Discover the Outback’s prehistoric wonders
The vast Outback Queensland landscape is home to ancient lands millions of years in the making, rich with prehistoric fossil finds and hidden gems.
Here, every rock and ridge holds a story just waiting to be unearthed.
From world-class museums and displays to working fossil labs and digs, get hands-on with an archaeological adventure that the entire family will love.
Commence your prehistoric journey at the Eromanga Natural History Museum where you will meet ‘Cooper’ – a titanosaur that once shook the ground over 95 million years ago.
Get close to the action at the museum’s fossil preparation lab, carefully brushing away ancient dust to reveal the bones of giants.
Continue north to Winton, where the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum stands on a dramatic jump-up overlooking the plains.
Here, you can walk the Dinosaur Canyon, see the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils, and feel the thrill of iscovery that still drives palaeontologists today.
Children run among displays ath the Eromanga Natural History Museum.
Take a tour 110km south-west of Winton to the Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry Conservation Park and discover the only evidence of a Dinosaur Stampede on the planet.
Daily tours detail the dramatic tale of the hunter and the hunted from footprints left behind centuries ago.
East from Winton, you will also see Muttaburrasaurus langdoni – Queensland’s very own dinosaur housed at the Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation Centre.
This architecturally designed centre is made from local gidgee stones – a stunning sight in itself.
Continue North to Richmond and Hughenden where the focus shifts to marine fossils from the Cretaceous period when the Outback was under water.
At Kronosaurus Korner, visitors can marvel at the remains of mighty marine reptiles and partake in a ‘Digging at Dawn’ tour to unearth their very own ancient marine treasures.
The Flinders Discovery Centre in Hughenden is home to ‘Hughie,’ a life-sized replica of a Muttaburrasaurus skeleton.
Kronosaurus Korner features displays of huge underwater reptiles.
Further fuel your palaeontology passion at the centre’s light and sound show which showcases the wonders of nearby Porcupine Gorge.
For those chasing a different kind of ancient treasure, Cloncurry Unearthed showcases the region’s dazzling opal and mineral history.
Here you can apply for a fossicking licence and become a real-life ‘opal hunter’.
The centre can provide advice on local fossicking sites to explore.
Further afield are the Riversleigh fossil fields, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You can experience the site through the self-guided Riversleigh Fossil Trail at Boodjamulla National Park or by visiting the Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre in Mount Isa.
The Discovery Centre offers interactive displays, life sized replicas and a working fossil laboratory as well as guided tours – making it a must-do stop for dino discoverers.
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