Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways

Deep in the red heart of Queensland, Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways offers a rare and thrilling glimpse into the Mesozoic era. This world-heritage listed site, preserved under a protective shelter, features the only recorded evidence of a dinosaur stampede—a fossilised dance of hundreds of small theropod and ornithopod footprints. The remote outback setting, with its stark ochre landscape and big skies, adds a layer of ancient majesty that makes the journey here unforgettable.

Highlights & What to See

• The Stampede Exhibit: The main attraction is a vast slab of rock covered in over 3,300 footprints, frozen in time 95 million years ago during a chaotic dinosaur stampede. A guided tour brings the scene to life with vivid storytelling and scientific insight.
• Interpretive Centre: Before heading to the trackways, the centre offers excellent displays on dinosaur behaviour, geology, and the history of the site’s discovery in the 1960s.
• Outback Scenery: The drive to Lark Quarry crosses the starkly beautiful Channel Country, with red dirt, spinifex, and the occasional wedge-tailed eagle. The viewing platform at sunset is a photographer’s dream.
• Winton: The nearby town of Winton is a must-visit for its Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, which houses the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils, including the massive Australotitan.

Suggested Time to Spend

Allocate at least half a day for the trip from Winton (about 110 km south-west). The guided tour of the trackways takes about an hour, plus time to explore the interpretive centre and soak in the outback views. If you’re a keen dinosaur enthusiast or photographer, plan for a full day to include a visit to Winton’s other fossil sites and the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum.

Nearby Areas Worth Combining

• Winton: The gateway to Lark Quarry, with the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, the Waltzing Matilda Centre, and the iconic North Gregory Hotel.
• Longreach: About 180 km east, offering the Qantas Founders Museum and the Stockman’s Hall of Fame, perfect for a broader outback experience.
• Opalton: A scenic drive west of Winton for opal fossicking and the rugged Opalton Field.
• Boulia: Further north-west, known for the Min Min Light and the Stonehouse Museum.

Please check official sources for current details.