The Extra Mile

A former 'local' outside the 'local'

This tall, rather imposing chap is known simply as Mutt. That would be short for Muttaburrasaurus or, to give him his full name, Muttaburrasaurus langdoni.

This as-large-as-life replica stands just across the road from the Grand Hotel, in Hughenden, Queensland.

These dinosaurs lived along the shores of a huge inland sea, the Eromanga Sea, which covered large parts of inland Australia about 110 million years ago. The Muttaburrasaurus is our most well known dinosaur, turning up in various locations in Queensland and New South Wales.

It was named after the town of Muttaburra in Queensland, where it's remains were first discovered. Other remains have been found near Hughenden and Mutt stands as a reminder of those great creatures that once roamed these lands, many millions of years ago.

You can meet some other locals in our To the Centre and Back May 2010 photoset.

If a trip of this size seems a bit much, you could always try one of our upcoming day trips. You can find more infomation here.

 

This ain't no wascally wabbit

Say hello to our Argentinian friend the Patagonian Mara or, Patagonian Cavy as they are also called.

You might think the Mara is a cousin to the hare or rabbit, but that's not the case. They're rodents and can be found in the desert and grasslands areas of central and southern Argentina, or here in Australia at the Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

They do however, live in burrows and are known to take up residence in the the burrows of other animals. Why dig a burrow if you don't have to? Once they mate, it's for life and they spend most of their time moving about as a pair.

Their closest cousin is the guinea pig, but looking so much like rabbits, they should still keep a look out for a small balding 'character' with a speech impediment and a large shotgun.

We have a small photo set called 'Creatures', where the Mara and other fauna seen on one of our many tours, can be found.

 

Are you looking at ME?

This handsome chap was spotted on a day trip to Australia Zoo. These iguanas are characterised by prominent bony tubercles on their snouts that resemble horns, hence their name - Rhinocerous Iguana.

Outside of captivity, they can only be found throughout Hispaniola, Haiti and the Dominican Republic. They range in size from about 60cm - 120cm and weigh from 4.5kg - 9kg. Primarily herbivores, living on leaves, flowers, fruits and berries, they have been known to eat insects, small snakes and even other lizards.

They usually avoid humans, but watch out for their sharp teeth and heavy tail, which they will use to defend themselves if cornered.

Get out and about with Stonestreet's Coaches. It's a great way to explore the world around us so check our upcoming day trips from Toowoomba and the Gold Coast.

You can see more creatures of interest in our Australia Zoo photo set.