Australian Age of Dinosaurs

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Australian Age of Dinosaurs

Museum

Australian Age of Dinosaurs is a nonprofit museum and fossil-preparation centre on a mesa near Winton, Australia, attracting visitors for its large collection of Australian dinosaur fossils and active digs.

Australian Age of Dinosaurs BrisbaneCairnsGold Coast, QueenslandTownsvilleToowoombaMackay, QueenslandRockhamptonMount IsaAustralian Age of Dinosaurs

Australian Age of Dinosaurs essentials

Address: The Jump-Up mesa, 24 km SE of Winton, Queensland, Australia

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs (AAOD) is a not-for-profit organisation founded in 2002 by David and Judy Elliott that operates a museum and a year-round fossil preparation laboratory near Winton. The site sits atop a large mesa known locally as the Jump-Up, surrounded by semi-arid grassland and scattered escarpments.

Since 2005 AAOD has assembled the largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils and houses several important holotype specimens, including Australovenator, Diamantinasaurus and Ferrodraco, recovered from the Winton Formation. Excavations, volunteer digs and the museum’s preparation work are all major parts of the operation.

Visitors encounter a working laboratory, a reception building with a collection room, outdoor displays and the remote landscape itself; the museum is open daily from April to October and six days a week (closed Sundays) from November to March. In 2019 the site was designated Australia’s first International Dark-Sky Sanctuary, and the project continues to develop additional exhibition space and outdoor galleries.

  • Fossil preparation laboratory: A working lab where staff and volunteers mechanically prepare, conserve and puzzle together bones from the Winton Formation.
  • Collection Room (holotype displays): Houses key holotype specimens and some of the most complete Australian dinosaur skeletons recovered from local digs.
  • Reception centre and architecture: The visitor centre blends into the Jump-Up rock and includes a shop, café and interpretive displays about local discoveries.
  • The Jump-Up landscape and views: The mesa offers broad views across central Queensland savanna and a real sense of the remote outback setting.
  • Volunteer digs and Prep-A-Dino course: Hands-on 10-day fossil preparation courses and seasonal digs let committed visitors work alongside staff and volunteers.
Things to Do
When to Go

Best Time to Visit Australian Age of Dinosaurs#

Central Queensland is semi-arid with a distinct hot, wet summer and a cooler, dry winter; road and travel conditions, plus visitor comfort, vary through the year.

Winter (best)
June - August · 9°C - 26°C (48°F - 79°F)
Cooler, dry weather makes walking and outdoor visits more comfortable and fossil-preparation viewing pleasant; this is the most comfortable time for travel in the area.
Shoulder seasons
April - May and September - October · 14°C - 34°C (57°F - 93°F)
Temperatures moderate and rainfall is lower than in summer, offering good conditions for visiting without the peak winter chill.
Summer and wet season
November - March · 21°C - 38°C (70°F - 100°F)
Hotter conditions and higher rainfall (peaks early in the year) can affect comfort and sometimes access; expect very warm days and plan for heat and possible heavy showers.

Weather & Climate near Australian Age of Dinosaurs#

Climate

Australian Age of Dinosaurs's climate is classified as Hot Semi-Arid - Hot Semi-Arid climate with very hot summers (peaking in January) and mild winters (coldest in July). Temperatures range from 9°C to 38°C. Semi-arid with limited rainfall with a pronounced dry season.

Air Quality: AQI 31 Good
Best Time to Visit
SeptemberAugustOctober
Temperature & Rainfall
Temperature Range
47°
Warmest Month
2°
Coldest Month
Monthly Conditions
Month Comfort Temp Feels Rain Sky Humidity Wind UV Daylight
January Very Good 24° - 37° 32° 86 mm some cloud 48% 2.7 m/s 3.1 extreme 13.2h
February Very Good 23° - 36° 31° 93 mm mostly sunny 50% 2.8 m/s 3.1 extreme 12.7h
March Excellent 21° - 35° 28° 49 mm mostly sunny 48% 2.6 m/s 2.6 extreme 12.1h
April Ideal 18° - 32° 25° 22 mm clear 44% 2.7 m/s 2.0 very high 11.5h
May Ideal 14° - 28° 21° 24 mm mostly sunny 45% 2.5 m/s 1.4 high 10.9h
June Ideal 10° - 24° 17° 10 mm mostly sunny 51% 2.4 m/s 1.1 high 10.7h
July Ideal 9° - 24° 16° 18 mm clear 46% 2.6 m/s 1.1 high 10.8h
August Ideal 10° - 27° 18° 8 mm clear 37% 2.8 m/s 1.5 very high 11.2h
September Ideal 14° - 31° 22° 8 mm clear 32% 3.0 m/s 2.1 extreme 11.8h
October Ideal 18° - 34° 26° 21 mm clear 28% 3.1 m/s 2.6 extreme 12.5h
November Excellent 21° - 37° 29° 31 mm mostly sunny 31% 2.9 m/s 2.8 extreme 13.1h
December Very Good 23° - 38° 30° 52 mm some cloud 37% 2.9 m/s 3.0 extreme 13.4h
Getting There & Around

How to Get to Australian Age of Dinosaurs#

The museum is 24 km south-east of Winton; Winton is the nearest town for supplies and basic services, while Longreach is the closest larger regional centre. The site is also about 600 km south-west of Townsville.

From the Landsborough Highway visitors coming from Longreach follow the highway then turn onto Dinosaur Drive; from the highway the last stretch is sealed to the top of the Jump-Up. Access is by private vehicle, hire car or organised tour; services and public transport are limited and travellers should plan the remote last leg of the trip accordingly. Caravans can be towed to the top, and the museum provides an unhitching area at the base of the mesa.

Tips for Visiting Australian Age of Dinosaurs#

  • Check opening days before you travel, as seasonal hours vary and the museum operates a different schedule across the year.
  • If you want hands-on experience, enquire about the Prep-A-Dino 10-day preparation course well in advance as places are limited.
  • Bring plenty of water, sun protection and supplies for the drive - the location is remote and services in Winton are basic.
  • Respect the dark-sky sanctuary rules after dusk and avoid bright lights if attending evening events or stargazing.