The Queensland Outback hub of Winton is located between Longreach and Mount Isa. There are plenty of things to do in Winton to keep you busy for a few days while you’re visiting. Some of them are free, including the Musical Fence and Arno’s Wall.
The largest tourist attractions around Winton are the Waltzing Matilda Centre and two pieces of Australia’s Dinosaur Trail – the ‘Age of Dinosaurs’ and the ‘Dinosaur Stampede.’ You’ll be kept busy exploring all that Winton has to offer in Outback QLD.
We primarily stopped in Winton to do the Australian Age of Dinosaurs, but were surprised to find much more than a Museum on offer!
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MAP of Things to do in Winton
Use the interactive map below to locate all of the things to do in Winton.
MAP KEY:
🟡 YELLOW Pin Drops = Things to do in Winton
🔴 RED Pin Drops = The Long Waterhole (Free Camping)
PAID Things to do in Winton, QLD
Australian Age of Dinosaurs
By far one of the most popular things to do in Winton is to spend a day at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs. This is the biggest piece of the four-part dinosaur trail.
As you head into the reception area to buy your entry tickets, you’ll be asked if you want to buy the Dinosaur Trail Pass. If you plan on visiting more than one part of the dinosaur trail, I’d recommend getting the pass as it works out cheaper.
Next, you will be booked in for your tours during your day at the Age of Dinosaurs.
Things to do at the Age of Dinosaurs:
- Museum Trail
- Laboratory Tour
- Collection Room Tour
- Dinosaur Canyon Outpost
- Shuttle bus ride across the jump-up
Pack some lunch, water, hat and fly nets (you can thank me later!) and enjoy a day out chasing dinosaurs.
| AUSTRALIAN AGE OF DINOSAURS | |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | WINTER (Apr to Oct): • 7 days per week • 8.30 am – 5.00 pm SUMMER (Nov to Mar): • Monday to Saturday • 8.00 am – 5.00 pm |
| Age of Dinosaurs Prices | Adult – $75 Concession – $70 Child (5 – 17 yrs) – $45 Family – $200 |
| Dinosaur Trail Combo Pass – Age of Dinosaurs – Dinosaur Stampede – Flinders Discovery Centre – Kronosaurus Korner | Adult – $115 Concession – $100 Child (5 – 17 yrs) – $65 Family – $300 |
| Address | Lot 1 Dinosaur Drive, Winton QLD 4735 |
Dinosaur Stampede Trackways
Down at Lark Quarry, which is 110 km southwest of Winton, you’ll find one of the only known preserved dinosaur stampedes on the planet!
The 45-minute tour will take you through a theatre room, then into the big shed where the dinosaur tracks live. You can learn all about the proposed story behind the stampede and the history of what this section of outback Australia once looked like. Clue – it wasn’t always a desert!
After your tour you can walk up to the Spinifex Circuit lookout and take the longer 3 km Jump-up Walk if you feel like it. Be sure to let the reception staff know that you’re going and make sure to follow the signs.
The final two parts of Australia’s Dinosaur Trail are Kronosaurus Corner in Richmond and Flinders Discovery Centre in Hughenden. CLICK BELOW to check out our full guide to chasing dinosaurs across the Outback!
| DINOSAUR STAMPEDE | |
|---|---|
| Opening Hours | WINTER (Apr to Oct): • 7 days per week • 8.30 am – 5.00 pm SUMMER (Nov to Mar): • Monday to Saturday • 8.30 am – 5.00 pm |
| Dinosaur Stampede | Adult – $30 Concession – $25 Child (5 – 17 yrs) – $18 |
| Dinosaur Trail Combo Pass – Age of Dinosaurs – Dinosaur Stampede – Flinders Discovery Centre – Kronosaurus Korner | Adult – $115 Concession – $100 Child (5 – 17 yrs) – $65 Family – $300 |
| Address | Winton-Jundah Road, Opalton QLD 4735 |
Diamantina Heritage Truck & Machinery Museum
If you’re into truck and machinery history, head to the Diamantina Heritage Museum.
The museum came about in 2004 with a group of enthusiastic community members who busied themselves collecting vehicles, photos and memorabilia from around the region.
2007 saw the opening of the museum, laying tribute to the Australian road transport pioneers. Wander the rows of trucks and machinery, showing how the industry has changed and evolved over the years.
| DIAMANTINA MUSEUM | |
|---|---|
| Cost | • Adult – $12 • Concession – $10 • Child (6 – 15 yrs) – $5 • Under 6 – FREE |
| Address | Lot 2 Hughenden Road, Winton QLD 4735 |
Opal Walk
Opal Walk in Winton is a hallway museum dedicated to Australia’s national gemstone, the opal.
Winton and the nearby Opalton are well-known areas for opal mining, which you’ll quickly realise as you walk by the many opal merchants along the main street of Winton.
Explore all that Opal Walk has to share. Learn about the history of how opal was mined in Opalton and check out the unique displays throughout.
Once you get to the end of Opal Walk, you’ll pop out into the Royal Open Air Theatre, which is also home to Australia’s Biggest Deckchair.
| OPAL WALK | |
|---|---|
| General Admission | • Adult – $3 • Child – FREE |
| Address | 69 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Royal Open Air Theatre
This old picture theatre was built in 1918 and is one of the last remaining open air theatres in Australia. It’s actually still in operation today!
Every Wednesday night from April – September you can come along for Nostalgia Night. Plus, there are various movies being shown, both old and new.
As you wander around you can feel how the place used to buzz in the yester-year with it being a major hub of activity for the town.
Not only was it one of four theatres in town, but it was also a Roller Skating Rink. You can have a look through the building up the back, which holds lots of old-time memorabilia and the projector room, which is still functioning.
| ROYAL OPEN AIR THEATRE | |
|---|---|
| General Admission | • Adult – $3 • Child – FREE |
| Movies | $15 per ticket |
| Address | Via Opal Walk, 69 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
The World’s Biggest Deckchair
While you’re at the Royal Open Air Theatre, check out the Big Deckchair, tucked up the back.
The World’s Biggest Deckchair was constructed by the Freemasons Taskforce of Victoria for an event. After the event, they had no idea what to do with it, so they donated it to Winton’s Royal Theatre to go with their deckchair theme.
To visit the deckchair at the back of the theatre, entry is via the Opal Walk off Elderslie Street, Winton.
| WORLD’S BIGGEST DECKCHAIR | |
|---|---|
| Cost | • Adult – $3 • Child – FREE |
| Address | Via Opal Walk, 69 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
For those who are collecting BIG Things while travelling, this will tick off the BIG Deckchair on your Queensland list (download below). If you’re keen on finding over 600 Bigs throughout the country, get yourself the Aussie Big Things Checklist.
QLD Big Things Checklist
See if you can find all 150+ Big Things as you travel around Queensland!
- 17-page checklist
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- QLD Regional Map
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Corfield & Fitzmaurice General Merchants
To the right (looking on from the street) of the North Gregory Hotel lies the gorgeous old heritage listed Corfield & Fitzmaurice building. The old general store was the oldest business in Winton, which you can see displayed on graphic panelling inside.
These days, the building houses a comprehensive collection of Australian dinosaur fossils. Since the dinosaur bones of ‘Elliot’ the Sauropod where found on a farm near Winton in 1999, the region has been been transformed into the Queensland’s ‘dinosaur capital.’
Head inside to see the life-size sculpture of a ten-metre Carnosaur, plus some crafts and local opal mining information.
| CORFIELD & FITZMAURICE GENERAL MERCHANTS | |
|---|---|
| Cost | • Adult – $5 • Child – $3 • Concession – $3 • Family – $10 |
| Address | 63 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Winton Aquatic Centre
It’s fair to say that Winton gets HOT with average daytime temperatures in summer sitting around 37℃ and beyond. Even in winter, you can expect daily temps of 25℃.
To help combat the sweltering heat, the council has provided a recreational area with three different pools, water park, tipping bucket and four slides.
If you’re heading to Winton during the warmer months, make sure you visit the pool to cool off.
| WINTON AQUATIC CENTRE | |
|---|---|
| Cost | Gold coin donation |
| Address | 45 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Waltzing Matilda Centre
There once was a guy named Banjo Paterson, an Australian bush poet, who wrote a ballad by the name of ‘Waltzing Matilda.’ You know what I’m talking about, that famous Aussie song that has shaped up to become an iconic piece of history for our country.
Winton is where old Banjo wrote the lyrics, which has resulted in a pretty spectacular museum to be erected in honour of his song. The first museum was built in 1998, which later burnt down through an electrical fault in 2015. Since then, another grand museum has replaced the old with the new.
| WALTZING MATILDA CENTRE | |
|---|---|
| Cost | • Adult $36.00 • Child (5 – 11 yrs) – $16.00 • Concession $32.50 • Family $85 |
| Address | 50 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Horse & Wagon Tours
For an authentic late 1800’s experience that you’ll remember forever, book a horse and wagon tour with Winton Adventure Tours!
Horse & Wagon Tours:
- 30 minutes
- Leisurely horse-drawn tour of Winton
- Including points of interest
- 100-year-old Landau Coach
- Morning or afternoon sessions
| HORSE & WAGON TOURS | |
|---|---|
| Cost | • Adult – $50 • Senior – $45 • Child – $25 • Family (2A + 2C) – $120 |
The Crackup Sisters
The Crackup Sisters are a bunch of quirky ladies who travel around the outback putting on comedy shows using stock whips and acrobatics.
From 3 – 5 pm daily, visitors can ‘Play in their Yard,’ which includes a range of different activities and experiences that you’re not likely to find anywhere else!
Play In Our Yard:
- International Flea Circus Training Facility
- Outback Games
- Mini Documentaries
- Museum Pieces
- Yellow Brick Road
Another experience on offer is to have a ‘Sleepover at their house.’ But this isn’t just any old sleepover. You’ll have all of the usual stuff available in an outback cottage, as well as puzzles to solve and interesting things to discover.
They also put on various shows, so be sure to check out The Crackup Sisters website.
| THE CRACKUP SISTERS | |
|---|---|
| Play In Our Yard | • Adult – $15 • Concession – $13.50 • Child (5 to 17 yrs) – $10 • Family (2A + 2C) – $40 |
| Address | 100 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
FREE Things to do in Winton, QLD
The Musical Fence
The world’s first permanent musical fence can be found in Winton, which is a wire fence installation that can be played as an instrument itself. There you will find the music for Waltzing Matilda, so be sure to give that a red hot go!
You will also find a drum kit and a range of other percussion instruments spotted around the park, which are all made from recycled metal materials.
| THE MUSICAL FENCE | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | Behind the Machinery Museum on Hughenden Road, Winton QLD 4735 |
Bladensburg National Park
Take the 20-minute drive south of Winton along the Winton Jundah Road until you reach Bladensburg National Park.
Enjoy the incredible views from the flat-topped plateaus, reaching out across the outback plains, that were once lush, tropical rainforest. Learn all about the ‘jump-ups’ when you visit the Australia Age of Dinosaurs and Lark Quarry Dinosaur Stampede (more on that down below).
Things to do at Bladensburg National Park:
| BLADENSBURG NATIONAL PARK | |
|---|---|
| Bladensburg Homestead Walk | Explore the old homestead, including staff quarters, meat house and store. Back when 11 miles was a very long way from the nearest town, self-sufficiency was crucial. Allow: 30 – 40 mins Grade: Easy |
| Scrammy Gorge | Starting at the homestead, take a scenic drive through black soil plains and jump-up country. Take the short walk up to Scrammy Lookout to take in the views. NOTE: High clearance vehicles only Allow: 2 – 4 hours Distance: 40 km return |
| Route of the River Gum | Grab a self-guided drive map from the Winton Visitor Information Centre and wander the Route of the River Gum. You’ll pass by 15 places of interest throughout the Winton Shire and Bladensburg National Park. Allow: Half day Distance: 72 km return (from Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton) |
North Gregory Hotel
The North Gregory Hotel in Winton has quite an extensive and fiery history! It’s well worth taking a look at while you’re in town.
Why not get comfortable and enjoy a meal and drink while you’re at it?
North Gregory Hotel History
Established
North Gregory Hotel was first established as a small single-story building.
2nd Hotel Built
The second North Gregory Hotel was constructed after the first one was demolished, this time a two-storey building. Rumours have it that it was a fire that ruined the first building, but although there was a small fire out the back, it didn’t damage the building.
Two Fires
Fires broke out in the hotel, but both were contained.
2nd Hotel Burned Down
The North Gregory Hotel burned down, along with four other adjacent buildings in town. The fire started in Corfield and Fitzmaurice, which was next door.
3rd Hotel Built
The third North Gregory Hotel was built, offering lounges, parlours, writing rooms, billiard room, traders’ room and sample room.
Another Fire – but saved this time!
A fire started in a nearby jewellery store, spreading to the North Gregory and four other businesses. Fortunately, the Royal Theatre was saved and still stands today.
4th Hotel Opened
The fourth North Gregory Hotel opened as a council-owned operation, becoming the largest employer in town.
Council Sold the Hotel
The council sold the Hotel, which is now privately owned and no more fires have occurred.
Check out this article for a full detailed history of Winton’s North Gregory Hotel.
| NORTH GREGORY HOTEL | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE Entry |
| Address | 67 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Waltzing Matilda Legend Stones
The Waltzing Matilda Legend Stones were created in 1995 to commemorate the memory of Waltzing Matilda and the history that ties it to the little outback town of Winton.
The stones were made using 110cm high sandstone blocks with bronze features, depicting various parts of the Waltzing Matilda poem’s story.
Plaque excerpt:
In 1995 Winton Shire celebrated 100 years of the country’s most famous song and unofficial anthem, Waltzing Matilda, written by AB ‘Banjo’ Paterson.
On the top of each stone is a verse of the song and each verse is represented in stone below. As you move around starting from block one (1), each scene will reveal to you part of the story of Waltzing Matilda. We hope that when you reach block five (5), the song will be forever etched in your memory.
| WALTZING MATILDA LEGEND STONES | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | Across from Corfield & Fitzmaurice, Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Spinifex Circuit
If you head out to do the Dinosaur Stampede Trackways at Lark Quarry, there’s a free nature walk called Spinifex Circuit.
The 3.5 km trail leads up and down a Jump-Up, which is one of the unique flat-topped hills spotted throughout the region. Start off with a view looking back to the dinosaur stampede, loop around and then circle back to the car park.
Important Notes for Spinifex Circuit:
- Take plenty of water for everyone
- Make sure you’ve got hats and sunscreen on
- Fly nets are recommended (even in winter!)
- Be sure to let the staff at the Dinosaur Stampede that you’re going and they’ll add you to a list
- Check back in with staff upon return to get your name checked (it gets checked at 6pm every day to ensure everyone came back safely)
- Follow the yellow triangles to stay on track
| SPINIFEX CIRCUIT | |
|---|---|
| Time | Allow 1.5 hours |
| Grade | Difficult |
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | Lark Quarry Conservation Park Winton-Jundah Road, Opalton QLD 4735 |
Arno’s Wall
Winton used to be home to a very eccentric man named Arno Grotjahn.
Over the years he built walls around his house stretching over 70 metres long and over 2 metres high. They were constructed with rock and concrete, brought in from his opal mine at Opalton.
Throughout the wall you will find every imaginable household item, plus heaps of other scrap pieces, embedded within. Have a look and see what you can spot!
| ARNO’S WALL | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | 19 Oondooroo Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Willie Mar Heritage Site
Back in 1923, a Chinese man named Willie Mar started a market garden and shop in Winton.
When Willie arrived in outback Queensland, he started out as a cook and gardener on various stations between Hughenden, Richmond and Winton.
Willie was in fact married to a young lady back in China. During his time here, he only made it back to visit her twice. During his long visit back in 1929, his son Yen Shoo was born.
Willie came back to Winton not long after his son was born. 20 years later, his now grown son, Young Willie Mar, came out to Winton. He went on to learn his father’s business of gardening and running the shop.
Senior Willie Mar passed away in 1954 at the age of 86, while tending his beloved garden. The young Willie Mar kept the family business going until 2000, making it the longest running Chinese garden market and store in western Queensland.
Willie Mar Junior died in 2007, but the community of Winton have pulled together to keep the fond memories and history live on.
You can visit the site of the garden and store, plus read more about how Willie Mar managed to grow such an abundance of food in the hot, dry outback region.
| WILLIE MAR HERITAGE SITE | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | 68 Riley Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Wander the Main Street
If you take a walk down Elderslie Street, which is the main street in Winton, you’ll find that there are lots of quirky signs and businesses to wander through.
Take full advantage of the lush strip of green grass that runs up the centre of town – you won’t see anything quite so luxurious in these parts! There are a few different artworks and sculptures along the way, which really add to the town’s uniqueness.
Besides dinosaur bones, Winton is also known for its boulder opal – which is why you’ll find a few opal and jewellery shops spotted around.
There’s an old wagon situated in the middle strip of the street, which you can climb up onto and get your photo.
Why not stop in at the bakery for lunch or head over to the famous North Gregory Hotel or the Tattersall’s Hotel for dinner and check out the rich history.
FREE Opal Fossicking
As you’re wandering Elderslie Street, keep a look out for this opal shop, which has a little opal pit out the front. Yep, anyone is welcome to come and do a spot of opal fossicking for free!
The kids really enjoyed spraying the rocks with water to see which ones shone with opal. We scored a few nice mementos to take away from our visit and it was just one of the many awesome things to do in Winton, QLD.
Don’t forget to head inside the shop to have a look at the beautiful jewellery and Queensland boulder opal. The owners offer a wealth of knowledge and many stories of opals around the area. Very interesting!
| OPAL FOSSICKING | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Take a Dinosaur Hunt through Town
As you’re walking or driving through Winton, it won’t take long to notice the oversized dinosaur feet that encase many of the rubbish bins. They’re really cool and are something that I’ve never seen in any other town that I’ve visited.
The closest you’ll find in these parts is in Richmond (another section of the Dinosaur Trail) where the bins are surrounded by a dinosaur head!
Take a wander and see how many dinosaur items you can spot through town.
Hint: there’s a dinosaur mural hidden in an alleyway near the bakery.
| DINOSAUR HUNTING | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE |
| Address | Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Outback Surf Club
The last on this list of things to do in Winton is to head to the Outback Surf Club at the Winton Outback Motel.
The owners have turned the outdoor area into a place to relax and have a drink, calling it the Outback Surf Club. There you’ll find a surfboard, which visitors are encouraged to get a selfie with and then donate to whichever charity has been currently selected. The first charity was the Royal Flying Doctors.
What a great way to end the day in Winton!
| OUTBACK SURF CLUB | |
|---|---|
| Cost | FREE (Donations optional & encouraged) |
| Address | 95 Elderslie Street, Winton QLD 4735 |
Accommodation in Winton
During our visit to Winton we stayed at The Long Waterhole, which is a fantastic FREE Camp about 3km out of town. It’s for self-contained vehicles only as there are no amenities on site.
There is tonnes of room for anyone and everyone, surrounding… you guessed it, a long waterhole! I highly recommend checking it out if you’re set up for self-sufficient camping.
OTHER ACCOMMODATION:
| WINTON MOTELS |
|---|
| North Gregory Hotel – Motel rooms and unpowered Van Park |
| Matilda Motel – Motel rooms |
| Winton Outback Motel – Motel rooms and family units |
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Winton is such a cool little town! I love the themes of dinosaurs and music/performance. I’d really want to go check out the Musical Fence and the open-air theater. It’s great to hear that it’s still in operation over a century after it was built!
The open air theatre was really cool. Wish we’d been able to watch a movie there one night.
So opal is my favorite stone… even my engagement is an opal. I need to go opal fossicking and do the opal mine walk!!! Are you allowed to mine your own opal/keep it for free too?
Oh gosh, you need to get out to Australia and do some opal fossicking. Lightning Ridge in New South Wales is the town to go for that! If you find any bits of opal in the pit out the front of the store mentioned in the post, yep you get to keep it for free.
Musical fence is such an unique concept, and so good to know all made from recycled metal materials. I liked Arno’s wall too, embedded with household items. I really want to plane now.
Lots of recycled materials used throughout the town. I guess it’s the way of things when you live in the middle of nowhere – nothing would ever get wasted.
Can’t wait to be able to return to Oz. It’s been way to long. Been to Queensland, but never Winton. I’d love to visit the Waltzing Matilda Centre, I love that daft song, lol. And I have always enjoyed exploring Australia’s national parks.
Haha we all love that daft song too! Hopefully it’s not too long before you can return to the land down under.
It looks like I will need plan a long visit to Australia when we can finally visit. We might head to Winton for the Age of the Dinosaurs. So good to know there is lots more to do as well. I love the idea of an open air theatre if we visit on a Wednesday at the right time. Some time in the Bladensburg National Park would round out our visit.
For a little town in the middle of nowhere, there is a surprising amount of things to do. Definitely need to add the Age of Dinosaurs to your list.
Emma your have done a brilliant job, and I have enjoyed every page.
My late wife and I visited Winton in 2014 and loved every second of it and by your account it has only got better!
Now a question; you talk about driving slower to conserve fuel. What, from your experience, do you consider a reasonable touring speed towing a caravan given that you aim to conserve fuel but don’t want to hold up other traffic? Especially Road trains!!
With gratitude
Richard
Thanks so much Richard. We though Winton was great. There was quite a lot to explore for a little outback town – which is always great for the travellers.
We found that sitting on around 90 km/hr was good for our set up. Obviously each vehicle is different, depending on its gearing. If there was traffic, we didn’t want to be rude, so we’d sit on 100 or even drop back a bit to let them overtake easier. Communicating on the UHF is always the easiest way.