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Places to Take Kids Who Love Dinosaurs | Brisbane & Beyond!

Are you looking for places that have exhibits or displays of dinosaurs for kids?

Dinosaurs for kids in Brisbane and beyond

Are the little people in your house budding palaeontologists? Always finding yourself playing Jurassic Park in the sandpit? We’ve compiled a list of cool places to go on day trips for Brisbane kids who love dinosaurs! Some of these amazing activities are quite close to home but some will require adventurous travel!

Be amazed, engaged and excited about learning about natural history alongside your children. Read on to find out more about these great places that house dinosaurs for kids.

Queensland Museum

The first port of call on any archaeology journey, when searching for dinosaurs for kids should be the Queensland Museum, located at the corner of Grey and Melbourne Streets, South Bank.

Open Monday-Friday from 9.00 to 5.00 and weekends from 9.30 to 5.00 (closed Good Friday, Christmas Day & Boxing Day. Open ANZAC Day from 1.30 pm) and serviced by a range of public transport and paid parking options, the Museum will often have different exhibits to entrance young learners with a love of dinosaurs.

Helpful staff will be able to answer any questions your kids have bubbling away and entry is free except for special exhibits.

The museum often holds special events after dark called ‘Night at the Museum’ … watch our video for all the dino-fun at a previous event.

Find out when the next ‘Night at the Museum’ will be held by visiting the ‘Kids and Families‘ section of the Museum website.

The BEST Dinosaur Games for Kids – click here

Thunderbird Park

Go on a prehistoric dig for gemstone-filled thundereggs formed back when dinosaurs roamed the earth! There is plenty to see and do here on Tamborine Mountain for the whole family – from fossicking to high ropes to treasure hunting! These dinosaurs for kids will have them enthralled!

Find out more about Thunderbird Park here.

Eatons Park Veterinary Surgery

dinosaurs for kids at Eatons Hill Veterinary Surgery

Their practice has been an integral part of the local community for 30 years. At Christmas time they add a Santa hat to their dinosaur, located at the front of the surgery.

Dino Zoo at The Cube

Dino Zoo

Ever wanted to meet a dinosaur? Dino Zoo at The Cube is the closest you can get to the real thing – minus the danger of being eaten! Their life-sized dinosaurs are the most scientifically accurate portrayals of these creatures in the world. And, thanks to artificial intelligence, their dinosaurs will even behave like the real thing.

Open from 10am-4pm daily, Dino Zoo includes digital activities, an archaeological dig simulator, an interactive Earth timeline and more. You will find Dino Zoo at QUT’s ‘The Cube’, 2 George Street, Brisbane. Entry is FREE!

Please note: A life-sized dinosaur isn’t cuddly or friendly. While the experience can be a lot of fun, some children might need the comfort of a brave adult ranger to ensure a positive experience. Children under 12 must be supervised at all times.

The Dinosaur Trail

This is going to be a lengthy trip but your dinosaur obsessed kid will thank you for it! A journey several hours north of Longreach will take you to a hive of different attractions focused on prehistoric activity in Queensland.

Winton – Dinosaur Paradise

dinosaurs for kids

The Dinosaur Trail starts here. This is also the birthplace of “Waltzing Matilda” and close to “Walkabout Creek Hotel” from Crocodile Dundee. Lots to see and do and a fantastic place to start and get the excitement building for what’s to come!

The Australian Age of Dinosaurs Museum, Winton

Go on a guided tour and see Australia’s largest fossil collection. You’ll be able to meet Banjo, the most complete carnivorous dinosaur ever found in this country. This is a purpose-built resource centre that, in addition to being educational, represents the hard-work and industry of a rural attraction. Always great to support a local economy!

Lark Quarry Dinosaur Trackways, Winton

The only recorded evidence of a stampede in the whole world! 95 million years old featuring over 3000 Australian dinosaurs. Let your kids gaze in wonder at one of the most important prehistoric finds of all time. This site is key to modern understanding of a lot about dinosaur behaviour.

Fossil Hunting Site Tour, Richmond

dinosaurs for kids

This is a real digging experience, not a set up ‘for kids’. Any fossils you find (unless they’re an amazing, one of a kind discovery!) you can take home to keep. You might even find some 95-million-year-old poo! Gross!

Kronosaurus Korner

A dino-museum set up for kids with a focus on marine fossils. A few years ago a 7-year-old uncovered some very rare bones here – will your child be the next to make a big discovery?

Hughenden

Go to the Flinders Discovery Centre and find the life size replica of the Muttaburrasaurus. Take one of the lovely nature walks to see the most beautiful sunrise or sunset you’ve ever seen. Ask one of the friendly Flinders staff about other sites and attractions you can find in this beautiful, often unseen part of our Queensland countryside.

Eromanga Natural History Museum

The Eronmanga Natural History Museum houses Australia’s largest dinosaur—a 95–98 million-year-old titanosaur. It is one of the most significant fossil finds in Queensland. You can also go on a guided tour, learn to prep fossils, and join fossil digs. A great package for dinosaur lovers is the Dinosaur Insider’s Package; it involves a two-night stay at the gorgeous onsite accommodation and a full-day discovery experience.

Feed the Dinosaurs at Ipswich Children’s Library

The Ipswich Children’s Library is Australia’s only dedicated public Children’s Library and it features heaps of interactive digital experiences your kids are going to love. One of these experiences is feeding the dinosaurs. Two life-sized dinosaurs call the library home and young explorers can ‘feed’ the resident Plesiosaurs through an interactive pipe experience then watch the ‘food’ (a scarf) zip around the pipes. It’s a heap of fun to track the scarf as it flows through the pipes eventually falling from the tubes. This is definitely one for the dinosaur fans!

Once your kids are finished feeding the dinosaurs, they could spend the rest of the day exploring the library. Find out more about the Ipswich Children’s Library through our article here.

Themed day trips

If you like planning day trips with a theme, or have a little one who has a particular passion, these other day trips might suit you too!

This article was featured in Issue 56 of our printed magazine on 1 March 2023

Photo of author

Janine Mergler

Janine Mergler is a veteran Queensland teacher, graduating from QUT with a BEd majoring in Social Sciences. After many years in the classroom, Janine moved on to academia. She has proudly trained new generations of teachers in her role as a lecturer at Queensland University of Technology Faculty of Education. She has also worked in the Queensland Government as an education specialist, developing education resources and delivering community awareness programs to help families conserve water. Currently she is the owner and editor of Families Magazine, a publication specifically targeted at parents who value a quality education for children.  Janine leads a team of professionals who write about family lifestyle, early childhood, schools and education information and family-friendly events.

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