Lark Quarry Conservation Park

In the heart of outback Queensland, Lark Quarry Conservation Park preserves one of the world's most remarkable dinosaur trackways. This remote site, also known as Dinosaur Stampede National Monument, holds evidence of a prehistoric panic – hundreds of small dinosaur footprints frozen in stone, left by a herd fleeing a predator around 95 million years ago. The experience is both eerie and awe-inspiring, set against a stark red-earth landscape that feels like a journey to another world.

Highlights & What to See

• The Dinosaur Stampede Exhibit: Under a protective shelter, a raised walkway lets you peer down at thousands of three-toed footprints – the densest concentration of dinosaur tracks on Earth. Interpretive signs explain the stampede theory and the species involved.
• Sunset on the Outback: The park’s remote location offers spectacular sunsets. The low-angle light rakes across the trackway, making the footprints pop, while the sky blazes orange and pink over the spinifex plains.
• Winton-area fossil sites: Combine your visit with the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum in Winton (about 110 km away) to see real dinosaur bones and fossils from the same geological period.
• Self-guided walk: A short loop trail around the trackway shelter provides context on the local geology, flora and the ancient inland sea that once covered this region.

Suggested Time to Spend

Most visitors spend 1–2 hours at the park itself, which is enough to absorb the exhibit, walk the loop, and soak in the outback atmosphere. Because the site is remote (around 110 km south-west of Winton), you’ll need to factor in a half-day round trip from Winton. For a richer experience, plan to arrive in the late afternoon to catch the sunset and then drive back after dark (the road is unsealed but well-maintained).

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Winton: A classic outback town with the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, the Waltzing Matilda Centre, and the musical ‘The Man from Snowy River’ legacy.
• Bladensburg National Park: Just south of Winton, this park offers red gorges, Aboriginal rock art, and excellent birdwatching – a great spot for a bushwalk or picnic.
• Longreach: About 170 km west, Longreach is home to the Qantas Founders Museum and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, plus river cruises on the Thomson River.
• Opalton & the Opal Fields: For a quirky detour, explore the opal mining areas around Opalton, where you can try your luck fossicking for the gemstone.

Please check official sources for current details.