Why Winton Queensland Is Our favourite australian Outback Town

Ah, Winton Queensland. You sure caught us by surprise. The first we heard of you was from our friends Nikki and Drew, who passed through on their great Australian road trip.

“It’s only a one-street town, but we liked it. It was quaint, and it’s so nice to sit outside at the pub on the corner and watch the Winton world go by.”

The Winton world was everything I’d romantically dreamed up about an Australian Outback town.

Downtown Winton

Winton, Outback Queensland

After the first evening, where we did indeed sit outside that pub on the corner, I commented to Craig how I felt like I was finally experiencing the Outback Queensland town I had imagined.

You could almost picture a Cobb & Co carriage rolling up and down the wide ambling streets and horses tied up outside the pub that sits on every corner.

Tattersalls Hotel, Winton, Queensland

Town folk sitting around the bar, open to conversations with strangers. Stories shared about the history and characters that roamed the streets, old and new, and a community where everyone knew your name.

It was all here in Winton, except for the horses tied up outside the pubs. There’s not a pub on every corner, but there are four pubs spread out about the town serving its community of only 2,000.

The Tattersalls Hotel was the pub on the corner where we sat with new friends John and Suzie on the pavement, under the stilted veranda above us. We arrived early, and the locals did indeed sit around the bar open to conversations with us.

Tattersalls Hotel in Winton, Outback Queensland
That pub on the corner

There was the young man from country Victoria, who worked at the Dinosaur Museum, quietly enjoying a pot of beer before going home to cook dinner. He shared with us what he loved about the town and we talked a little about footie too.

There was another local, the owner of the motel down the road, who’s made several appearances in many of the films made in the region. His word ran into each other as he excitedly asked questions and shared his takings on the town and, of course, his love for rum.

The barmaid knew everyone’s name and order and was quick with service and super friendly. There wasn’t a look that said, “Oh God the tourists have walked in.” Instead, her eyes warmly said “Welcome to our pub and how can I help you enjoy yourself.”

Ahh. I might just settle in here at this bar stool for awhile and chat. The handy toy room out back occupied the kids and allowed Craig and I do that while the girls built a farmyard.

The owner Paul popped over to say hi and shared with us how, after traveling the country, Winton was his choice of home.

We’d only been there an hour, and already we had an inkling this place was something special.

Beside us during dinner, sat a film production crew. Winton is like the Outback Hollywood of Australia.

Walkabout Creek Hotel

On the drive into Winton from Mount Isa, we stopped in at the Walkabout Creek Hotel for a cold beer – the place where a thirsty Paul Hogan, aka Crocodile Dundee, drank.

Walkabout Creek Hotel - Outback, Queensland
Walkabout Creek Hotel - Outback Queensland
Walkabout Creek Hotel - Outback Queensland
Walkabout Creek Hotel - Outback Queensland

This production crew was filming a series about the Alamo for an American production company. Mystery Road and The Proposition are a couple of the several films and documentaries produced here. Each year in July, Winton holds the Outback Film Festival, which I’m super keen to attend.

With its outback Wild West landscapes of jumps, or mesas, and its romantic history there are a lot of stories to be told here.

Messa near Winton in Outback Queensland
mesa near Winton

You’ll come a Waltzing Matilda with me

Winton is the place where Banjo Patterson wrote and first performed Australia’s unofficial National Anthem, Waltzing Matilda and to the great mystery was run out of town three weeks later.

Our new friend, Suzie told us parts of the story over dinner. Her great Aunt, Sara was engaged to Banjo for eight years. Suzie is making a documentary on the story herself.

You can learn all about the history of the area at the Waltzing Matilda Centre – the only attraction in the world dedicated to a song.

Banjo Patterson at the Matilda Centre, Winton, Outback Queensland

I will admit, I got a little teary while watching the holograph at “Billabong Theatrette.” The ghost tells his side of the story of Waltzing Matilda, a song that lives deeply in the heart of any Australian.

It’s not just a song about a sheep stealer that drowns himself to evade spending life in prison. Death was more preferable to a loss of freedom. On my travels around the world, Waltzing Matilda was often sung in pubs and around campfires where groups of Aussies hung out. You felt a strong connection to home and a belief that our culture was special and worth celebrating and loving.

All of this came rushing back as we sat and watched. I tried to explain to my children what it meant, hoping they’d understand the importance of it being more than a good poem and a lively tune.

museum exhibit
Waltzing Matilda Centre – Winton, Outback Queensland

For a bite to eat and your coffee fix while there, don’t miss the Coolabah Cafe attached to the centre. Hands down THE BIGGEST focaccias, we’ve ever eaten (Craig recommends the turkey & bacon). The coffee was top notch too. AND there’s free wi-fi, that works!

Coolabah Cafe - Winton, Queensland
Coolabah Cafe - Winton, Queensland

You can also visit the famous North Gregory Hotel, which is the place Waltzing Matilda was first performed.

North Gregory Hotel, Winton, Queensland
museum exhibit
A plaque on the floor

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum

Apparently there were also Dinosaurs in Winton, who knew?

Winton has more than just deep rooted Aussie cultural history; there’s also the history of another kind – the prehistoric kind – dinosaurs.

Dinosaur history in Winton, Outback Queensland

Imagine the surprise a local farmer got years ago when he stumbled upon some rocks that seemed a little unlike normal rocks. This unearthing of dinosaur bones led to excavations and the Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum just outside of Winton now houses the world’s largest collection of Australian dinosaur fossils.

Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum - Winton, Outback Queensland
Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum - Winton, Outback Queensland

Previous to this discovery, Australia was the only continent where evidence of dinosaurs had not yet been uncovered.

You can learn all about the history and more, including touching a real dinosaur bone at the Laboratory attached to the museum founded by the very farmer who first discovered the bones.

Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum - Winton, Outback Queensland
real dinosaur bone
items on a shelf

Just the location of the museum atop a jump off, a rugged mesa that stands 75 metres above the surrounding plains is reason enough to visit.

You get a look out onto the flat plains now burying the dinosaur bones under a thick layer of black soil. With a little imagining (well maybe a lot) you can picture a land that was once tropical and filled with palm trees and dinosaurs.

I’ve never in my life been that interested in dinosaurs, but Winton trapped me into their allure.

But wait, Winton still holds more magic and charm.

The Musical Fence

We must talk about the musical fence. Imagine a standard wire fence with added acoustic resonators that amplify any sound in the wires, caused either by striking or by wind action.

It was right beside where we were staying and was our first port of call for our day’s exploring. As soon as we walked in we all dispersed to the instrument that called us most.

Kalyra headed for the drums, Savannah for the hanging chimes, and myself for the musical fence.

woman standing in front of a sign
girl sitting on a stool in front of a fake drum set

We had a great morning jamming session. None of us could hold a note too well, but who cares, we were having fun creating our own style of music.

woman standing in front of a fence
girl playing the drums

But wait, there is something else special about this musical fence. Gotye, you know of the fame “Somebody that I used to know”, the massive Grammy award-winning hit from an Australian artist. Well, he got a lot of inspiration for that album from the musical fence!

Before he was known, he pulled up in town in his touring van and visited the fence to jam out and record some interesting tunes, which you now hear in his interesting music!

Yay. Go the musical fence. Go Winton!

You can actually watch that video here:

The Making of Eyes Wide Open from Gotye on Vimeo.

Winton is also one of the friendliest places in Australia. They were friendly enough for us to comment endlessly on how friendly the people were.

I got a real sense of community in Winton, again another reason why it lived up to my romantic ideals of an Outback town.

I think it’s the only Outback town I could live in for a wee while.

We visited Winton in partnership with Tourism Queensland as part of our Outback Queensland drive. Stay tuned for more upcoming posts from Outback Queensland and check out our other post on Mount Isa.

And if your coming to Winton via Mount Isa the landscape along the drive is just gorgeous.

Mount Isa to Winton Drive - Outback Queensland
road going through a dry grass plane
Read More:

Plan Your Trip to Winton, Queensland

We’ve been traveling 20 years and have come to rely on a few trusted websites that save us money and time when booking accommodation, flights, and car rental. Below are our preferred partners. If you book through these links, we do receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps us continue to provide inspiring and helpful travel content for free on this site.

Booking accommodation in Winton

Booking flights to Winton

  • Skyscanner is a comparison website that searches millions of flights. Once you find your best deal, book directly through the airline (no extra fees).

Booking a Car Rental in Winton

Have you visited Winton? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

You may also like

You may also like

About The Author

17 thoughts on “Why Winton Queensland Is Our favourite australian Outback Town”

  1. I lived in Winton for three years during the early 90’s, teaching at the local school, and it has a special place in my memory. Many of the great tourist attractions that are now there, had not yet been built, but there was still a great sense of community. Locals supported events, if there were races on everyone went, if the Arts Council came to town people went, people knew each other and neighbourhood watch was alive and well!! I’m so pleased all these tourist attractions have been built as back in the 90’s there wasn’t a lot to keep young people in town. I hope to take my own family out there one day soon.

    1. I got such a sense of strong community there Jodie, more so than any other place I’ve been. It was so lovely to experience as we’ve always heard so much about Outback towns having that. Such a lovely place.

  2. I have also been around Aussies who would sing Waltzing Matilda whilst drinking, and as an American I never knew the origin. So, thanks for providing the background! It’s impressive that such a little town could pack in so much cool history.

  3. Hi, me & a mate went on a road trip from west Sydney to Winton June last year to visit my daughter who worked at The Tattersalls (the pub on the corner) we loved Winton & it’s Character.. I hope to visit again one day.. I was wondering when you guys were there & if it was my daughter Jaimi who served you? Thanks

    1. Hey Jeanne,

      We were there just a few weeks ago. It could well have been your daughter. She was very friendly but I can’t remember if her name was Jaimi? Glad you have been to Tattersalls and Winton 🙂

  4. stopped in at Winton for a few days on our way back from a trip up the Cape. lovely town, really friendly at all the attractions. Dinosaur museum is the best one in Australia! Hospitality is first class at both the Tattersalls and the caravan park just down the road. Heading back through Winton when we go up towards Lawn Hill NP, we didn’t get to do the musicial fence!

  5. We loved Winton too. I got a real buzz from the place and really understood the outback for the first time there. At the caravan park we listed to two women poets and story tellers who were true bush entertainers. The drive to Lark Quarry and the amazing dinosaur stampede was legendary. The Banjo Patterson display was interesting too.

  6. We’re in Winton right now! Agree, friendly everywhere. New owners of the Pelican Van Park fabulous! We have just spent two nights out at Bladensburg National Park too, which was really amazing. Like, really! Perfect soft pink sunsets turn into black nights where the stars explode from everywhere. Surprise Creek lovely for a paddle and cooling dip, and there’s a Scrammy Drive up to a jump up where old Scrammy Jack lived and died. Beautiful gorge, water holes and tonnes more birds than we imagined. This is a great blog post, especially the emotions around Waltzing Matilda. I’m the same! We’ll pop in and say hi to the Tatts folk for you 😉

    1. Oh so awesome! Thank you for sharing these extra tips. I really want to go back and explore more so will add these into our next adventure there!

  7. I have never been to Winton , would love to go sometime, but have always wondered were my second family name come from,as it runs through my family from way back . It looks like a great town with nice people .

  8. While it is not possible to visit every possible attraction along the Landsborough ( Matilda )Highway, one notable site which seems to get overlooked is the Combo Waterhole in the channels of the Diamantina, just a few miles from Kynuna. While the North Gregory Hotel takes pride of place as the ‘birthplace’ of that certain song, the activities and goings on as rendered in it are reputed to have taken place at said waterhole. Also to sample a taste of a ‘dinky-di’ outback watering hole, one should not pass up the opportunity to wet one’s whistle at the Blue Heeler ! A sign on the wall in the bar proclaims that this was indeed the spot where our ‘unofficial anthem’ was penned & put to music. Oh, and up the road at McKinlay, the Federal Hotel (aka Walkabout Creek) bears no resemblance to what it used to be, or even where it used to be. About 20 years ago the then owner had it relocated a few hundred yards along the street so as to capture more of the passing traffic. Tucked out of the way down the far end of Middleton St ( where Hoges found it) travellers were not bothering to drive the short distance to avail themselves of a beer or a yarn !

    1. Hey Loz, thanks for sharing your extra tips. Your right, we definitely need more than the 12 days we had to take it all in, but it’s a nice excuse to get back out there again!

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

4 Powerful Ways to Travel More & Create Better Memories
Want to know how we've made a lifetime of travel for 24 years? Insider tips and updates! 
This is what gives us incredible memories to share around the campfire. Join our community for insider tips and updates!
Scroll to Top