Camel Races & Dinosaur footprints

After Longreach was 4 nights in Winton.

Winton is a quiet little town, with one street of shops...including 3 opal shops and 3 pubs!!!

While in Winton we spent a day at the annual Camel races, which was fantaststic. Camel races are hilarious. There wasn't a race that didn't have some sort of a mishap. For example, in one race a camel stopped still, turned around and ran the other way around the track. In antoher race a camel just decided to stop and sit down, and in another race a Camel decided it didn't want to turn the corner of the track, so it kep going straight, off into the wilderness! I can't tell you how much we laughed.

Alex had a ball too. In between the races they had kids games and activities & races. Alex ran his first 3 legged race, and he was paired with a stunning little 3yo called Chelsea, who afterwards he told me he was going to marry :)

The lunch time entertainment was kids sheep riding and Camel tagging. Camel tagging is an interesting and funny but dangerous 'hobby'. You are in a pen with a camel, you have to run from the fence to the camel with a piece of electrical tape and 'tag' it, then run back and touch the fence, then run back and try to get the 'tag' off the camel... you can only imagine how impressed the camels were with having tape stuck to them, they really do spit and kick, it was very funny to watch, but the $500 prize money is not enough if you ask me.

We also went to the Lark Quarry which was 110km west on/off dirt road. We drove through a huge locust storm, og HUGE locust, when they hit the car they didn't splat, they bounced! we even found some still alive, holding on for dear life on the front of the car LOL.

We went to the Quarry to see the only trackways of a dinosaur stampede recorded in the world!!! it is AMAZING, and it's more amazing knowing that most people in the world, even in Australia will never see it. The site has been preserved by being sheltered from the elements and wildlife, in an environmentally sound building. It is truly a breathtaking site that i recommend everyone to see if they ever get the chance.

The van park we stayed at was pretty cool. At 4.30 each day there was a music hour with live music...county & western of course, and then at 7 every night there was a comedy show called '2 old chooks'. These things made up for the smelly showers! (The water was bore water heated underground, you had to hold your breath whilst showering).

So that was Winton. The town itself hasn't got a whole lot going for it, but if you go at the right time of year it is worth the trip :)