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Published: October 28th 2013
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The big question in Alpha was, ‘Do we head to Tambo via the main highway taking in Barcaldine and Jericho or do we go cross country cutting off 170 k and thereby save on fuel and driving time? The unknown was the status of the shortcut as it was not clear on any of the maps we had checked. It was shown as a minor road, but it was not clear exactly what this meant.
Ask a trusted local was our best option. We did not wish to repeat our Wolf Creek Crater experience from last trip so wanted to make sure the road was suitable.
Checking into the Alpha caravan park, Greg asked the manager about the short cut. He said it was in pretty good condition would save us a lot of fuel and some time but it is gravel and there is about 20km of pot-holey stuff. After umming and ahing a while we decided to take the shortcut. We should be able to tell in the first 10km whether we should continue. So this is what we did.
The first 10km turned out to be bitumen so that
was not very helpful. But in fact it was quite a good indicator. In true Queensland style the road was a little inconsistent in quality. Random 100m to 5km sections of bitumen varying in width from 1 lane, to 1 ½ lanes to 2 superb quality lanes peppered the 160 km road to Tambo. Grass grew thickly to the edge of the bitumen. Bitumen sections were largely over flood ways, bridges, some crests and the steeper sections. We were not sure that a one lane bitumen section over a crest was such a good idea.
We calculated that approximately half the length of the road was gravel. This too varied a lot. Much of it was in very good condition, graded with a very wide shoulder. This would have made a very effective fire break. Other parts of the gravel road were pretty rough and one or two bull dust hoes were a bit scary. One would have been large enough to swallow a small car.
The road was heavily wooded for much of the trip. It is easy to see how bushfires can escalate in such terrain. Much of the area would be
inaccessible. Toward Augathella the land was more cleared and distinctly drier.
In Augathella we checked out Meat Ant Park where a big copper meat ant was suspended high up in the air from a pole. We called in at the local IGA to buy some milk. Unfortunately it was after 11.30am on Saturday so most of the shops were closed.
We now think people overseas have it right. Our wild life DOES wander down the streets of our towns. As we drove into Tambo a mob of kangaroos raced across the road in front of us and in Charleville a flock of emus leisurely wandered across the street heading for the main drag.
Charleville was an amazing town with very wide streets, quaint houses and interesting shops. A place worth coming back to, especially as many things were closed due to the weekend. As they do in the country!
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Angela & Gwen
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Your wild life
Always interesting, liked the meat ant sculpture. Did the cat find you?