Lark Quarry

Betty's still looking for enough candles to put on your cake LOL

Thanks Betty
I am off to Sydney on Friday afternoon for a little work.
Any southern Sydney people want a beer and meet the old Muzbry?

Hey Muz.
I been to the Lark Quarry, I seen all them there prints and none were big enough for you, see you put your big foot in it didn't ya.

.

Motherhen
I think it was 2006 when we were there and they mentioned two size's. The big fella and all the other prints were the chook size. Last nights show said that there were two or three different sized smaller ones.
Murray

Motherhen - if you would like to view the program just google iview and search for the program. Most ABC shows are available for two weeks.


A J

I recall three different sizes of footprints; the multitude of little chook dinosaurs running in all directions, a number of sheep dinosaurs, and the big predator one chasing i think the sheep. Amazing that the prints were laid down then preserved in the clay, discovered and uncovered in our day so we can see them. You can see the big one's footprints digging in as he picked up speed and the steps became wider apart. The calculations they have done are fascinating.

Thanks for that tip AJ.

Mh

Watched the end of the doco and agree interesting to see what sort of Dinosaurs they thought made the tracks. Visited the site a few years ago.

The iview replay is available here:
Dinosaur Stampede

Michelle
Yes I agree, was interesting to see how they used info from around the world to figure out what happened here.
Murray

We missed the show last night, but visited Lark Quarry in 1995, the year we commenced opal mining.

It was totally undeveloped then and one could walk over the footprints and prise loose fragments of rock covering the base.
This could reveal another impressed footprint leaving the opposite in the piece in your hand.
Naughty, but we have kept the remnants in our own little museum.

We also found "cuprolites"? , fossilised dino. poo in the area.

A couple of years ago, prospecting 80odd km. west of Eromanga I picked up a section of leg fossil about 17cm. long.
It was as if the bone was split longways revealing spongelike marrow inside. The bone would have been around 70mm. in diameter.

At the present time the Un.Qld. is excavating a huge dinosaur on Plevna Downs station with substantial funding coming from Santos.
A few years ago Santos put on day with the palaeontologists from Un.Qld. displaying a range of fossil casts from the site.

Sadly, cant find the pic of Chris standing beside the cast of the femur which is 180cm. long!
There is good info. available on this project in Eromanga.

Another large on is being excavated near Winton.

I find this subject most interesting when one considers how this W.Qld. landscape has changed. Part of the secret in opal mining is discovering the location of palao. drainage channels.
mike

The two times we have been to Q'land we were not able to get out there due to the roads being closed due to rain. Black dirt roads.
It is a pity that a tourist attraction like that did not have a bitumen road. With luck it has changed in the last three years.

Tony

Motherhen
We had a good look around Winton when we were there and I don't remember seeing that recreation of the stampede. Good see there is something to let the public know how big they were.
Murray

Murray, we saw a recreation however cannot recall whether it was in Winton or the next town along.

Tony

The display in my photo is at the Corfield and Fitzmaurice building in the main street (opposite side and a short way west of the Matilda Centre). The "Shinplaster" pass gives entrance to the Matilda Centre, Lark Quarry, Corfield and Fitzmaurice building, and other displays in Winton.

Seeing the 'dinosaur region' was high on our priorities, and the major one for Queensland. An awesome experience was holding a fossil 200 million years old at Boulia - gee i felt young :). I felt highly privileged that these amazing discoveries, buried beneath the clay for so many millions of years, are becoming uncovered now in our lifetime for us to see. We are a lucky generation.

In 2009, there were quite a few patches of the road to Lark Quarry bitumised. It was a dry year and the roads were in very good condition, and the Lark Quarry road well maintained for the droves of tourist coaches.

Mh

Thanks MH,
Maybe I will have to try and make another trip to Q'land. Last there in July 2008. Hmmm, cannot leave it to long as The cook and I will be past our towing years. 71 in a few weeks.

Tony

Jamie,

Not even sure if Lark Quarry would even be open at that time? Waltzing Matilda Centre in Winton would know.

Road from Lark Quarry to Old Cork is pretty good, with only a few minor creeks to cross. Old Cork to Winton-Boulia road has a number of bigger creeks, as well as the Diamantina to cross. But it is usually in good condition, because it doesn't get a lot of use.

Even isolated storms could run one of these creeks, and put the road out for some days. Not the most populated area either.

Another option would be to travel up the Diamantina River Road, from Old Cork, coming out on the Winton-Boulia road, about 50 kms west of Winton. This is generally pretty good, and has some good scenery. BUT if the Diamantina has flooded recently, give it a miss.
You could give me a ring. closer to the time, and I might have some more up-to-date advice. 0427 727 302

Bob.

thanks for the very useful info Bob. i emailed the dinosaur place and it will be closed till at least April they reckon, due to funding issues. but we will still be going out that way if the weather is favorable. looks to be a number of places of interest between winton and mt isa going the long way. thanks again mate