Winton - Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum

We had never travelled further than Longreach on our previous trip to this part of the world, so were looking forward to visiting places new to us.

Our destination after Longreach was Winton.  Winton is famous for two things - Waltzing Matilda was written nearby by Banjo Patterson and first performed in public at the North Gregory Hotel and the second is dinosaurs.

Let's start by saying that Mick and I have no interest in dinosaurs.  Neither of us learnt anything about them at school, that seemed to start just after us.  There is a world famous Fossil and Mineral Museum, complete with Tyrannosaurus Rex skeleton, in Bathurst and we have never visited it, despite it being right next door to the Post Office, which we visit nearly every day.  However, seeing as we were in the area and it is such a big thing we decided to go and have a look.  While we were there, what the heck, we may as well buy a combined ticket for the other related dinosaur attractions in the area of Richmond and Hughendon as well.

The museum is about 20kms out  of town.  You drive on the flat towards some low flat hills, call mesa hills, or jump ups.

Then you drive up the first windy hill we have seen since about Blayney, half an hour from home.

The museum sits atop the jump up, about 75 metres above the plain.

Where you are greeted by "Banjo", whose fossilised remains were found in the district.

As it turned out, our arrival for the two o'clock tour was perfect, as it was the last for the afternoon.  We didn't expect it to go for so long.

The tour covers three parts, the first being the fossil processing lab.  Once a fossil is located in the dig it is carefully excavated, still encased in soil and rock etc, and then scientifically wrapped in kitchen foil, wet newspaper and hessian soaked in plaster.  It is then labelled in a colour code for the site, date and what is suspected to be inside.  It is then stored on pallets until they get the chance to process it, which can be some years.  Some of these dated back to 2011.

Volunteers do the processing.  You pay to complete a ten day training course and then you can come and help whenever you like.  Some have been coming back for years.

This is a dinosaur leg bone, all cleaned up.

The fossil lab is a bit of a walk from the main museum, with a lookout on the way.  For the first time, the flies were rather unbearable.  Of course, we had left our heavy duty fly spray and fly nets back at the van, so new ones were purchased.  Just about everyone was wearing them.  

Such a glam look, when you aren't wearing a hat.

The weather forecast had predicted a cold windy change and the wind did pick up quite a bit while we were there.

The next section of the tour is in a theatrette, where you see a video about how they think they were preserved, when and how they were found, etc and you get to see the real fossils of the main finds.  These are the fossils of "Banjo" who we met out the front.  

In 1999 a farmer, who did happen to have an interest in fossils, noticed what he thought looked like a dinosaur bone sticking out of the ground on his property.  More were found, and to keep them in the district, he started up this museum. You can read more here.  It is really interesting.

The third section of the tour is the Dinosaur Canyon, the most recent addition to the complex.

Your are greeted by this cute little dinosaur.

Karen, our guide, was really informative.  Notice in the background the network of walkways that are wheelchair friendly.

The canyon is really picturesque and you can see how the earth erodes over time undermining the large rocks, which then collapse.

There are several majestic ghost gums.

There are various sculptures along the way.  The first depicts a dried out billabong, which is how the dinosaur bones were preserved.

Next is a group of small pterodactyls.

Followed by an artist's impression of how the Lark Quarry dinosaur stampede may have occurred.

On our way back up the canyon we heard a budgerigar and were thrilled to see one on its nest, and we could even see the baby inside.  This is the first one we have ever seen in the wild.

As we headed back in the shuttle Karen pointed out several plants and birds.

Spinafex Pigeons.  So cute with their spiky feather on their head.

Pink Mulla Mulla.

Green Pussy Tail.

Holly Grevillea.

Lancewood (yellow flower) with spiky mistletoe (red flower).

The lancewood favours the barren landscape at the top of the jump up.  The leaves are very narrow and point to the sky to catch every bit of moisture they can.

By the time we started to head home the sun was getting low in the sky, making the view from the jump up across the plains stunning.

It was a great way to end a very interesting afternoon.

Yes, we were now looking forward to seeing and learning more about dinosaurs.