To start the day, we went to the local Poo Ponds (end point of town sewerage treatment) as they are listed as a great place to see birdlife. We stood for a while as there were no chairs – only stools.

There wasn’t much variety but there were a lot of Darters.

Whistling kite – watching a kite soar isn’t necessarily the best wildlife experience but it is certainly up there.

Jacky Winter – a member of the robin family

Zebra finches were active in the grasses and low shrubs

Nearby is Pelican Waterhole – the first Winton town site and its original name.

Winton Way Out West sign

Galahs – did I mention we have seen one or two galahs? One or two thousand.

Apostle birds

The art deco North Gregory – its fourth version on the same site. Previous buildings were demolished or destroyed by fire.

Sheep in the main street in Winton, I was surprised there were none in Baa-caldine.

Corfield and Fitzmaurice Stores 1878

Andrew Barton (Banjo) Patterson – Waltzing Matilda was partially written in Winton on a 5 week holiday for the Sydneysider with the latter verses written at Dagworth Station north-west of Winton.

An art installation tells the story: Down came the troopers, one, two, and three. “Whose is that jumbuck you’ve got in your tucker bag?”

Waltzing Matilda was once the main tourism business in town but has been overtaken by dinosaurs.

Opal is mined in the district.

Brolga near the Artesian water cooling ponds on the eastern side of town looking bored.

We returned to the Age of Dinosaurs to experience two more activities. This is the road to the top of the jump up.

Age of Dinosaurs main entrance

First up was the Fossil laboratory. It was a real shin dig.

The fossils are transported in plaster casts from field sites to Age of Dinosaurs.

Technicians carefully removing rock from around the fossils.

Plesiosaur foot/paddle.

Dinosaur bones

Multi-pass!

View north from the jump up.

On the road back to Winton

Female and juvenile red kangaroos – only the males are red.

Winton Musical Fence – there is talk of repairs to the fence – I’ll keep you posted.

The drums were damaged – there were serious re-percussions.

Winton QANTAS sign at sunset. QANTAS (Queensland and Northrn Territory Aerial Service) was founded in Winton in 1920. It moved its headquarters to Longreach in 1921 and Brisbane in 1930.

The Royal Theatre, an open aired venue with canvas seats. It was nice but I prefer sock puppet theatre…it always wins the vote by a show of hands. There was once a Big Deck Chair here. It was uncomfortable and that didn’t sit well with the patrons. It has been removed.