Main street of Barcaldine with the Comet windmill, Tree of Knowledge canopy and the Shakespeare Hotel (the Shakey).

The Tree of Knowledge with the hardwood planks that “chime” when they move with the wind.

Striking Shearer statue – after a bit of protesting, the next stop the baabaa shop.

The Artesian Hotel was closed – we are not sure why, it many have become a bore.

The Van park attached to the complex with our excellent cabin – the grey nomads (scone gobblers) would need a rest after towing on the bitumen roads over black soil with their vans jumping around like kangaroos.

Emus between Barcaldine and Ilfracombe

Longreach Railway Station, we passed through after a quick lunch in a very busy main street. We plan to pass through again in about a week. Driving through Longreach is a bit of a stretch.

Thomson River in Longreach

Mitchell Grass Downs landscape at Chorregon – one of the 89 bioregions of Australia extending from western central Queensland into the Barkly Tableland region of Northern Territory. They are named after the dominant native Mitchell grass which forms the basis of the region’s grazing industry. Their roots anchor in dark clay soils. When wet, the soils absorb water and expand. When dry, they shrink and crack deeply, making it difficult for trees to establish roots.

Mitchell grass plain with a few trees.

Not much internet out here but this is the local IP address.

Time for a toilet review: Go Queensland! No vomit inducing stench, no bleeding eyes or nostrils. No smell at all, plus plenty of toilet paper, even a trickle of water at the tap. Either it was serviced 15 minutes before we arrived or it is one impressive unit. 9/10.

Age of Dinosaurs is 11km off the highway just outside Winton on the end of a low range. A huge area of inland Australia was once an inland sea and many significant fossils have been discovered.

All the impressive buildings blend in to the landscape.

March of the Titanosaurs. A herd of sauropods marched through a muddy lagoon 95 million years ago. These rocks were moved from a property 80km away in sections and pieced together here in an impressive building. The dinosaur path is 54 metres long. The rocks are all original with no plaster casts.

Sauropod footprints.

Coelosaurus footprints. Mini dinosaurs the size of chickens.

Sauropod dinosaurs that produced the footprints.

A not-so-grey nomad (red rover) in the photo for scale.

“Ithinkhesaurus”

Coelosaurus dinosaurs – life size.

Kangaroo-sized dinosaurs

A new exhibit at the Age of Dinosaurs – Gondwana Stars – the building is meant to resemble a meteorite surface. Not the dinosaurs’ best friend.

Lounging lizard – not sure which this one is but we were lucky we didn’t see the really ugly dinosaur – the Eyesaur.

Dinosaur Canyon follows the edge of the escarpment to sites showing replica dinosaurs blended into the environment.

Small pterodactyls on the canyon walk

Something flying that isn’t extinct – the Black kite.

Holly-leaved grevillea (Grevillea wickhamii) at the most south-east point of its range.

More small dinosaurs on the Canyon walk

Black-faced cuckoo shrike with rock figs that cling to the edge of the escarpment.

An anklylosaurus – this one was in charge – it the Anky-Chief.

The view north

Spinifex…

…and Spinifex pigeons. Speaking of pigeons, a friend recently sold his homing pigeons on e-bay – for the 17th time.

Spinifex pigeon

Brown falcon (Thank you JG).

Mulla mullas (Ptilotus sp.)

Sometimes sacrifices must be made to get the best image! This carnosaur is used to winning all its fights but in a local fossil dig, one was found dead near a Sauropod fossil (true story) – it was a saur-loser.

We arrived at Winton late in the day to be greeted by the Winton sign.

Looking the other way out of town.

Tattersalls Hotel – our dinner venue for the night.