Winton-Mt Isa

Another huge day today!! I woke up bright and early this morning, and dragged myself (literally) out of my swag to start the day. I wasn't exactly sure what I wanted to do. We had gone to Lark Quarry in 2006 to see the dinosaur stampede, something I had really enjoyed, but it meant an extra 250km, and there was also a new (2006) museum I wanted to go have a look at. So I got myself up and organised, with the help of my lovely neighbours, who were down on their knees rolling my swag up (I can roll it myself, but I don't think it would still fit in the boot).
I decided to start with the museum, the decide about the quarry later. The museum is about 10km off the main highway, up on a jump up (basically a hill in the middle of nowhere, with a flat top). It's worth the drive to the top, just for the view. It really is amazing.

Since I am by myself, I can afford to do these things properly, so I took the guided tour. The first part was in a display room next to reception, and was about the different dinosaurs they have found around the area. Matilda is one of their most famous, she was a sauropod (I think), so a plant eater. Banjo is their other famous one, he is Australia's first carnivorous dinosaur. Our guide showed us one of Banjos claws- it was almost as long as my forearm. Would not like to run into him on a dark night...

Banjo

The other dinosaur she told us about was Wade, (plant eater) who is such a new discovery he hasn't even got an official name yet. He is their massive jigsaw puzzle, because after he died, a heap of other dinosaurs ran over him and smashed up his bones, making a difficult job almost impossible. After the bone display room, we went to the laboratory, where they clean the bones and glue them back together. When they find the bones they are so fragile they don't did them there. They are wrapped up in tin foil, hessian soaked in plaster of paris, and transported back to the lab. They only dig bones for three weeks a year, because in just those three weeks, they get enough bones to keep them busy for five years. They also take on public (who pay for the privilege) to help on the digs. How cool would that be! I would love to go dig up dinosaur bones. And most of the workers at the lab are ordinary people, who have done some basic on the job training. If I had a few weeks up my sleeve I probably would have had a go at the lab work... 

Some of the many bones

One of the ladies working on uncovering a bone

It was really interesting to learn about how the centre came about. Basically, one of the local farmers, Dave Elliot, had found a few bones on his property over the years, and he wanted the bones to stay in Winton, rather than being sent off to the university of Queensland. So he did something about it. He started off in a shed near the house, with him and his wife Judy putting the bones back together. Over the years it eventuated into what is now the Age of Dinosaurs Museum. The jump up on which the museum is situated, was donated by another local family, the Britons, who donated about 4000 acres! I learnt so much more, like about how the bones are found on the flats, often just turning up in paddocks as the black soil naturally rotates in time, pushing the bones up. They also have the beginnings of a skeleton called Ellie! And who should I see in the car park, but my Tassie neighbours again, also checking out the dinosaurs! 
By the time I finished at the museum, it was lunch time. I decided not to go out to Lark Quarry, but to go straight through to Mt Isa and get a rest day in before I meet up with the boys. The drive from Winton to Kynuna wasn't particularly eventful. I saw a few emus, passed a car with a completely smashed windscreen. I'd say the truck pulled up just down the road threw a stone... 
It was very flat most of the time, with the odd tree and mostly just dry grass. Then random hills in the middle of the paddocks. At one stage there was nothing on the horizon for as far as I could see. One thing I did find amusing, is the signs you come across. Every now and then, there will be a tiny dirt track heading through a paddock. It doesn't even look big enough to be a drive way. And there is a huge road sign, telling you what towns are accessed via that road, and how far away they are! Defiantly not 'roads' to be tackled in the golf...
At Kynuna I stopped and grabbed a salad sandwich for lunch at the roadhouse. The lady three was great, made a huge sandwich, and it was less than $5- score! I also stopped to take a picture of the pub, which we camped behind in 2006. Funny story. Ellie and I wandered into this particular pub one night, and Ellie asked the barman if they had hot chocolate! He looked at her like she had two heads! 

Blue dog pub, Kynuna

I drove through to McKinlay, where the Walkabout Creek Pub, of Crocodile Dundee now lives. 

I came across roadworks outside of McKinlay, with a sign, up to 30 minute wait, and a red light. Then a lovely lady appeared from nowhere and told me to go though. Made my day!
I didn't stop in Coloncurry, since it was getting quite late in the day. I did recognise the machinery display we stopped at last time though. Once I got closer to Isa I passed Mary Kathleen, where they used to mine copper I think. It was another place we visited in 2006. Its half filled with this amazing blue water now.
I arrived safely in Mt Isa, just before sunset to meet up with family friends Graeme and Angela, whom I am spending a night or two with.
Song of the day- Got It Good, by Rodney Atkins.
My computer is about to die, so until tomorrow!

Distance travelled:500km
Time driving 5 hours
Total distance: 5200km