Not quite the way we had intended to head north.

We’re leaving the Sunshine Coast with stopovers at Maryborough, known amongst other things for Mary Poppins, Tannum Sands and Barracrab at Clareview. After a leisurely start, and just 7KM up the road, we came to a grinding halt. Several cars had flashed headlights at us indicating trouble, or a mobile speed camera ahead. It was worse. Traffic was coming to a stop and queuing as far ahead as we could see.

A passing driver, who had just turned around, advised us that a truck had tipped-over its trailer hit a car and completely blocked the road. Fortunately no one was injured but the blockage wasn’t expected to be cleared for at least 3-hours, setting us, and every other vehicle, a long way back. With the road not wide enough to turn around, it was time to setup the chairs, sit it out and top up the suntan.

All clear… for now

Fortunately just 2-hours and 30-minutes later we got an all clear in both directions after the truck and trailer had been dragged to a clear space a little further up the highway. It was then we realised just how many southbound vehicles had been held up too after we had driven many kilometres further north where traffic was still waiting to get going again.

Now behind time we were going to be late arriving at our destination of Airlie Beach for the next week. With the sun setting later in the day the further north we travelled we were hoping not to have to setup our caravan in the dark.

As we have found through much of the drive north on the Bruce Highway, so far, the roads were not in the best of shape. Partly due to the previous season’s bad weather and equally the slow process of road repairs, pot holes, dips and rough surfaces were the norm. Bad enough to pull a caravan through, the road surface could be lethal for motorcycles. At least the department responsible for highway repairs made the effort to erect permanent signs indicating rough sections of roadway. It’s a pity equal effort was lacking in fixing the surface. A cynical person may see the permanent signs as a means of avoiding vehicle damage claims.

A very, very close shave

After a brief stop to refuel in Mackay, we continued along the A1 taking a northwesterly track towards Airlie Beach on the coast of the beautiful Whitsundays. Shorty after passing through the small settlement of Bloomsbury we heard on the UHF radio that an accident had taken place in Bloomsbury between a truck and a 4WD vehicle. Expecting the worse we kept a close look ahead for slowing traffic but all we saw were police cars, two ambulances and a fire engine heading in the opposite direction. Somehow the accident must have occurred just behind us as we passed through Bloomsbury. We were hoping it wasn’t a bad one and no one injured.

Airlie Beach at last

After four days of driving with the caravan in tow and a much delayed final stretch, we made it to Airlie Beach by late afternoon and got our first glimpses of the stunning turquoise waters that the Whitsunday’s region is known for.

In the News

Catching the evening news brought unexpected news. The accident at Bloomsbury was serious. Initial police investigations stated that ‘at approximately 2.50pm, a white 2014 Toyota Landcruiser utility was travelling north along the Bruce Highway when it crossed onto the opposite side of the road and struck a white 2017 Isuzu truck before hitting a white 2018 Cx5, travelling behind the truck.

The driver of the Landcruiser, a 21-year-old Kelso man, and the driver of the Cx5, a 72-year-old Clifton Hill man, sustained serious injuries and were airlifted to Townsville Hospital for treatment.

The passenger of the Landcruiser, a 34-year-old Mundingburra man, the driver of the Isuzu, a 61-year-old Sarina man, and the passenger of the Cx5, a 69-year-old Clifton Hill woman, sustained minor injuries and were transported to Mackay Base Hospital.’

According to the log on our car we had missed the accident by just minutes. At worse we could have been caught up in the collision and at the very least stuck in another delay while the accident is cleared.

We sincerely hope those that were injured have a speedy recovery and suffer no long term effects from the collision.

Tomorrow our adventure in Tropical North Queensland begins!