8 experiences you can’t miss during Winton’s 150th year of settlement

From dark sky drone shows to dinosaur footprints, there are plenty of reasons to visit Winton this April.

With links to Waltzing Matilda, Qantas, boulder opal mining and dinosaur fossils, there’s much to discover in the outback Queensland town of Winton at any time of year. But as Winton 150 years of settlement hits, there’s even more.

Here, long, wide streets fill with calls of the pink galahs resting on power poles as the sun rises. The town wakes up early to enjoy tea on wooden verandahs or get active before the day heats up. From midday, the town’s pubs become the place to be for welcoming locals and travellers passing through.

As this small town celebrates its 150th anniversary of settlement, the welcome mat is out for visitors to explore and enjoy all Winton has to offer. Discover eight experiences you shouldn’t miss when helping celebrate Winton’s milestone anniversary in April 2025.

From food to station visits, there’s plenty to do in Winton. (Image: TEQ)

1. Events to mark the 150th year of settlement

Winton’s 150-year celebrations will honour the town’s rich heritage while embracing its vibrant future with a week of activities and tours, culminating in a packed weekend for all ages from 11–13 April.

Festivities kick off with an opening ceremony in Elderslie Street and close with a dinner, live music and fireworks. In between, there’s a host of fun events planned, including a dark sky drone show, vintage-style handmade craft markets, antique roadshow, grand parade, vintage dress-up day, gala ball and even an old-school sports day, all encouraging visitors and locals alike to celebrate the town in a brand new way.

Join in unique events during Winton 150. (Image: TEQ)

2. Drink a toast to stunning sunsets at Rangelands Station

The rock rifts of jump-up country at Rangelands Station provide the perfect backdrop for an outback sunset. Join a Rangelands Rifts and Sunset Tour of this working cattle station, just 10 kilometres from Winton, and gaze upon a 360-degree panorama of this ancient mesa landscape, shaped by nature to create channels through the rock. Or extend your stay with an overnight off-grid stay in a luxury glamping tent at Rangelands Outback Camp.

Enjoy a sundowner with epic views. (Image: TEQ)

3. Marvel at Arno’s Wall

When German immigrant Arno Grotjahn discovered a valuable opal at nearby Opalton in the 1960s, he bought a house in Winton and then spent the rest of his life building the quirky structure that became known as Arno’s Wall. The two-metre-high concrete and rock wall runs for more than 70 metres and is embedded with lawnmower parts, boat propellers, vintage typewriters, a couple of motorbikes and other found objects and old machinery. Find it on Vindex Street.

Walk along the quirky Arno’s Wall. (Image: TEQ)

4. Drive the Outback Way

Winton marks one end of the Outback Way touring route, which runs for 2750 kilometres to Laverton in Western Australia. Whichever way you drive it, the Outback Way is a cross-continent adventure like no other; dubbed ‘the world’s longest shortcut’, it takes in the beauty of western Queensland and the Central Australian deserts of Uluru and Alice Springs, plus a swag of other fascinating places.

One of the most interesting and unusual stops along the Outback Way is Middleton, an old Cobb & Co Coach stop, 169 kilometres from Winton. Grab a beer at one of the most isolated pubs in Queensland and take in the view across the stunning Lilleyvale Hills at nearby Cawnpore Lookout.

Take in the view from Cawnpore Lookout.

5. Go fossicking at Opalton

The Winton area is famous for its boulder opals (the second-rarest opal in the world, after black opals), first discovered in Opalton in 1888. Opalton, which is 110 kilometres south of Winton, is still the centre of opal fossicking. Visitors can try their luck in designated areas, or skip the hard work and simply buy a beautiful piece of opal jewellery from one of the local miners. Five stores in town also bring the best of the opal offerings to you.

A network of walking trails links some of Opalton’s historic sites, including the cemetery, old horse yards and the township itself. Head to the Winton Visitor Information Centre at the Waltzing Matilda Centre for a fossicking permit, map and more information.

Shop for or fossick for boulder opals.

6. Meet the dinosaurs at Lark Quarry Conservation Park

When the first dinosaur footprint was discovered near Winton in 1962, it was just the start of one of Australia’s most amazing tourist attractions.

Take the tour at Lark Quarry Conservation Park to see evidence of a dinosaur stampede, with over 3300 footprints dating back 95 million years to the Cretaceous period. This is believed to represent the most concentrated site of dinosaur footprints, and only definitive record of a dinosaur stampede, in the world.

At the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum on the Winton jump-up, view the world’s largest collection of dinosaur fossils and learn more about these creatures that once walked Australian lands.

See part of the Lark Quarry stampede at the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum. (Image: TEQ)

7. Play a tune on the Musical Fence

Grab a stick and make music at the world’s only Musical Fence. Designed by percussionist and composer Graeme Leak, the Musical Fence is a wire fence that can be played as an instrument and is the first permanent musical fence installation in the world.

Located behind the Diamantina Heritage Truck & Machinery Museum near the Industrial Estate, the fence is free for everyone to enjoy. The installation is such a draw for locals and tourists that Australian singer-songwriter Gotye even featured a sample of the Musical Fence in his song Eyes Wide Open.

At sunset, head to the nearby Avro Plane sculpture, which marks the birthplace of Qantas, for a unique photo opportunity.

Try your musical prowess at the Musical Fence. (Image: TEQ)

8. Sing along at the Waltzing Matilda Centre

The first public performance of Australia’s unofficial national anthem, Waltzing Matilda, is believed to have been at Winton’s North Gregory Hotel on 6 April 1895, after the poet Banjo Paterson penned the words while visiting nearby Dagworth Station.

The Waltzing Matilda Centre, in the centre of town, is where you’ll find all things ‘Matilda’ –and is also the first museum in the world dedicated to a song. This state-of-the-art building also houses an art gallery, retail store, cafe and the Qantilda Museum, which tells the story of Winton Shire, including the shearers’ strike of 1891.

Discover the local history of Banjo Patterson’s Waltzing Matilda. (Image: TEQ)

Discover more at experiencewinton.com.au and plan to join the anniversary celebrations at winton150.com.au.