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Hughenden – Muttaburrasaurus and the Coolibah Tree

Hughenden is 376 km west of Townsville on the banks of Queensland's longest river, the Flinders. The town owes its existence to the railway line and the surrounding cattle grazing land.

It is located at the edge of Australia's ancient inland sea and there have been a number of important fossils found in the area. Undoubtedly the most important discovery was that of Muttaburrasaurus, which is displayed prominently in a building in the centre of town. The skeleton was the first entire fossil to be found in Australia.

Hughenden History

Frederick Walker was an Inspector of the Native Mounted Police. In 1861 he was appointed to take charge of a party to trace the tracks of Burke & Wills. Walker’s party camped on the area where Hughenden is today and carved his initials “F.W” on a tree at his camp. This is believed to have been the historic “Coolabah Tree” of Waltzing Matilda fame. Landsborough named Mt Walker in Hughenden in his honour.

Hughenden Attractions

Hughenden has four National Parks, gem fields, mountainous volcanic basalt country, sweeping black soil plains and rich fossil and dinosaur areas. Put swimming, fishing and bird watching high on your agenda.

Hughenden is the centre for real outback fun with many unusual events such as the Hughenden Country Music Festival and Bush Poets Breakfast, the Hughenden Camp Draft and Flinders Classic, Prairie Races, Outback Scrap Weekend and The Gertrude Langer Ensemble Award.