‘Waltzing Matilda Country’
Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong,
Under the shade of a coolabah-tree,
And he sang as he watched and waited
till his billy boiled,
“Who’ll come a-waltzing Matilda with me?”

First settled in 1873 the area became known as the Pelican Waterhole or Wallace’s Camp, eventually being named Winton by Robert Allen, the first settler and postmaster, who in 1876 built a hotel/store where the town is now located. Now known as Waltzing Matilda Country in honour of A.B. “Banjo” Patterson who wrote the famous poem that many people call Australia’s national anthem.
 

The best place to start your tour of Winton is at the Waltzing Matilda Centre in Elderslie Street it also incorporates the Outback Regional Art Gallery and the Quantilda Museum. All of which host a range of historic and interactive displays. Other attractions include the Outback Festival held every two years to award the prestigious literary prize the “Bronze Swagman Award” along with the Waltzing Matilda Bush Poetry Championships.

Other items of interest; Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Service (QANTAS) was formed in Winton in November 1920 and its first board meeting was held in the Winton Club on 21 February 1921 before moving its operational base to Longreach, QLD.

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