Age of Dinosaurs
24km south of Winton in the rugged rocky ranges landscape, a giant mesa called The Jump-Up is where you will find the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum. A perfect location on the edge of the escarpment with a view of the vast outback below where dinosaurs once roamed freely.
How about meeting Matilda & Banjo!
Who are they you say – Dinosaur fossils from 95 million years ago!
The fossil preparation workshop is the most productive in the southern hemisphere and has the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils. How would you like to be a hands on visitor and be a part of the Dig-A-Dino or Prep-A-Dino programs?
The museum offers a 2 part experience for visitors. Firstly a tour of the preparation facility where volunteers are carefully removing excess rock with micro sandblasters. Our tour guide Ben said “this is one of the only things in the world you can do that no one else has seen before!”
Currently they were working on Matilda – Diamantinasaurus Maltidae who was a titanosaur estimated 15 -16 metres long and weighing 15–20 tonnes. It was almost overwhelming to see the storage shelves of massive plastered fossil pieces waiting to be uncovered.
Banjo – Australovenator Wintonensis a velociraptor hunter was 5m long and weighed 500kg. He is the most complete skeleton of a carnivorous dinosaur found in Australia.
From the prep shed we have a short walk back to the reception centre along the edge of the flat top plateau with lots of photo stops of the magnificent views.
We learn more about Matilda & Banjo at the Collection Room where the bones have been placed in position of their skeleton.
An excellent animation show tells the story of how the Winton area would have looked 100 million years ago and why Matilda & Banjo were found together. The theory is Matilda was bogged in a drying water hole and had to defend herself against the carnosaur Banjo. Which she did and hence their bones were preserved in the muddy sediment.
There are other dinosaurs with a story to tell – titanosaur sauropods Clancy and Elliot plus a new one to be released to the media next month!
Another must do Winton dinosaur experience is the footprints stampede at Lark Quarry!
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