep gorge system,
known as the Australia’s ‘Little Grand
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There’s a range of accommodation suitable
for all travellers.
Hughenden Allen Terry Caravan Park (3
stars)
Situated on Resolution Street, the
Hughenden Allen Terry Caravan Park offers
shaded grassy camp grounds, caravan sites
with power and sullage. Available are one
and two bedroom ensuite cabins, single
ensuite units and budget single rooms, all
with with air-conditioning.
Rest Easi Motel & Caravan Park (3 stars)
The Rest Easi Motel is located on the
Flinders Highway in Hughenden. This
quiet and spacious motel offers clean, well
appointed double and family rooms. All
rooms have Austar Movies and campers
and caravanners are also welcome.
Hughenden Royal Hotel Resort (3.5 stars)
The Hughenden Royal Hotel Resort offers
48 modern air-conditioned units with
ensuite. There are two bars and bottle shop
on premises as well as TAB, pokies and an
in-ground swimming pool.
Great Western Hotel-Motel
The Great Western Hotel-Motel in Brodie
Street has ten air-conditioned motel units
and eighteen budget units with community
kitchen, toilet and shower facilities (hostel-
style). There are two bars and dining room
on site with pokies and bottle shop as well.
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Winton (216km)
After a good night’s rest, drive to Winton via the Dinosaur Way. Winton is recognised as
the ‘home’ of Australian bush poetry, hosting the annual Bronze Swagman Award, one of
the country’s most prestigious literary awards. Qantas, Australia’s national airline was also
formed in Winton in November 1920.
Waltzing Matilda Centre, Winton
The Waltzing Matilda Centre at 50 Elderslie Street is inspired by the song penned by Banjo
Paterson. The Waltzing Matilda uses today’s technology and interactive displays to interpret
the song, Australian history and what it is to be Australian. The centre also incorporates
the Qantilda Pioneering Place Museum, Outback Regional Gallery, Royal Open Air Theatre,
Arno’s Wall and the Musical Fence.
Corfield and Fitzmaurice Building, Winton
Inside this heritage-listed building awaits one of the nation’s most comprehensive displays
of Australian Dinosaur fossils. Complementing the dinosaur displays is an exhibition of local
opal with mining and gemstone information. The Corfield and Fitzmaurice Building, once
Winton’s general store, is a bit of dinosaur itself! As the oldest business in Winton, its own
history has been set out in a graphic panelled display. Also within the complex is Combo
Crafts, which sells a range of attractive pottery, jewellery, and other craft items.
63,300 footprints, made by nearly 200
Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton individual dinosaurs,telling a story of a few
Located east of Winton off the Matilda fateful moments, 95 million years ago. You’ll
Highway is the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, find it in the Lark Quarry Conservation Park
home of the world’s largest collection on Winton-Jundah Road in Winton.
of Australian dinosaur fossils. A working
dinosaur museum and research laboratory, Opalton
you’ll see and hear about their exciting If you have the time, 124 kilometres on an
dinosaurs, including gigantic sauropods unsealed road from Winton lies Opalton,
and ‘Banjo’, Australia’s greatest carnivorous where opal was first discovered by George
dinosaur. Prepare a real dinosaur bone in Cragg in 1888. By the end of the decade
their Prep Lab, or book in to be part of a there was a bustling township of 600 and
real dinosaur dig. Opalton became known for the enormous
volume and quality of its opal. In 1899 the
Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways (107km) largest piece of opal ever recorded was
The Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways is mined from Opalton, a pipe opal more than
the best example of dinosaur tracks in the three metres long.
world. The Trackways depict the world’s
only recorded evidence of a Dinosaur Images courtesy of Tourism Queensland
Stampede. It features some unless otherwise stated.
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