15 Ways to Explore the ‘Dig the Tropic’ Trail…
Ancient marine fossils
Meet the Monsters of the Outback Sea… Take a journey through time and discover why the ocean filled the Outback; and how approaching the Tropic of Capricorn completely transformed Boulia. The Stone House Museum offers an impressive display of fossils from this ancient underwater world.
Jump-ups tell Gondwana Tale… Cawnpore Lookout and the Lilleyvale Hills did not always stand stark on the horizon, and the surrounding hues weren’t always so intensely warm. Before the arid, dramatic landscape that exists today, a forested wetland thrived here.
Watch out! Dinosaur Stampede… Around 95 million years ago a herd of small two legged dinosaurs gathered on the banks of a forest lake near Winton. The herd was attacked by a four tonne Theropod and stampeded in a panic across the muddy flats. A record of this dramatic encounter is cast in more than 3300 fossilised footprints at the Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways.
There’s no town like Opal Town… The rustic mining settlement of Opalton lies 123km south west of Winton, and is home to the Queensland Boulder Opal.
The Rise & fall of the Age of Dinosaurs… Do you dare to tread Dinosaur Country? Winton’s eternal flats once swarmed with prehistoric wildlife and lush flora. From the frightening to the fantastic, see the remains of these Capricorn dinosaurs at Winton’s Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum.
Captain Starlight… On the run with a herd of stolen cattle, Captain Starlight and his men kept a Lookout for their pursuers from a Longreach jump-up. Young and old enjoy the story of the Tropic of Capricorn’s most daring bushranger and the jump-up he used in his bold getaway at Starlight’s Lookout.
Prehistoric water of the Great Artesian Basin,,, A result of Australia’s long lost inland sea, the Great Artesian Basin now provides for communities and industries along the Tropic of Capricorn. Feel the benefits of these therapeutic mineral waters as you soak your travel weary muscles in the Ilfracombe Artesian Spa.
Roam the stone land… As you hold a piece of fossilised wood or admire the Drummond Range, you are connected to an ever evolving story. Dramatic shifts in the earth’s crust and environmental forces have sculpted the landscape you see today, just as changes in modern climate will transform the landscape tomorrow. See the collection of fossilised wood at Alpha’s Visitor Information Centre and ask about the best place to find a piece of your own.
Fossicking at the Sapphire Gemfields
Treasure Hidden in Volcano country… Buried treasure waits! The largest sapphire gemfields in the Southern Hemisphere lie in Queensland’s Central Highlands: Anakie, Rubyvale, Sapphire and Willows Gemfields. Head to the Sapphire Gemfields for a guided mine tour, fossicking and gem galleries.
Black Gold! Relive the history and explore the future of coal mining at the Blackwater International Coal Centre. If you still want more after visiting the interpretive centre, be sure not to miss a guided tour to see a real working coal mine first hand.
Gorgeous Sandstone Sisters… The Central Queensland sandstone belt is home to Australia’s most gorgeous National Parks. At the north-eastern edge, the spectacular gorges of Blackdown Tableland National Park rise boldly above the plains. The steep escarpments offer a dramatic sight and protect a beautiful National Park adorned with waterfalls and aboriginal rock art. A short journey over the Great Dividing Range will take you to Carnarvon National Park, where Carnarvon Gorge stretches over 30km long and 600m deep!
Thundereggs: Trapped in Time… These geo treasures might be ordinary on the outside, but hidden in their stunning layers are the treasures of time. These crystalline formations occur when lava gas bubbles cool and solidify. Find your very own at Mt Hay – once a rumbling volcano, now a great place to make a real discovery!
Gold fever strikes Tropic of Capricorn… Not only is Mount Morgan home to one of the oldest gold mines in Australia, it also lays claim to the discovery of over 300 dinosaur footprints in a cavern near the surrounding township.
Enter the Living Laboratory… The Capricorn Caves offer a dramatic example of climate change. evidence lies in the stunning rock formations, the fossils of creatures who did not survive, and the inhabitants that have. These above ground, limestone caves are particularly special because of their location on the Tropic of Capricorn. Explore this 380 million year old coral reef – no goggles necessary!
Great Dividing Range and the Southern Great Barrier Reef… A sinking coast, a chain of eruptions, and many millions of years created the Tropic of Capricorn’s stunning seascape. Stand on what remains of an ancient volcanic plug – once part of the Great Dividing Range – and soak in the gorgeous headland at The Bluff, Capricorn Coast National Park.
Mount Morgan Gold Mine