Queensland has cemented its place as Australia’s ultimate dinosaur destination, home to some of the world’s most significant dinosaur and megafauna discoveries. The state holds the majority of Australia’s dinosaur fossil finds, offering visitors the rare chance to stand beside the nation’s largest dinosaur, walk through the world’s only recorded dinosaur stampede, come face-to-face with ancient marine predators, explore World Heritage-listed fossil fields, and encounter Ice Age megafauna — all in one state.
“In Winton, you can walk beside the world’s only known dinosaur stampede trackway. In Richmond, you can come face-to-face with Kronosaurus queenslandicus — one of the largest and most complete marine reptile fossils ever discovered — from a time when an inland sea covered Outback Queensland. In Eromanga, you can stand beneath the skeleton of Australia’s largest known dinosaur, ‘Cooper’,” said Karen Hanna Miller, Executive Officer of Dinosaur Experiences Australia. “This is palaeontology not as a distant academic pursuit, but as lived regional identity. And importantly, the discoveries are ongoing.”
Miller said Queensland’s fossil story continues to evolve. “Every season, new finds reshape our understanding of ancient ecosystems and evolutionary changes. Visitors are not just observing history — they’re stepping into a landscape where science is still unfolding. That’s what makes Queensland Dinosaur Week such an extraordinary addition to the state’s tourism and education sectors.”
Queensland Dinosaur Week 2026
Running from May 4–10, Queensland Dinosaur Week celebrates the state’s prehistoric heritage with events across the Outback and beyond. Internationally acclaimed palaeontologist Dr Dean Lomax will headline the program, appearing in Winton, joining industry leaders in Brisbane for a National Dinosaur Day breakfast at Queensland Museum, and concluding in Richmond, where the public can dig for real marine fossils alongside him.
Highlights include:
- Hands-on fossil digs and “Digging at Dawn” experiences at Kronosaurus Korner, Richmond
- A Night at the Museum – Dinosaurs After Dark at Queensland Museum Kurilpa
- Chinchilla Fossil Finders, a free citizen science fossil hunt along the Condamine River
- Public talks, palaeo illustration workshops, astronomy sessions and community activations across the state
- The launch of the first-ever GREAT Queensland Dinosaur Trail Pocket Guide & Map
The GREAT Queensland Dinosaur Trail
For the first time, Queensland’s entire palaeontological portfolio has been brought together into one connected visitor experience. The GREAT Queensland Dinosaur Trail Pocket Guide & Map links the state’s dinosaur, marine fossil and megafauna attractions into the ultimate prehistoric road trip. The guide features curated multi-day itineraries, top experiences, accommodation suggestions, and the locations of the state’s “BIG 7” fossil legends.
Dr Scott Hocknull, Principal Research Fellow in Applied Palaeontology & Palaeotourism at CQUniversity, said the Trail captures the scale of Queensland’s fossil story.
“Queensland preserves one of the most extraordinary and diverse fossil records in Australia,” Dr Hocknull said. “From giant titanosaurs to marine reptiles and Ice Age megafauna, the Trail shows that this isn’t just one discovery — it’s a statewide palaeo narrative written across the landscape.”
Travellers can follow the Trail west to Winton’s dinosaur bones and 95-million-year-old footprints, north to Richmond’s marine fossils from the ancient Eromanga Sea, and further into the outback to Eromanga, home of Australia’s largest dinosaur. In Mount Isa, the World Heritage-listed Riversleigh fossil fields reveal the story of ancient mammals and megafauna.
Meet the BIG 7 Fossil Legends
Stretching from Winton to Richmond and Mount Isa, the “BIG 7” represent Queensland’s most extraordinary fossil discoveries — giants of land, sea and sky that once ruled this ancient landscape.
- “Cooper” – Australotitan cooperensis, Eromanga Natural History Museum
Australia’s largest dinosaur, a colossal titanosaur that roamed 95 million years ago. - “Banjo” – Australovenator wintonensis, Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton
Australia’s most complete carnivorous dinosaur, fast and agile with razor-sharp claws. - “Matilda” – Diamantinasaurus matildae, Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Winton
A long-necked sauropod that shared her world with Banjo. - “Mutt” & “Hughie” – Muttaburrasaurus langdoni, Muttaburra & Hughenden
Queensland’s State Fossil Emblem, known for its distinctive snout. - “Krono” – Kronosaurus queenslandicus, Kronosaurus Korner, Richmond
A massive marine reptile and apex predator of the ancient Eromanga Sea. - “Demon Ducks” – Dromornis, Riversleigh Fossil Discovery Centre, Mount Isa
Giant flightless birds from the Riversleigh World Heritage fossil fields. - “Kenny” – Diprotodon optatum, Eulo
The largest marsupial to ever live, roaming Queensland during the Ice Age.
Why Queensland Is Australia’s Dinosaur Capital
More than 100 million years ago, much of Outback Queensland lay beneath the vast Eromanga Sea, home to giant marine reptiles such as ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. As the sea retreated, vast floodplains emerged, where herds of titanosaurs roamed and carnivores like Australovenator hunted. Later, the region became home to Ice Age megafauna — giant marsupials like Diprotodon and the formidable “Demon Ducks”.
Dr Hocknull said Queensland’s fossil record is a continuous deep-time story.
“This isn’t a scattered collection of curiosities. It’s a layered record stretching from ancient marine ecosystems to Ice Age megafauna — and it’s concentrated in one state,” he said. “What sets Queensland apart is not only the fossils themselves, but how communities have embraced and interpreted them.”
Queensland’s fossil heritage offers more than a glimpse into the past — it provides insight into environmental change, adaptation and resilience across time. With Queensland Dinosaur Week and the launch of the GREAT Queensland Dinosaur Trail, the state is uniting its prehistoric treasures under one banner, sending a clear message: Queensland isn’t just part of Australia’s dinosaur story — it is the story.
Queensland Dinosaur Week
Event Dates: May 4–10
National Dinosaur Day: Thursday May 7
Program & Information: www.dinosaurexperiences.com
