Queensland celebrates Nationwide Dinosaur Day on Could 7, and it’s the proper excuse to commerce the seashore for bones and discover one of many world’s richest dinosaur locations. From historical marine reptiles to stampeding herds, the Outback tells a 200-million-year-old story simply ready to be uncovered—and it begins solely a highway journey or brief flight from the Gold Coast.
Queensland holds over 80% of Australia’s dinosaur fossil finds, together with 10 of the world’s most vital dinosaur and megafauna discoveries. These aren’t fantasy creatures—they’re actual fossils below your ft. “Dinosaurs have been Earth’s OG rockstars—huge, fierce, and typically downright bizarre,” say Queensland tourism operators. And better of all? They lived proper right here.
Extra Gold Coast households are selecting regional getaways that mix studying with hands-on enjoyable. Nationwide Dinosaur Day drives tourism to Outback cities like Winton, Richmond, Hughenden, and Eromanga, supporting museums, campsites, fossil dig experiences, and native companies.
-
Cooper the Titanosaur, present in Eromanga, is Australia’s greatest dinosaur.
-
Kronosaurus queenslandicus from Richmond had banana-sized enamel—30cm lengthy!
-
Lark Quarry close to Winton preserves over 3,000 dinosaur footprints on the planet’s solely identified stampede web site.
Right here’s the place to go in your subsequent Outback highway journey or faculty vacation journey:
-
Eromanga Pure Historical past Museum – Discover fossil labs, meet palaeontologists, and see Cooper within the fossil flesh.
-
Flinders Discovery Centre in Hughenden – House to Hughie the Muttaburrasaurus and fossils from the traditional inland sea.
-
Kronosaurus Korner in Richmond – Dive into Queensland’s marine previous with Australia’s most full marine reptile fossils.
-
Riversleigh Fossil Centre in Mount Isa – A UNESCO World Heritage web site with uncommon fossil mammals like marsupial lions and large platypuses.
Can’t hit the highway simply but? Rejoice from residence:
-
🎨 Create your individual dinosaur species with artwork and glitter.
-
📚 Learn dino-themed books from the Gold Coast Library.
-
🎬 Host a film marathon—Prehistoric Planet, Jurassic Park, or The Land Earlier than Time.
-
🦴 Make salt dough fossils or dig up painted pasta bones.
-
📣 Be a part of the #RoarLikeADino problem on-line.
-
🎶 Play Dorothy the Dinosaur by The Wiggles and dance prefer it’s the Cretaceous.
Nationwide Dinosaur Day is the proper probability to plan your subsequent Queensland journey. Go to dinosaurexperiences.com and select from scenic highway journey routes like:
Whether or not you’re a dad or mum planning faculty holidays, a gray nomad chasing new tales, or only a dino-obsessed traveller, this prehistoric path is asking.