Winton Dinosaur Capital of Australia

’ s Di nosaur Tr ai l Gateway to Au stralia

Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park

Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History

What Australian Age of Dinosaurs is a not-forprofit 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: info@aaod.com.au Website: www.australianageofdinosaurs.com

Australian Age of Dinosaurs

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ust 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

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 dinosaurrelated clothing and souvenirs and the Museum Café offers hot and cold drinks, light food options and an extraordinary view.

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 WintonJundah Road with half of which is sealed.

When pen every day including weekends and O 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: vic@matildacentre.com.au Website: www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au

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mbark 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

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 spinifexstudded 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.

The Lynd Junction 266km Cairns 644km

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Getting to the Dinosaur Capital Julia Creek 144km Mount Isa 397km

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Longreach 179km Australian Age of Dinosaurs

Country in the south west, the heritage-rich Matilda Country of the central west and the ancient lands of the Dinosaur, Fossil and Mining Country in the north west. But perhaps the best part of your outback adventure will be the warm country hospitality of the people you meet.

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benefit of a local's knowledge and access to areas you can't get to on your own. Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park This amazing region has a range of Outback experiences and attractions that convey the history and heritage of the destination. Visitors can discover the attractions of the Queensland HeritageofTrails Network, encompassing benefit a local's knowledge and access to everything from get historical landmarks areas you can't to on your own. to trueblue Aussie experiences - as well asofaOutback surprise This amazing region has a range or two along the way. experiences and attractions that convey the history and heritage of the destination. Visitors all waiting to be discovered by you can It's discover the attractions of the Queensland today's Outback adventurer! benefit of a local's knowledge and access Heritage Trails Network, encompassing to more information contactto trueareas youFor can't get to on your own. everything from historical landmarks Outback Queensland Tourism on 1800 966 This amazing region has range Outback blue Aussie experiences - asa well asofa 247 surprise or visitand experiences attractions that convey the or two along thewww.outbackholidays.info way. history and heritage of the destination. Visitors canIt's discover the attractions of the Queensland all waiting to be discovered by you Heritage Trails today'sNetwork, Outbackencompassing adventurer! everything historical landmarks Forfrom more information contactto trueblue Aussie experiences - as on well1800 as a247 surprise Outback Queensland Tourism 966 or two along way. or visitthewww.outbackholidays.info

legend 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 RICHMOND “The Fossil Capital of Australia” Kronosaurus Korner P (07)This 4741 3429 map is for promotional use only.

E enquiries@kronosauruskorner.com.au For gazetted road names and accurate details, please refer to a quality touring map.

W www.kronosauruskorner.com.au This map only contains strategic touring routes and does not include any regional routes or local drives.

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

HUGHENDEN RICHMOND

Flinders Discovery “The Fossil Capital Centre of Australia” Hughenden Korner Kronosaurus P (07) (07) 4741 4741 3429 2970 P info@flinders.qld.gov.au EE enquiries@kronosauruskorner.com.au W www.kronosauruskorner.com.au www.flinders.qld.gov.au W

WINTON RICHMOND HUGHENDEN

Winton Visitor Information Centre “The Fossil Capital of Australia” Flinders Discovery Centre Waltzing Matilda Centre Kronosaurus Korner Hughenden P 1300 665 2970 115 P (07) (07) 4741 4741 3429 P vic@matildacentre.com.au E info@flinders.qld.gov.au enquiries@kronosauruskorner.com.au EE W www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au W www.flinders.qld.gov.au www.kronosauruskorner.com.au W

HUGHENDEN WINTON

www.australiasdinosaurtrail.com www.dinosaurcapital.com.au

FlindersVisitor Discovery Centre Centre Winton Information Hughenden Waltzing Matilda Centre P (07) 4741 2970 P 1300 665 115 info@flinders.qld.gov.au EE vic@matildacentre.com.au W www.dinosaurtrackways.com.au www.flinders.qld.gov.au W

WINTON

Winton Visitor Information Centre Waltzing Matilda Centre P 1300 665 115 E vic@matildacentre.com.au