Winton - The Dinosaur Capital of Australia

You wouldn’t guess it but there’s only one site in the world that shows evidence of a dinosaur stampede. And it just happens to be in our Aussie backyard of Winton, in Outback Queensland.

In October 2016 a new species, Savannasaurus Elliottorum, was officially named, the fossilised skeleton of this 18-metre-long dinosaur discovered by Winton grazier, David Elliott, on his property while mustering sheep.

It wasn’t the first time Elliott had stumbled upon dinosaur bones: that happened back in 1999, and his family went on to establish the Australian Age of Dinosaurs museum on their property, which now boasts the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils in the world.

This non-profit museum is a great visit for those who are self-proclaimed dino-geeks or those who just love all things history.

Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum — Check out the fossilised bones down at the museum.

The History of Winton and the Dinosaurs

Originally based in a sheep station in Belmont, owners Judy and David Elliot started up the museum in October 2002. During September 2006, the owners of the Mt Landsborough Station near Winton, Peter and Carol Britton, donated their 1,400 hectares (called ‘Jump-Up’ country) for the Australian Age of Dinosaurs to relocate there. Fast forward to 2009, and the Elliot family were moving the museum to Winton.

In the late 1970s, scientists found fossils and footprints in the surrounding areas in Lark Quarry, believing that millions of years ago, there was a stampede of over 150 two-legged dinosaurs. During this time Lark Quarry was excavated and became an Environmental Park. You can only see it from afar due to the safety of preserving this magnificent piece of land.

In 2005, David Elliot, yet again found another dinosaur site on his property in Belmont and dug up 17 pallets of fossil bones. Giving the dinosaur the nickname of Wade, it was a tribute to the Australian Paleontologist Dr Mary Wade who passed away during the dig. Later in the year, there was a discovery of another site on Elderslie Station (close to Winton) leading to a series of digs that resulted in the recovery of two dinosaur skeletons preserved together. The theropod was nicknamed Banjo (after Andrew Barto ‘Banjo’ Paterson) and the sauropod was nicknamed Matilda (relating to Banjo Paterson’s iconic poem, Waltzing Matilda).

What you can see and do in the Museum

Age of Dinosaurs Museum Winton — Discover even more creatures at the Age of Dinosaurs museum.

Thousands of footprints at Lark Quarry Conservation Park tell of a day, 95 million years ago, when a herd of small dinosaurs were chased by a meat-eating theropod, creating a stampede. Winton looked a little different back then, covered in rainforests and swamps on the edge of an inland sea, and this part of Queensland’s west has proved Australia’s richest source of dinosaur fossils – and big dinosaurs in particular.

The museum runs across three different facilities, the Fossil Preparation Laboratory, Collection Room and Dinosaur Canyon. In these areas of the museum, you can find dinosaur fossils from three periods, Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Found throughout the majority of the country, bones have been discovered in the regions of NSW, QLD, SA, VIC, and WA.

Those who are employed at the museum go on special digs for fossils, so their collection has been increasing since they opened in Belmont. You too can opt to go on a Dig-a-Dino experience. The entire tour takes up seven days, but you’ll only be digging for five or six of them. Included in the price ($3,500 for new diggers), you’ll get accommodation, all meals and pre-dinner drinks. You’ll also get to take an excursion to the museum’s laboratory, where you’ll see how fossils are studied.

Australian Age of Dinosaurs WInton QLD — Learn about what goes on during the digging and preparation stages of fossil hunting.

If you’re looking to help but don’t have enough time to spend a whole week digging, the Prep-a-Dino experience is worth the short journey. The preparation will last for two days, starting at $169 per person for a twin package. Be guided through the laboratory, learning how to find dinosaurs, dig and clean away the rock that they’re entombed in. Hop onboard to the shuttle bus tour to Dinosaur Canyon and witness Australia’s prehistoric landscape. You have to have a steady hand for this type of work because you’re essentially putting pieces of a dinosaur puzzle together.

Otherwise, for those one day only visitors, the museum has a tonne of activities and exhibitions for you to see. In the Collection Room, check out some of the first discoveries in QLD and learn about the story of Banjo, Matilda and Wade. Once you’ve gone through these exhibits, make your way down to the Dinosaur Canyon in the shuttle bus. You’ll witness the original Dinosaur Stampede in Lark Quarry, known to be world’s only known record of a stampede. Also on display are life-size dinosaur exhibits, the death in Billabong exhibit and so many more.

Lark Quarry Dinosaur Museum Winton — The life-size dino exhibits are found at the Lark Quarry centre.

Once you’re feeling a little hungry, make your way down to the Cretaceous Cafe. Order up a delicious chunky meat pie and maybe a sweet killer python lolly for a classic Aussie lunch.

Need tips, more detail or itinerary ideas tailored to you? Ask AT.

What else can you do in Winton?

Waltzing Matilda Centre

The Waltzing Matilda Centre has a great historical display about the area of Winton as well as lots of information on the famous Banjo Paterson. Head through the Main Exhibition as you experience the background and story of the iconic song through interactive displays. Check out the Chorregon Railway, a BB 18 1/4 class steam locomotive display that stands right outside. And stop into the Tuckerbox Cafe for some refuelling.

Bladensburg National Park

Bladesburg National Park QLD — The flat plains of Bladensburg National Park.

Almost 20 kilometres south-west of Winton lies Bladensburg National Park. Filled with flat-topped plateaus, and an epic scenic view to grassland plains and rivers, red gums and rocky scrap, this is the perfect place to have a picnic. You could even camp here if you are enamoured with the views, and the twinkling night sky is even better. If you walk over to Scrammy Lookout, you’ll find low trees that are perfect for shade from the blistering outback sun.

The Details

Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum of Natural History

Address: Lot 1 Dinosaur Drive, Winton, QLD, 4735
Contact Number: (07) 4657 0078

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Getting There

If you’re thinking of heading out to Winton in the outback, then you’ve got got a great trip ahead of you. For Brisbane dwellers, hop down to the airport and catch a flight into Longreach Aiport. This will take a couple of hours, and once you’ve landed head down the road, where a Spirit of Outback* RailBus will pick you up and take you the 2 hours up to Winton. Along the way, you’ll see the true Aussie outback, full of kangaroos, dusty roads and empty skies.

But honestly, you can’t go wrong with a great outback road trip. If you don’t feel like driving the almost 15 hours up there (or 7 hours from Townsville), then daily coach services head into Winton right from Brisbane Coach Terminal. Sit back, make that Australian country playlist and put it on repeat.

*Please note: The Spirit of Outback bus only comes twice a week. Make sure you coincide your trip with the flight schedule and land earlier in case.

Planning a trip to Outback Queensland? Head here to check out our curated guide on everything to do and see.

From poolside bites and tasting flights to seafood plates and dry-aged steaks, a foodie adventure on Hamilton Island is worth every bite.

Hamilton Island’s sun-lacquered shores have long magnetised travellers craving an escape from reality. But what’s less expected – and more interesting – is just how assuredly this Whitsundays idyll delivers on the culinary front. Dialling up the flavour as much as the barefoot allure, the Hamilton Island food scene offers world-class dining and drinking options, spanning slick fine-dining moments to just-caught seafood served within sight of the sea. Let’s dig in.

Catseye Pool Club

Framing the electric blues of Catseye Beach from The Sundays hotel, Catseye Pool Club is Hamilton Island’s latest culinary prodigy. Shown to our table, we thread through rattan chairs, Zellige tiles and tumbling greenery that opens up to Coral Sea shimmer.

The poolside restaurant is the brainchild of Sydney-based chef duo Josh and Julie Niland, who have brought their relaxed yet elevated dining ethos north. The menu – designed to bring people together – is made for sharing, each hero ingredient orbited by a palette of sides to mix, match and layer as you please.

My thyme cocktail – woody with scotch, lifted by lime leaf – pairs perfectly with the charcoal grilled prawns entree, which is served with tumeric and lemongrass marinade, macadamia satay sauce and a thai-leaning sour green mango salad. Each forkful lands differently, but all are a delight. Then comes the coral trout. True to Josh Niland’s ‘scale-to-tail’ philosophy, the fish is presented whole in a theatrical crescent, a tiny fork stuck into its cheek in a nod to Niland’s declared prize cut. Ribbons of zucchini resembling gauzy curtains bring brightness and snap, while kasundi lends depth and warmth. It’s tongue-tantalising, special occasion dining with humanity.

Sails Restaurant

A more casual poolside dining scene awaits at nearby Sails Restaurant, where Eastern Mediterranean flavours are dished up with an island twist. Chermoula chicken skewers and barramundi souvlaki lie on the more filling side of the menu, while the sumac squid and stone-bread flatbread with za’atar – arriving alongside pomegranate molasses, beetroot hummus and crushed macadamias – are perfect light bites after a dip in the pool. And don’t miss the garlic lemon scallops.

The setting is equally part of the draw. Sunlight floods the high-ceilinged dining room, while outdoor tables look out across the glittering expanse of Catseye Beach. Holidaymakers in oversized sunglasses sip spritzes beneath umbrellas, the gentle clink of plates mixing with splashes from the adjacent pool. It’s the kind of place you’ll want to linger long after lunch.

Bommie

Tucked into a sleek curved wing of the Hamilton Island Yacht Club, Bommie delivers experiential fine dining with a sense of occasion. Led by award-winning Executive Chef Ryan Locke, the seasonal menu champions local and native Australian ingredients whipped up into a modern display of creative precision.

Inside the dim-lit dining room, guests can choose between the Tasting Menu or Chef’s Signature Degustation. Sourdough with pine oil sets the tone for the six-course tasting menu, beautifully presented in a bed of pine needles alongside smoked paperbark butter. I love how the squid ink choux pastry is served with flavour-popping native finger lime, which our waiter encourages us to eat caviar-style. Standout moments continue with the wattle-seed-crusted venison elevated by red fruit and pickled beetroot swirls; the meat is perfectly pink in the middle and an homage to the island’s history as a deer farm.

Pebble Beach

Exclusive to qualia Resort guests for lunch and dinner, Pebble Beach is Hamilton Island’s most serene expression of seasonal island dining. Ocean-facing chairs dot a timber deck that spills straight onto the resort’s private beach, while crystalline turquoise waters stretch to meet distant islands – a scene far prettier than any postcard could capture.

The recently refreshed menu doubles down on seasonality and bright, layered flavours. While the more substantial T-bone steak with hazelnut honey carrots tempts, we go lighter: Coffin Bay oysters with Champagne foam and keffir lime dust kick us off splendidly, followed by Byron Bay burrata served with balsamic and caramelised figs. The fennel and orange salad topped with succulent grilled chicken is utterly delectable, but it’s the zingy, oh-so-fresh soft shell fish tacos that I can’t stop thinking about. It all goes down a treat with a glass of delicate Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve Champagne.

Beach Club Restaurant

A lunch or dinner table at Beach Club Restaurant is best booked in advance – and it’s easy to see why. Looking out over the hotel’s palm-fringed infinity pool, the restaurant spotlights elegant contemporary Australian cuisine with a stellar (also Aussie-leaning) wine list to match.

I am completely enamoured by the grilled Queensland prawns, which are brought to life with a smoked compound, local fried curry leaves and lime. Digging into the butter-soft lamb rump served atop pea ragout and parsley Paris mash feels like a warm, nostalgic hug. And dessert – vanilla bean ice cream drizzled with hot salted honey and apple gel – ends the night on a high note.

Expect warm and discreet service; our waiter Marco tells us that the tiny decorative starfish on our table are there to help the staff remember whether we prefer sparkling or still water, so they don’t need to bother us by asking multiple times.

Talk & Taste with Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher

There’s more to Hamilton Island’s foodie scene than restaurant reservations alone. For wine-curious travellers seeking something a little more immersive, Beach Club has recently introduced Talk & Taste – a tutored tasting hosted by Bommie Assistant Manager and wine enthusiast Courtenay Morgan-Fletcher. Held twice weekly for a maximum of eight guests, the experience explores Australian wine culture through four thoughtfully selected drops paired with native-inspired bites.

We opt for the white wine and seafood option. Alongside pours from Eden Valley and Launceston, a nibbling platter arrives featuring sashimi, salmon roe, Mooloolaba prawn ceviche and palate-cleansing ginger. The seafood is pristine and pared back, allowing the wines to take centre stage.

The real highlight, however, is discovering just how nuanced winemaking can be. Courtenay speaks of viticulture as both art and science: harvest grapes a week too late and ripeness tips into ruin; plant the same varietal on different elevations and the sun, slope and water flow will shape entirely different expressions. Pinot noir, she explains, with its delicate skin and high water content, yields lighter fruit-forward wines, while thicker-skinned shiraz delivers depth and structure. I leave feeling fascinated and inspired by Courtenay’s evident passion.

coca chu

Sweet and hot. Sour and salty. Dining at ever-popular coca chu is a sensation-swirling experience that’s not to be missed if you’re a sucker for punchy Southeast Asian flavours. Located at the Main Pool end of Catseye Beach, this lively hangout is all swaying lanterns, driftwood, high beamed ceilings and giant open windows that let in the balmy ocean breeze.

Drawing from hawker traditions, the grilled betel leaf is a neat, vibrant mouthful of chilli fried cashews and spiced beef. The tofu surprises – soft beneath a tumble of dill, mint and coriander, and glossed in moreish peanut sauce. The massaman curry is pure comfort: creamy, fragrant, fall-apart meat. It’s generous and expressive cooking that I, for one, cannot get enough of.

Marina Cafe

Sometimes, all you crave on holidays is a bacon and egg roll done properly and a creamy fruit smoothie. Boasting harbour views, an easygoing atmosphere and clean modern interiors, Marina Cafe is a popular local haunt for a reason. The casual menu lures families and couples alike with its all-day brekky, seasonal salads and sandwiches – from a roasted pumpkin bowl to prosciutto and rocket on herby focaccia.

The acai bowl, topped with toasted nuts and berries, is a refreshing start to my day. Whether you sit in or takeaway, it’s a good-vibes-guaranteed place to refuel before or after your Whitsundays adventures.

Discover your foodie getaway now at hamiltonisland.com.au.

Winton – The Dinosaur Capital of Australia

You wouldn’t guess it but there’s only one site in the world that shows evidence of a dinosaur stampede. And it just happens to be in our Aussie backyard of Winton, in Outback Queensland.

The History of Winton and the Dinosaurs

What you can see and do in the Museum