Situated on the Matilda Highway between Longreach and Kynuna, Winton is the gateway to Australia’s Dinosaur Trail and the Outback Way. Winton town is famous for it's friendliness and big smiles. You’ll find a range of good affordable accommodation, caravan parks and food outlets (including four classic country pubs), Searle’s Outback Store, various retail outlets and general stores offering a range of supplies for the intrepid traveller. Winton is home to many events popular with both visitors and locals. Festival time is a great time to visit with the town really buzzing.

Winton’s rich history has links to Waltzing Matilda and Qantas, but today the town is almost as well known for something far more ancient – dinosaurs. Winton’s first official dinosaur discovery was a fossilised footprint found on Cork Station in 1962. Further exploration revealed a dinosaur stampede with over 3,300 footprints, which can be seen at Lark Quarry. In 1999, the then largest dinosaur ever found in Australia, a 20-30 ton Sauropod, nicknamed Elliot, was discovered on a property outside Winton. Before long, more Sauropods from the group called Titanosaurs (the largest dinosaurs to walk the earth) were discovered. These later discoveries also include Banjo, Australia’s largest known carnivorous dinosaur.

Speaking of Banjo, Winton is known as the home of Waltzing Matilda, with Banjo Paterson writing our unofficial national song in 1895, while visiting Dagworth Station. Legend has it that the first public performance of Waltzing Matilda happened at Winton’s North Gregory Hotel on April 6th 1895.

Another national icon was also created here. Did you know Winton is the official birthplace of Qantas? The famous flying Kangaroo was registered as a company in Winton on 16th November, 1920. This was followed by its first Board Meeting in 1921 at the Winton Club.

The Winton area is also famous for its precious boulder opals, the second most rare Opal in the world (behind black opals). Visitors are welcome to try their luck fossicking for opals at Opalton, or you can skip the digging and simply purchase a spectacular piece of opal jewellery from one of the local miners.