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Winton is an outback town and locality in the Shire of Winton in Central West Queensland, Australia. [4][5][6] It is 177 kilometres (110 mi) northwest of Longreach. The main industries of the area are sheep and cattle raising.
Dubbed the Hollywood of the Outback, Winton is one of the most popular destinations in remote Queensland. Let this Winton guide show you the way around town.
Winton is in the heart of Matilda Country, a diverse region in which vast mitchell grass plains are broken by magnificently coloured gorges, ridges and mesas; what the locals call ‘jump-ups’. Visitors to the region will be amazed by the vastness of the plains and the undulating nature of the landscape.
- Location – Where Is Winton Qld?
- Things to Do in Winton
- Pelican Waterhole Winton
- Jolly Swagman Statue Winton
- Arno’s Wall Winton
- Birthplace of Qantas Winton
- Musical Fence Winton
- Opal Walk and Museum
- Royal Open Air Theatre Winton
- North Gregory Hotel Winton
Historic Winton Qld is a beautiful, small, outback town located east of Boulia. Boulia to Winton is just under 400 kilometres.
Winton is famous for its connections to Waltzing Matilda and QANTAS, together with the many dinosaur fossils that have been discovered. There is plenty of things to do in Winton that are free and low cost too. First, we’ll look at the paid options.
8. Winton Main Street
No visit to Winton would be complete without a stroll down Elderslie Street – Winton’s historic main street. A large, grassed island divides the street in two and here you will find sculptures that commemorate the first public performance of Waltzing Matilda. At the side of the library, you will find some dinosaur murals and information on the Guinness Book of Records Longest Road Train, which was achieved at the 1995 Outback Festival.
9. Jolly Swagman Statue
Just across the road from the Waltzing Matilda Centre, you will find the Jolly Swagman statue. Created in 1959 by sculptor Daphne Mayo, it is dedicated to Banjo Paterson and the many swagmen who lie in unmarked graves across the country.
10. Arno’s Wall Winton
One of the things I love most about travelling in Australia is all the quirky things you find, especially in smaller towns. Arno’s Wall is one of those quirky things. This two-metre-high wall is made of concrete, rock and junk, including car parts, machinery, tools, household items and assorted scrap metal. Look carefully, and you might even find the kitchen sink!
11. Birthplace of QANTAS
Whilst the town of Longreachis better known for its association with the beginning of QANTAS, Winton is its birthplace, with the company first being registered in Winton in November 1920. Adjacent to the Musical Fence memorialises the first QANTAS Landing Ground used in those early days. It wasn’t until the late 1930s, when bigger planes needed to land, that a longer runway needed to be constructed.
12. Musical Fence Winton
Another thing to do in Winton is visit Winton’s Musical Fence. It is yet another quirky attraction that the kids will have a lot of fun with. A collection of mainly metal objects that would have been destined for the scrap heap have been turned into ‘musical instruments’. Grab a tubing piece and see what sounds you can create.
13. The Opal Walk Winton
You can also visit the Opal Walk and discover the mining history at Opalton and the fascinating origins of opals, the dazzling precious gemstone. You’ll also see some interesting exhibits of the daily life of the opal miners. You’ll find the Royal Open Air Theatre Museum at the end of the Opal Walk.
14. Royal Open Air Theatre and Museum
The Royal Open Air Theatre and Museum, built in 1918, still shows movies three nights per week today. Like many other buildings in Winton, the theatre caught fire and burnt down. Although no one was hurt, the 1938 October fire started with moviegoers inside the theatre. It was rebuilt and opened on 21stDecember of the same year.
15. North Gregory Hotel in Winton
If you are after a cold beer or something to eat then check out the historic North Gregory Hotel Winton, best known as being the location of the first performance of Waltzing Matilda. We also saw poet Gregory North perform and tell stories of Banjo Patterson. Norman does three different stories, and all performances are free. He is fantastic, and we highly recommend seeing at least one of his performances. North contests the location of Banjo’s first performance and states that Waltzing Matil...
16. The Crack Up Sisters House
You’ll find the Crack Up Sisters’ house at the end of Winton’s main street. The house was just a house when they first bought it. They only bought half a house! The sisters then built the half-house into what you will see today with the help of the Winton community. Born and bred in Winton, the sisters are known for their comedy, whip-cracking, acrobatics, clowning, fun and entertainment.
- Musical Fence. The worlds first permanent musical fence can be found in Winton, which is a wire fence installation that can be played as an instrument itself.
- Royal Open Air Theatre. This old picture theatre was built in 1918 and is one of the last remaining open air theatres in Australia. It’s actually still in operation today!
- Waltzing Matilda Centre. There once was a guy named Banjo Paterson, an Australian bush poet, who wrote a ballad by the name of ‘Waltzing Matilda.’ You know what I’m talking about, that famous Aussie song that has shaped up to become an iconic piece of history for our country.
- Arno’s Wall. Winton used to be home to a very eccentric man named Arno Grotjahn. Over the years he built walls around his house stretching over 70 metres long and over 2 metres high, which were constructed with rock and concrete, brought from his opal mine at Opalton.
Experience Winton, Outback Queensland, Australia. Your authentic outback experience awaits. A tiny town with a big to-do list, start planning your trip today.
Jul 3, 2024 · With links to Waltzing Matilda, Qantas and groundbreaking dinosaur discoveries, there’s much to discover in the small town of Winton. Flying over Winton in Outback Queensland, all the bush poets we were forced to read in school suddenly make sense. Dusty streets fill with bird calls as the sun begins to rise.
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