Experiences

World Class Museum

The Waltzing Matilda Centre is the first museum in the world to be dedicated to a song. First opened in 1998 and rebuilt in 2018, the centre celebrates Winton’s history and the story behind ‘Waltzing Matilda’. The iconic Australian song was first penned by <A.B. ‘Banjo’ Paterson> in 1895 on a local station, on what was then a part of Dagworth Station. Step inside and learn about the origins, contributors, and quirky history through fascinating displays and collections.

Interactive Displays

In the Waltzing Matilda Music Room, change out each of the ten interactive records to play various versions of Waltzing Matilda at your leisure. The Main Exhibition room has a number of electronic displays providing additional information on the collection pieces, coupled with static text displays giving you the deep dive into Winton’s history. The Billabong Light Show in the Main Exhibition has five episodes that run for roughly five minutes each, with a five minute break in between. You can enjoy the light show from either inside or outside of the billabong.

Exhibition Space

The exhibition space of the Waltzing Matilda Centre contains two rooms: the Music Room, and the Main Exhibition. Displaying various items of local or national heritage, the collection has been curated by independent curator Trish Barnard, with Arterial Design as the fitout team in the Main Exhibition, and Karen Stephens of the Outback Regional Gallery as the curator of the Music Room. The majority of the collection items are on long-term loan from the Winton District Historical Society. 

Sarah Riley Theatrette

Named to honour the fiance who initially brought Banjo to Winton, the Sarah Riley Theatre and deck is your first introduction to the Qantilda Museum.  Step inside and watch the collection of films, including the original shows from the old centre’s Billabong’s ‘hologram’. Often utilised by the Vision Splendid Film Festival and the Outback Writers Festival, the theatre is a great place to sit back and take it all in. Enjoy a snack or bite of smoko on the deck, and take in the native wildlife that calls the campfire and courtyard areas home.

Qantilda Museum

This extensive collection of memorabilia plays homage to Winton’s local history (both of the Koa people and our European settlers), the region’s pastoral and agricultural history, local military service, and railway heritage. Take your time walking through the exhibits, and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of our courtyard and campfire areas.

Reading Room

The Banjo Paterson Reading Room contains information on historical families of Winton, local stations, local news clippings, listings of historical events, and a modest library of books related to the local area and people. The center table is one of the few surviving items from the original building, and is a perfect place to curl up with a good book, host a small club meeting, or set up your laptop and catch up on some emails on our free wi-fi network.

Events

The Waltzing Matilda Centre foyer is available for hire for functions and events.  Previous examples include the Outback Writers Festival, National Science Week, Vision Splendid Film Festival, and the Outback Festival. Get in contact with our friendly team about hosting your event in the spectacular ambience of the Waltzing Matilda Centre foyer (see Venue Hire for Terms & Conditions and pricing).

Guided Tours

We will soon be offering guided tours of the Centre, available upon request from our knowledgeable local staff (dates to be announced). Guides will take you through to show you the highlights of the Waltzing Matilda Centre and Qantilda Museum. Afterwards, take your time winding back through both facilities at your own pace to do a deep dive into the exhibits that piqued your interest.  Or, if you have had your fill of local history, exit the Museum back into the Centre foyer to do some retail therapy in the Dagworth Station Store, or duck into the Tuckerbox Café for a treat.