Age of Dinosaur meets Jurassic Park

Forget whatever you learn from the Jurassic Park movie, most of it is pure fiction and a terrific movie on its own but people and dinosaurs did not ever coexist. Also some of the dinosaurs mentioned are not even part of the Jurassic period. eg the Triceratops lived during the Cretaceous period not the Jurassic period.

So get real and get yourself off to the Australian Age of Dinosaur to learn the truth and while you are at it bring the kids and grand kids, they will have an absolute blast.

The road is now bitumen all the way and you turn off and are greeted with a short climb to the top of what the locals call a "Jump Up". Back home around Sydney we would call it a table top and another term is a mesa. Whatever you call it, it truly stands out and later you'll see what a fantastic idea it was to locate this museum on one. The views from the top are spectacular. I'd love to be here at sunset or dawn, but sadly that's only available to staff and volunteers.

Your first glimpse of the Age of Dinosaurs building shows you a modern angular building that is just as stark just as the landscape in which it sits which you can glimpse in the photo above.

Now if you are expecting a normal dry dusty museum, then you couldn't be further from the truth here.

The Australian Age of Dinosaur is home to the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils in the world and we have some very unique specimens here that are world exclusive. The Museum is split between different sections. 

We started with a tour of the Laboratory which includes the collection room and where they spend hours with the most delicate tools searching for bones and other matter. We also did a guided tour/video presentation of the dinosaurs named Banjo, Matilda and what makes them so unique and how they were discovered nearby.

After a short break in the Cretaceous Cafe which sadly we didn't appreciate the soggy pastry of our microwaved sausage roll. We soon were off on a people mover to see the magnificent Dinosaur Canyon. This is probably my favourite part. Where the sculptures and such bring the dinosaur period to life for me.

Lake Dunn Sculpture Trail

Out from a little outback town of Aramac in western Queensland, Australia, is a fantastic outdoor Sculpture trail. It is about 70km west of Balcaldine. It is comes as a complete surprise if you didn't know it was going to be there and you might not know that there are over 30 sculptures, many of them larger than life size, to be found on the 200+km round trip. Fortunately there is a guide of sorts you can pick up from the local Tourist Information Centre and you still have to keep your eagle eye out as some are harder to find than others. We managed to miss one (the fish) and upon asking about it we were questioned "How did you miss that? As it is some 2-3 metres long!"

Don't forget you can click on any of the photos to get a larger image.

General Map

Originally these handcrafted sculptures were springing up from an unknown source and placed prominently on alongside the road to Lake Dunn. A local lass, Milynda Rogers from one of the adjoining grazing properties is the artist behind the work. Her aim was to bring a smile to people as they drove by. It is now the largest outdoor sculpture museum in the world.

Map of sculptures but there are 2 additions and 1 sculpture has been moved

Her amazing sculptures are uniquely Australian depicting an animal or aspect of Outback life. She makes the sculptures from recycling and upcycling rusty odds and ends of metals generally sourced from the local area. It is amazing to see her use of old farm equipment, rusty barb wire, nuts and bolts, kerosine tins, odd motorbike & car parts and goodness knows what else. It keeps you entertained figuring out what parts of the sculpture this or that used to be.

Pushbike with goanna and kangaroos

Together with friends, we each took the trail in a clockwise direction to Lake Dunn, taking the easy bitumen route first.

Merino

The dirt part of the trail is some 160km long but the road is well graded mostly but certainly very dusty. We were lucky that there wern't many travellers on the road on the same day as ourselves and Thierry and Juliana wisely did not follow too closely and eat our dust. We offered to swap at times but they were happy for us to be the hunters.

Harry Redford and dog

And if that wasn't enough you can entertain yourself with trying to find Where's Wally. (Hint: He's there but you might be better off to hop out of your car to find him when you see a hand.)

Plains Turkeys

Jabirus

Rainbow Serpent

Echidna

Emu and her chicks

Crayfish

This concludes the first part of the trip to Lake Dunn where we stopped for a picnic lunch. Lake Dunn, is a freshwater lake where you can camp alongside the lake and even do a spot of fishing or crayfishing (yabbying). We asked some local campers about the yabbying, but they reported no luck with either sport but they weren't giving up nor were they bothered by their lack of success. They were relaxing with mates and enjoying the view and laid back life.

Lake Dunn's tranquility

Lunch in the picnic shed

Bronc at Balleyneety

Cutting Horse Cowgirl

A close up of the cow from the Cowgirl's collection

Some curious locals - maybe one of them was the model?

Chopper

Butterflies

Where's Wally?

Oh Here he is -  a bit faded though

Bush Spider - I'm glad they're not this big in real life

Goanna on the gum tree

Plane

Koala - at least he's not a drop bear

Sideshow Bob

Dingo

Wild Boar

Can you see the Kookaburra?

Up close with the Kookaburra

Johnathan Thurston decided to move closer to these cockatoos

Bottle Tree, the 'flowers' are cattle ear markers

Eagle bringing home a snake

This brings us to the next 'corner' where we sought a little shade for a quick cuppa with our friends

It's time for a smoko in the scant shade - only we don't smoke but a cold drink goes down well

Motorbike Musterer

Driving through some termite country

Black Cockatoos get rather thirsty

Deer

Possum in the gum tree

Frog going after 2 dragonflies

Dog taking a leak

Calvary Soldier returns

Another view of the Returned Soldier

An Eagle and her chicks

Its a bit dry for the Brolgas, they usually prefer swampy areas

I am guessing by the addition of a couple that are not on the brochure that the occasional sculpture is being added that you might be lucky enough to find some extras from time to time.
 
Oh we also saw the physical evidence of a giant feral "cat". It's no domestic gone feral in my opinion, but what else can it be? I mean it was huge!!!

The remains of a huge feral 'cat'

Back in town there's a giant Red Kangaroo to be found.

Red Kangaroo

I am sure you will have as much fun as we did on this trail.