CLERMONT-MACKAY ROAD

From Clermont to Mackay is about 280 km, probably the furthest we have attempted to travel in a day. It does not sound like a very long way but with a head wind the average speed is about 65-70 km/hour and it does take quite some time, especially if Jarra is troublesome. On our way out of Clermont we had a look at the piano in the tree, a symbol of the flood that occurred there in the 1920’s which claimed sixty local’s lives. After the floodwaters had subsided, various articles of furniture were found stuck up to sixty feet high in the surrounding trees, including three pianos. Leaving Clermont behind us we started on the road to Mackay and encountered absolutely nothing for miles except grassy plains dotted with trees and shrubs. The mountains in the distance, some really pointy and steep, others with very flat tops, kept the landscape interesting and in some parts it was almost like being in another world. As we got nearer to the dark ranges the pointy ones appeared as great jaggy rocks erupting skywards from the earth. Some of the peaks we saw from a distance eventually proved to be much further behind the ranges than I first imagined, distances can be very deceiving. The undulating road usually provided enough momentum on the downhill parts to get us up the next hill at a half decent pace. The contrasts of colours in these parts is intriguing, there are so many dry yellows, browns and pale greens, thet when a lush green crop comes into view, or one of the occassional purply/ red bushes we see about the place, it stands out like the dogs proverbials. The other day, a car coming towards us was one of the new Holdens, coloured bright orangy/ red, we saw it from a long way away, it stood out like a beacon and looked so unnatural. As Tal is so mad about snakes I am always keeping an eye out for them when I am driving along. The torn and shredded truck tyres on the shoulders of the road look quite like contorted snakes and they always hold my gaze until I am sure what they are. There was a noticeable lack of roadkill on the edges of this road, I don‘t know whether this is because the roos are smarter around here or maybe they have better eyesight or maybe there are just not many about. The white line markers were on the job today, although I think they must have had a few beers as the lines were wobbling all over the place, I got on the UHF radio to them to enquire about the quality of their work and the guy replied, “Do you want to come and drive this bitch of a thing?”