Lark Quarry

Lark Quarry is the location of a stampede of dinosaur footprints which are the subject of some conjecture as to how they were caused.

Both Evan and I have diary entries for our visit to Lark Quarry.  I'll start with mine:

1/5/07

We packed up camp at Winton with the plan to head to Lark Quarry. On the way we drove through Bladensburg National Park and visited an old homestead.

At Lark Quarry we planned to look at the dinosaur footprints.  They were enclosed in a big air conditioned building and we had to line up for ages to get into see them.  They spent so long before hand building us up to see them that by the time we got in it was a slight anticlimax. "By the time Harry got inside he was bored silly and not interested in the foot prints at all."

We left Lark Quarry after lunch and went looking for Old Cork Station on our way to Middleton. However, we took a wrong turn and ended up in the Diamantina National Park.  It was a fortuitous turn as we found a lovely campsite right on the banks of the Diamantina River at a place called Hunter's Gorge. I have a very strong memory (though I didn't write it in my diary) of the flies being unbelievably bad.  They were the kind that crawled all over your face and tried to get into every moist area, like in your eyes and up your nose.

We couldn't help ourselves while we were staying there singing the old Redgum song The Diamintina Drover, lyrics are below:

The faces in the photograph have faded
And I can't believe he looks so much like me
For it's been ten years today
Since I left for Old Cork Station
Sayin' I won't be back till the drovin's done

For the rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina
And a drover finds it hard to change his mind
For the years have surely gone
Like the drays from Old Cork Station
And I won't be back till the drovin's done

Well it seems like the sun comes up each mornin'
Sets me up and takes it all away
For the dreaming by the light
Of the camp fire at night
Ends with the burning by the day

For the rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina
And a drover finds it hard to change his mind
For the years have surely gone
Like the drays from Old Cork Station
And I won't be back till the drovin's done

Sometimes I think I'll settle back in Sydney
But it's been so long it's hard to change my mind
For the cattle trail goes on and on
And the fences roll forever
And I won't be back till the drovin's done

For the rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina
And a drover finds it hard to change his mind
For the years have surely gone
Like the drays from Old Cork Station
And I won't be back till the drovin's done

For the rain never falls on the dusty Diamantina
And a drover finds it hard to change his mind
For the years have surely gone
Like the drays from Old Cork Station
And I won't be back when the drovin's done

Read more: Redgum - Diamantina Drover Lyrics | MetroLyrics

Evan's Diary Entry:

Today at Lark Quarry we saw real dinosaur foot prints.

They told us that the dinosaurs came down to the river bank to have a drink. Then a big dinosaur came to eat them. Then they stampeded back to the forest (leaving the footprints).

After the tour, we went on the spinifex walk, and when the walk finished we had lunch.

We all thought their theory stunk, because they could have all rushed in and then ran all the way out, and then the big dinosaur ran in had a drink and left. And there sort of ? because there were no little footprints in his big footprints.

(Recently, a new theory has been put forward that suggests it was a dinosaur stampede at all.)

I thought Lark Quarry was very hot.