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Published: October 19th 2013
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A 7.5m wide load!
We definitely get completely off the road for this one. Leaving the Pioneer Valley (not far from Mackay) we headed to the small town of Walkerston as we had heard that they had a great bakery. Once we had some treats for our morning coffee we headed up the Eton range.
Almost immediately we caught up with a wide load that was obviously very heavy. The road over the Eton range is quite steep in some places, up to 11%, and the wide load was finding the going tough. Chugging along at 20kph Greg did not have to feel embarrassed by the limits of towing a caravan as all of the traffic was in the same boat. When we finally reached the top we discovered that the wide load was actually being pulled by two prime movers linked together – the first time we have seen that. They stopped to unlink and we sailed on.
Shortly after that we found that all Greg’s work to repair the front stone shield had come to naught and it had blown up. Finding a spot in the mountain range to pull over was tough but eventually we were able to get out and administer the duct tape. Thank God for duct tape!
While we were performing these temporary fixes the same wide load came driving past, this time with just the one prime mover. We were caught again.
Some distance on there was an overtaking lane and we managed to get past. That was our second overtaking manoeuvre for the trip! Duly caught in a photo.
Once over the Eton range the driving was much easier and it was then that we realised just how much traffic was on the road to Moranbah, and as Tristan had warned us there were lots of road works and wide loads.
We started to hear chatter over the CB about two 7.5m wide loads. 7.5 metres – how would that be even possible? The largest we had ever seen was 5.5m and that was huge. Not too long and the first of four police escort vehicles came towards us and signalled for us to get completely off the road. Where can we go? Surely that big ditch will end and Greg can find a spot. Yes officer I am trying but this is a caravan. Eventually we were off and waiting in anticipation. Then it came into view – it is
huge! The low loader drove down the middle of the road and the load hung over each side by at least two metres. We tried to work out what it was – a set of axils for a massive bulldozer we think. Not too far back was the second load, equally massive but even more mysterious. Once past we venture back out onto the road.
About this time Greg is definitely feeling like it is time to stop for our morning coffee break so we find a nice sport to pull off. Freshly brewed coffee and blueberry Danishes – yum! It is not hard to do the right thing and have a driving break when this is the reward. Morning coffee has become one of our caravanning traditions as it works so well with a good sized driver break.
Now we start to see the first signs of the mines, a train full of coal carriages. Then more trains and then the first of the overburden hills. There are mine turnoffs everywhere and mining camp villages – lots of activity. We even spotted the turn off for Daunia, the new mine that Tristan will soon transfer to.
Finally we get to Moranbah – no one more road work stop first, and then we are into town and checking into the caravan park. Actually that would be the wrong name as there must be 300 small cabins and about 20 caravan spots! We are definitely in a mining town.
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