Here begineth today's lesson. 100 million years ago the great inland seas drained away leaving an enormous flat ocean bed plain that extended more than 1000 km in all directions from Winton. No Great Dividing Range or other geographic features at that time. During the next 50 million years there was a period of global warming.. No ice at the poles. Tropical forest covered much of the land, and the dinosaurs roamed the continent. At that time Australia was still linked to Antarctica, and Winton was at 55 degrees south ( yes, way down below where Tasmania is now!). The continent has drifted quite a bit north since then.
Then one day 95 million years ago, two groups of small dinosaurs were drinking by a stream or billabong. One lot were the size of bush turkeys, and carnivors, the others the size of large emus and plant eaters. Suddenly something startled them, and they all took off running fast in the same direction, weaving between each a other. Their flight has been captured in a rock stratum the size of a basketball court. 3300 dinosaur footprints in the mud caused by about 170 animals fleeing. The palaeontologists can track each animal's path, so the exhibit is called dinosaur trackways. It is now preserved in a huge shed with controlled temperature and humidity to avoid further erosion. And what caused the stampede? Well, on th edge of the excavated area is the track of a huge carnivorous dinosaur ... so maybe? The display and lecture by a resident palaeontologist was really top class. And Michelle did provide us with Devonshire Tea in the picnic area when we arrived.
Winton on Sunday is dead. Only the pubs and the bakery open. Grabbed a pie and peas there for lunch, had a nap, and then headed out to Bladensburg National Park. This was a cattle station that was ceded to the government in mid-1960s when it could no longer operate profitably. It has been turned into national park and a tourist attraction. The old homestead, outbuildings and shearing shed are maintained in good condition to allow visitors to see what station life was like. It's about a 20 minute drive out of Winton. Considering people were still living and working there until 20 years ago, conditions were still pretty primitive. The shearers had ceased living on the property, preferring to enjoy the amenities of life in Winton and drive out to work each day. The termites have by now destroyed the old shearers quarters, cookhouse etc.
I discovered today that I missed one of the year's major events yesterday ... The Winton Camel Races with over $20,000 prize money!
Today's photos can be seen here.
I discovered today that I missed one of the year's major events yesterday ... The Winton Camel Races with over $20,000 prize money!
Today's photos can be seen here.
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