Outback Towns

Richmond

Although not great in size and numbers the 'Overlander's Way' town of Richmond is certainly leaving behind massive footprints when it comes to outback tourism.

About Richmond

Some tourists at Kronosaurus Korner are marveling at the Pliosaur skeleton. One of them asks the guide, "Can you tell me how old the Pliosaur is?"

The guide replies, "They are 100 million, four years, and six months old."

"That's an awfully exact number," says the tourist. "How do you know their age so precisely?"

The guide answers, "Well, the Pliosaur bones were one hundred million years old when I started working here, and that was four and a half years ago!!Although not great in size and numbers the 'Overlander's Way' town of Richmond is certainly leaving behind massive footprints when it comes to outback tourism.

With a population of around 800 and being situated roughly in the middle of Townsville and Mt Isa, Richmond's lovely backdrop of gardens, bougainvilleas, native trees and shrubs, along with the towns recent literal step backwards into the Cretaceous Period, will make this the perfect adventure before travelling on.

Q: What do you call a fossil that doesn't ever want to work? A: Lazy bones!

For over 120 years Richmond plodded along as a service town providing for surrounding districts, with bursts of enthusiasm through it's nearby 'Woolgar' gold discovery and subsequent rush, along with the town's important link with the Cobb & Co. coach service. However it wasn't until 1989 and the revelation of a 100 million year old Pliosaur skeleton which made people worldwide take notice of Richmond. Although the second important paleological find in the area, the other being the famous Kronosaurus Queenslandicus in 1929, it was the 5 metre Pliosaur and ensuing marine fossil museum - Kronosaurus Korner, that ultimately has made Richmond a must for all outback travellers, especially those wishing to experience the Dinosaur Trail towns including, Richmond, Winton and Hughenden.

Q: Why don't you lend money to a Paleontologist? A: They consider a million years to be short time!

From it's beginnings as part of the Great Inland Sea, through the times of original settlers of the region, the Oonoomurra tribe of Aborigines, Richmond has become a town where people can remember their times here, not only for the fossil museum, but for relaxing by the bank of Lake Fred Tritton, pulling in a nice Cod or Sooty Grunter, or perhaps cooling of with a dip at the lake’s sandy beaches or picnicking amid the green lawns of Lions Park (on Goldring street) where you can check out the 'moon rocks', or Bobby Murray Park. Richmond is also a birdwatchers delight with species including kingfishers, bowerbirds, rainbow birds, fryer birds, parrots, finches, budgerigars, quarrion, white corellas and pink galahs, black and white cockatoos, emus, eagle hawks, plain turkeys, brolgas and Jabiru.

Q: Why didn't Minmi the ankylosaur go to the fossil ball? A: Because she didn't have any 'body' to dance with!

Richmond Racecourse is a popular venue in the district, holding six race meetings each year and makes up an important part of Queensland Country racing's Fossil Trail series. Other local events include the biennial Fossil Festival featuring the World Moonrock Throwing Competition.

The Santalum Sandalwood Factory and Mill is the state's only sandalwood mill, principally manufacturing incense and joss sticks for export to Asia. A guided tour can be organised.

Throughout the year the Richmond Civic Centre holds various entertainment, which is well supported by locals and tourists alike.  40 km north of town on the Croydon Road, you can find the Cambridge Ruins which are 19th-century ruins of an old Cobb & Co coach station. And for the Taphophiliac's, Richmond also has a pioneer cemetery dating back to the early 1900's which can be found on the Richmond Highway, next to the B.P service station on your way to Mount Isa.

Q: Why is it so easy to weigh fish? A: They have their own scales!

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