"This is our planet's only recorded evidence of a dinosaur stampede," exclaims our guide as we stare, gob-smacked at the 3300 dinosaur footprints spread out before us.
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Discovered 35 years ago, these dinosaur tracks at Lark Quarry near Winton are an extraordinary snapshot that shows, fossilised in rock, a terrifying moment, 95 million years ago, when hundreds of smaller dinosaurs fled from a larger meat-eating beast.
"They were running for their lives," explains our guide, who reveals that it was these very tracks that inspired Steven Spielberg to create the stampede scene in the original Jurassic Park (1993).
These famous prehistoric tracks are the first stop on our journey along the Dinosaur Trail, a self-drive adventure that winds through the dry and dusty plains of western Queensland and highlights this area's internationally significant dinosaur discoveries, of which there are surprisingly many.
In nearby Winton (OK, so it's 140 kilometres away, which in these boondocks, you'd drive that far for a cold drink) it doesn't take long to notice the obvious willingness of the town to embrace itself as the Australia's "dinosaur capital", for even the garbage bins lining the footpaths are creatively camouflaged as giant dinosaur feet. Thankfully they don't bite.
However, the must-see for genuine dino-fanatics on the main street is the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, where for a small fee you can discover the fascinating story about a local farmer who in 1999, while mustering sheep, literally stumbled upon a one-metre-long dinosaur bone lying in his paddock. The bone turned out to be the femur (that's the bone that extends from the hip to the knee) of a giant 20-metre-long, four-legged sauropod that lived 98 million years ago.
The outback farmer's chance find sparked a dig led by the Queensland Museum, which has subsequently unearthed many more bones belonging to the same beast. It is now known as Australia's biggest dino-specimen, and nick-named "Elliot" after David Elliot, the lucky farmer who discovered it.
If you are really lucky (or plan ahead) your visit to dinosaur country might coincide with an official dig at Elliot's property – a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to dig up your own dino-bone. Imagine the look on the teacher's face, when your little Johnny or Jill takes a real dinosaur bone along to the next show-and-tell at school.
Heading east towards Richmond, is the town of Hughenden, which sports a life-size Muttaburrasaurus in its main park. This outback outpost is also home to aptly named "Kronosaurus Korner'', which showcases marine reptiles that, about 100 million years ago, lived in a giant inland sea in this part of the outback. Here you can eyeball many of the skeletons and fossils, including the eye-popping Kronosaurus – a real-life Loch Ness monster whose prehistoric bones were unearthed nearby in 1989. The Kronosaurus was apparently the largest marine reptile, so huge it could have eaten T-Rex for breakfast.
With such large distances to cover in this triangle of dinosaur goodness, you'll be in need of a place to rest your own weary bones. We bunk down at the North Gregory Hotel in Winton, whose claim to fame is that it was here that Australia's unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, was performed in public for the very first time on the April 6, 1895. If you ask nicely, some of the well-lubricated barflies may burst into their own somewhat more colourful version of the bush ballad.
Next morning, exploring west of Winton, we catch a glimpse of a series of rock formations nicknamed The Three Sisters. These jagged outback landmarks are just as striking as their Blue Mountains namesakes, and the silvery shimmer created by the winter sun shining on their pebble-cloaked peaks gives the illusion they are covered in water.
Clambering to the top of one of these pinnacles we peer out onto the never-ending plains and ponder at how different this country must have looked, millions of years ago, when it really was covered in water … and massive marine reptiles and dinosaurs roamed wild.
Fact file
Jurassic journey: The outback Queensland towns of Winton, Hughenden and Richmond are at the heart of Australia's "dinosaur country''. The nearest major airports are Longreach to the south and Townsville to the east, and car hire is available at both.
Where to stay: North Gregory Hotel, 67 Elderslie Street, Winton. Ph: 07 46570647 or northgregoryhotel.com
Watch out for: Limestone concretions that dot this part of the outback, some of which coincidentally bear an uncanny resemblance to prehistoric creatures. You may also see wild brolgas (they really do dance!)
Tours: Prefer someone else does the driving? Outback Aussie Tours operates a 4WD journey along the Great Australian Dinosaur Discovery Trail. outbackaussietours.com.au
Dino stops
Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways: dinosaurtrackways.com.au
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum (and to inquire about dino-digs): australianageofdinosaurs.com
Richmond Fossil Museum: kronosauruskorner.com.au
Further information: To help with planning your adventure in Queensland's dinosaur country, Ph: 07 4650 1275 or outbackqueensland.com.au
Did you know: You don't have to travel all the way to outback Queensland to get your dino fix in you live in Canberra. The capital is home to the National Dinosaur Museum, which houses Australia's largest permanent display of dinosaur and prehistoric fossil material. 6 Gold Creek Rd, Nicholls. Adults: $15, Children: $9.90. Family: $42. More: Ph: 62302655 nationaldinosaurmuseum.com.au
