LARK QUARRY DINOSAUR TRACKWAYS
The Queensland Outback has much to show us. For August 2011 we planned to visit the Dinosaur Trackways. Leaving Winton, we set our track to the S,W,, flying over the spectacular mesa plateaus of the Corey Ranges to arrive 20 minutes later at Carisbrooke Station. We found the buildings situated in the William Valley which leads down to the Diamentina River which is only 12 klms away to the west. It was the dry season and the runway markers were partly hidden by dry white grass, the result of several good seasons. A vehicle was parked beside a plaque to "The Swoose" a U.S Flying Fortress that made a forced landing at this spot in 1942. L.B.Johnson [later became President of U.S.A.] was one of the aircrew. The 4 W.D. conveyed us to our accommodation - the original shearer's cook's cottage built in 1931. What a great place to stay in Outback Queensland.
Next morning, with the morning light reflecting off the escarpment of the Tully Range, we flew south over gullies and creeks that led down to the wide flat valley. Twenty minutes later, and on our arrival at the Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways, we circled over the ranger's cottage to notify him of our arrival. We lined up the runway, landed and had tied the Jabiru down when the ranger arrived to take us to the huge protective building that Winton Shire had constructed over the footprints. These footprints - the only recorded evidence of a dinosaur stampede on Earth - were found by opal seekers moving rocks with machinery. The smaller footprints were left in the mud when the dinosaurs came to drink. Then the meat eater ambushed them, leaving evidence of his movements in the soft earth also. The makers of Jurassic Park came to study the footprints to help them understand the sizes and gait of the dinosaurs. On joining a tour we found it very fascinating as we came to understand the 3,300 stampeding fossilized footprints left more than 95 million years ago.
Soon we were flying again southward, What a special place to visit! Another part of Australia, so different from Temora in May, when we were scraping the ice off the Jabiru wings and keeping warm against the southern Australian winter
Another contribution by Robin and Barbara Collins.
We thank them for sharing their adventures with us.
Enjoy
We thank them for sharing their adventures with us.
Enjoy
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Click on photos
August 2011
Goole view of Tully Range
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