New roadmap launched to drive dinosaur tourism in outback Queensland

The Queensland Government will deliver approximately $500,000 over three years for a roadmap to drive dinosaur tourism across outback Queensland.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the roadmap would help to boost the region’s tourism industry in years to come – supporting the state’s economic recovery plan.

Outback Queensland has a rich history of fossils and palaeontology which has spurred the development of numerous attractions in the region over the years.

The roadmap will provide operators in the palaeontology tourism space a clear strategy and unified approach to promote and grow these natural history experiences over the next three years and beyond.

Premier Palaszczuk notes “some of Australia’s most significant dinosaur discoveries have been made in Queensland in recent years.

“We want to capitalise on demand for unique tourism experiences in the future - that’s what our roadmap will help us achieve.

“We’ll work with the tourism industry to develop a strategy to promote the outback as the world’s leading destination for dinosaur tourism.

“This will help us to grow the outback tourism sector and support local jobs in the future which is an important part of our plan for economic recovery.”

Tourism and Events Queensland Chief Executive Leanne Coddington said the strategy was the culmination of years of work by government and industry and adds “there are many dinosaur attraction operators who have been working hard for several years on developing dinosaur tourism in the region and the launch of this strategy has been borne in part from their insights and learnings.

“There are many and varied dinosaur attractions across Outback Queensland, such as the Eromanga Natural History Museum, Australian Age of Dinosaurs, Kronosaurus Korner or Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation Centre, to name just a few.

“This roadmap is the first of many steps in allowing us to promote all these experiences under the one umbrella of ‘Outback Queensland dinosaur tourism’ to the world.”

Queensland Tourism Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said the roadmap would allow operators to collectively promote dinosaurs as a unique selling point to travellers.

“Outback Queensland has multiple dinosaur-based attractions spread throughout its communities, which combined account for an estimated 11% of all tourism – or almost 122,000 visitors – and 26% of leisure tourism visitors to the region.

“Add to this that due to the remote location of most dinosaur attractions, visitors often visit several communities when on an Outback Queensland trip, particularly if they are on a drive holiday.

“By capitalising on this opportunity, we expect to grow tourism demand and see visitation increase, directly benefiting Outback Queensland tourism and the many communities encompassed by the region.

“Our plan is to eventually see dinosaur tourism become not just a unique selling point for Outback Queensland, but for the whole of Queensland.”

Minister Hinchliffe said dinosaur tourism played a key role in Outback Queensland’s ongoing economic recovery.

“Prior to COVID-19, tourism contributed an estimated $467 million to Outback Queensland’s economy and supported nearly 9.4% of Outback employment across several communities, industries and businesses, beyond tourist attractions.”

Image top: Muttaburrasaurus Interpretation Centre - Muttaburra is the closest town to the geographical Centre of Queensland and is home to the Muttaburrasaurus Langdoni, the first most complete dinosaur discovered in 1963. 

Image above: Kronosaurus Korner, Ricmnond Area Queensland: The great inland sea, which covered the Richmond landscape 110 million years ago, has left behind an intriguing story of marine creatures from the Cretaceous period of earth’s evolution. Kronosaurus Korner self-paced experience allows guests to step back in time and watch our prehistoric past come back to life.