THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Step into a frozen moment of the Cretaceous at Lark Quarry’s Dinosaur Stampede. This 3/4-day tour from Winton combines accessible boardwalk viewing of 3,300 footprints with a visit to Merton Gorge and local station country — ideal for history and geology fans.
Step into a frozen moment of the Cretaceous at Lark Quarry’s Dinosaur Stampede. This 3/4-day tour from Winton combines accessible boardwalk viewing of 3,300 footprints with a visit to Merton Gorge and local station country — ideal for history and geology fans.
Dust lifts off the road as the air-conditioned minibus eases away from Winton and into flat, saltbush country. The landscape opens into broad, low mesas; red soil gives way to the compressed mudstone slabs that keep time in footprints. At Lark Quarry the ground itself appears animated — a frozen torrent of three thousand footprints stamped into a moment 95 million years old.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Red Dirt Tours · Winton, Queensland
Dust lifts off the road as the air-conditioned minibus eases away from Winton and into flat, saltbush country. The landscape opens into broad, low mesas; red soil gives way to the compressed mudstone slabs that keep time in footprints. At Lark Quarry the ground itself appears animated — a frozen torrent of three thousand footprints stamped into a moment 95 million years old.
The site records a sudden stampede preserved in thin layers of sandstone. Geology here is blunt and readable: ancient lake beds and flood sediments that captured and hardened the impressions of small ornithopods and theropods. Cultural context threads through the trip — pastoral stations shaped the access routes, and local guides explain how Indigenous people and early settlers used this land.
You’ll also visit Merton Gorge and a nearby lookout across pastoral country, where the horizon feels like a compass line. Interpretive boardwalks protect the trackways and provide close views without stepping on the prints; guides narrate both science and station-life stories along the way.
Practical edge: expect a mostly flat, short walk (roughly 1–2 km total at the trackway) but dusty, exposed conditions. The tour includes pickup in Winton, an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch and hot drinks. Bring sun protection, at least 2 liters of water, sturdy closed shoes, and a light layer for changing outback winds. Photography is allowed but avoid stepping off designated paths — these impressions are brittle and protected.
easy.
7–8 hours.
Suitable for most fitness levels; involves short, flat walks of 1–2 km and some standing during interpretation.
The conservation park is reached by a road transfer from Winton; the tour handles transport and takes about 30–90 minutes of driving depending on route and stops.
No — boardwalks and viewing platforms keep visitors off the prints to preserve them; the guided interpretation gives close photographic perspectives without contact.
Yes — the operator notes stroller access for infants and small children, though some walking surfaces near lookouts are uneven.
Typical inclusions are round-trip transport from Winton, an experienced guide, lunch, tea/coffee, and access to private grazing land and the Lark Quarry site.
The Lark Quarry trackways record a late Cretaceous stampede preserved in lakebed muds roughly 95 million years ago; the site was documented by mid-20th-century researchers and remains one of Australia’s key dinosaur trace fossil sites.
The trackways are protected by boardwalks and managed access; staying on paths, avoiding disturbanceto soil, and following guides minimizes impact on this fragile heritage site.
Red Dirt Tours operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
Dust lifts off the road as the air-conditioned minibus eases away from Winton and into flat, saltbush country. The landscape opens into broad, low mesas; red soil gives way to the compressed mudstone slabs that keep time in footprints. At Lark Quarry the ground itself appears animated — a frozen torrent of three thousand footprints stamped into a moment 95 million years old.
Dust lifts off the road as the air-conditioned minibus eases away from Winton and into flat, saltbush country. The landscape opens into broad, low mesas; red soil gives way to the compressed mudstone slabs that keep time in footprints. At Lark Quarry the ground itself appears animated — a frozen torrent of three thousand footprints stamped into a moment 95 million years old.
The site records a sudden stampede preserved in thin layers of sandstone. Geology here is blunt and readable: ancient lake beds and flood sediments that captured and hardened the impressions of small ornithopods and theropods. Cultural context threads through the trip — pastoral stations shaped the access routes, and local guides explain how Indigenous people and early settlers used this land.
You’ll also visit Merton Gorge and a nearby lookout across pastoral country, where the horizon feels like a compass line. Interpretive boardwalks protect the trackways and provide close views without stepping on the prints; guides narrate both science and station-life stories along the way.
Practical edge: expect a mostly flat, short walk (roughly 1–2 km total at the trackway) but dusty, exposed conditions. The tour includes pickup in Winton, an air-conditioned vehicle, lunch and hot drinks. Bring sun protection, at least 2 liters of water, sturdy closed shoes, and a light layer for changing outback winds. Photography is allowed but avoid stepping off designated paths — these impressions are brittle and protected.