Winton

Winton, on Koa Country in central-west Queensland, is a small town with an outsized story. Banjo Paterson wrote Waltzing Matilda nearby in 1895, Qantas was founded here in 1920 (it was registered as a company in Brisbane) and held its first board meeting at the Winton Club in early 1921, and since the late 1990s the surrounding stations have yielded some of Australia's most important dinosaur fossils.

Things to do

Australian Age of Dinosaurs. On a mesa (jump-up) south-east of town, this museum and working fossil laboratory houses Australia's largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils, including the sauropods "Banjo", "Matilda" and others. Tours run through the lab, the collection room and Dinosaur Canyon.

Dinosaur Stampede at Lark Quarry. About 110 km south-west, a building protects thousands of small dinosaur footprints preserved in rock, interpreted as a stampede. Guided tours run daily in season.

Waltzing Matilda Centre. The museum dedicated to Australia's best-known song was rebuilt after a fire in 2015 and reopened in 2018, with galleries on the song, Winton's history and art.

Royal Open Air Theatre. One of the oldest working open-air cinemas in Australia, with canvas deckchairs and screenings in the cooler months.

Musical Fence and Arno's Wall. Play the Musical Fence on the edge of town, then admire Arno's Wall — a long wall studded with everything from motorbikes to sewing machines.

Bladensburg National Park. Just south of town, the park's Route of the River Gums drive and Scrammy Gorge show off mesas and grasslands.

Events

Winton hosts the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival and the Winton Camel Races in some years — see outback camel races. Check official sites for dates.

History and Country

Winton is on the Country of the Koa people. The town was surveyed in the 1870s at a waterhole known as Pelican Waterhole and grew as a service centre for the surrounding sheep and cattle stations. Its place in Australian history rests on two famous events. In 1895, while staying at Dagworth Station north-west of Winton, A. B. "Banjo" Paterson wrote the words of "Waltzing Matilda", which were first performed publicly at the North Gregory Hotel in Winton that year. And in November 1920, Qantas was founded in Winton and registered as a company in Brisbane; its first board meeting was held at the Winton Club in early 1921 (commonly dated to February 1921), and later that year the company moved its headquarters to Longreach.

The Waltzing Matilda Centre

The Waltzing Matilda Centre is a museum dedicated to Australia's best-known folk song and to the history of the region. The original centre was destroyed by fire in 2015; a new building opened in 2018 with galleries exploring the song, Paterson, the shearers' strikes of the 1890s that form part of its background, and outback life. It also houses the visitor information centre and an art gallery.

Dinosaur country

Winton sits at the heart of Queensland's dinosaur trail.

• Australian Age of Dinosaurs, on a mesa south-east of town, is a not-for-profit museum with a working fossil preparation laboratory, a collection of Australian dinosaur fossils including the sauropods Diamantinasaurus and Savannasaurus, and the predator Australovenator. Guided tours run through the lab, the collection room and Dinosaur Canyon, an outdoor gallery of life-size bronze dinosaurs.
• Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways, about 110 km south-west in Lark Quarry Conservation Park, preserves thousands of footprints made by small dinosaurs around 95 million years ago, protected inside a purpose-built building. Guided tours run at set times; the road is partly unsealed.

Bladensburg National Park

Just south of town, Bladensburg National Park protects open grasslands, red sandstone ranges and river red gum-lined creeks. The Route of the River Gums drive and Scrammy Gorge are highlights, and Skull Hole is a site of Aboriginal cultural significance. Camping is available at Bough Shed Hole on Surprise Creek; check QPWS for bookings and conditions.

Quirky Winton

Winton has embraced its offbeat side. Arno's Wall is a long concrete wall studded with everything from motorbikes to typewriters. The Royal Open Air Theatre is a historic outdoor cinema. The town also hosts the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival, which has been held in winter in recent years, reflecting Winton's popularity as a film location.

A three-day itinerary

Day 1: Waltzing Matilda Centre, Elderslie Street heritage walk, Arno's Wall and a drink at the North Gregory Hotel.

Day 2: Morning at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, then sunset from the Jump-Up lookout.

Day 3: Drive to Lark Quarry for a trackways tour; return via Bladensburg National Park.

Seasons

Winton has a hot, semi-arid climate. April to September brings warm days and cool nights, and is the peak season for tours and festivals. Summer temperatures often exceed 40°C, and heavy rain can close unsealed roads.

Getting there

Winton is on the Landsborough Highway, about 180 km north-west of Longreach and 1,350 km from Brisbane. It is also linked to Boulia by the Kennedy Developmental Road (partly unsealed in places) and to Hughenden to the north. Regional flights and coach services operate; check current schedules.

Where to stay and eat

There are motels, historic hotels, caravan parks and station stays. Supplies, fuel and meals are available in town.

Opal and the Winton Opal Festival

The Winton district is part of Queensland's boulder opal fields, where opal forms in cracks and cavities within ironstone boulders. Opal shops in town sell local stones, and the region has hosted opal festivals and fossicking opportunities in some years. Fossicking in Queensland requires a fossicking licence from the state government; ask at the visitor centre about designated areas.

What movie was filmed in Winton?

Several. Winton has hosted productions including The Proposition, Mystery Road, Goldstone and Total Control, according to the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival. Screen Queensland notes that Goldstone was filmed around Winton, Middleton and Cobbold Gorge. Every winter, the Vision Splendid Outback Film Festival screens films under the stars at the Royal Open Air Theatre, one of the oldest working open-air cinemas in Australia, and holds special events at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs.

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs in detail

The museum, on a mesa outside town, offers several guided tours. The museum and Deep-Time Astronomy tours take about 1.5 hours, Dinosaur Canyon about 2 hours, and the Ultimate Dinosaur experience about 3.5 hours. Book ahead in the cooler months, and allow at least half a day.

How many days to spend in Winton?

Two to three days. Spend one day on the Age of Dinosaurs and the town (the Waltzing Matilda Centre, the Musical Fence and Arno's Wall). Spend another on Lark Quarry's Dinosaur Stampede, about 110 km south-west on a partly unsealed road. Add a third for Bladensburg National Park or a film night.

Winton with kids

Dinosaurs make Winton one of the best outback towns for children. Kids enjoy the fossil laboratory, Dinosaur Canyon's walk, the footprints at Lark Quarry, and the Musical Fence, which they can play. See the outback with kids.

Winton at night

The Royal Open Air Theatre screens films on scheduled nights, and the Age of Dinosaurs' astronomy tour uses Winton's dark skies. Pubs on Elderslie Street serve meals. See stargazing and dark skies.

Is it worth going to Winton?

Yes. It combines world-class dinosaur fossils, Banjo Paterson and Waltzing Matilda history, and a film-set landscape. It's also an easy link between Longreach (about 180 km south-east) and Cloncurry on the Matilda Way.

Where to stay

Motels, pub rooms, caravan parks and camping, including low-cost camping areas near town. Accommodation fills during the film festival and school holidays.

Practical tips

Book Australian Age of Dinosaurs and Lark Quarry tours ahead in winter, carry water on the road to Lark Quarry, and fuel up in Winton before heading to Boulia or Lark Quarry. Mobile coverage is limited outside town.

Practical information

Winton has fuel, a supermarket, a hospital, motels and caravan parks. It lies on the Landsborough Highway (Matilda Way), 180 km from Longreach. Read our dinosaur trail guide for a full itinerary.

Winton is the eastern end of the Outback Way.

Nearby park guide: Diamantina National Park.

Nearby park guides: Bladensburg and Lark Quarry.