Waltzing Matilda Centre

The Waltzing Matilda Centre is a museum in Winton, central western Queensland, dedicated to the Australian folk song Waltzing Matilda. Located on Elderslie Street in the town centre, it tells the story of the song's creation in 1895 by Banjo Paterson and Christina Macpherson. Rebuilt and reopened in 2018 after a fire, the centre features interactive exhibitions, historical displays and outdoor exhibits exploring outback heritage and the song's national significance.

Visitors can expect a modern, air-conditioned museum with interactive and multimedia exhibitions dedicated to the history of Waltzing Matilda and outback Queensland. The centre includes indoor galleries with historical artefacts, audio-visual displays and storytelling about Banjo Paterson, Christina Macpherson and the 1895 origins of the song, plus outdoor exhibits, a billabong area, and views over Winton. Facilities include a gift shop and cafe, and guided tours and film presentations are available.

The centre commemorates the writing of Waltzing Matilda in 1895, with lyrics by Banjo Paterson and music arranged by Christina Macpherson at Dagworth Station near Winton, and its first public performance at the North Gregory Hotel in Winton. The original Waltzing Matilda Centre opened in 1998 and was destroyed by fire in 2015, with the new centre rebuilt and reopened in 2018 to preserve and interpret this nationally significant history.

Waltzing Matilda is widely regarded as Australia's unofficial national anthem and an enduring symbol of outback culture. The centre preserves and interprets the song's cultural heritage, its connection to pastoral life, and its ongoing significance in Australian identity, folklore and tourism for the Winton region.