NTH QLD TRIP

Day Ten

Left Longreach at 0945 straightforward 2 hour run to Winton through flat grazing land, the countryside has been very green all the way up here the rivers and creeks all have water in them however this has not been enough to finish the long going drought.

Winton

Waltzing Matilda belongs to all Australians but Winton is its custodian. – they say up here. Apparently  written at Dagworth station and first performed at Nth Gregory hotel Winton. The waltzing Matilda centre to be rebuilt soon after burning down in 2015

QANTAS conceived in Cloncurry born in Winton  grew up in Longreach

Arrived  around midday, set up camp, had lunch then off to see the age of dinasaurs museum.

The Australia. Age of Dinosaurs museum museum was founded  in 2003 by David and Judy Elliot 3rd generation sheep grazers who found  a giant femur fossil on their property, Initially fossils were sent to Brisbane, but David wanted the local area to benefit from the discovery now all fossils found since 2005 go to AAOD museum  Here you come within feet of first found bones of a newly discovered dinasaur species, generally because of their value they are stored away in museum vaults. The main exhiberts of Banjo  and Matilda who get their names from Wintons association with Waltzing Matilda. Also you look through the laboratory where volunteers are etching away the sand and rock from the bone with what look like dentist drills Volunteers play an integral part in many parts of the process of bringing these relics to presentation. In fact you can join annual dig for $3.500 but there is a 2 year waiting list .

Banjo and lyrics to Waltzing Matilda

Volunteers painstakingly removing dirt to expose fossils

Museum

Matilda’s fossils

Dirt partially removed to reveal one of Matilda’s vertebrae

Banjos fossils

Arrive at lab encased in plaster