Octagon September, 2016
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THE OPENING OF A NEW CHAPTER<br />
The journey to Mackay by David Miles<br />
Thursday dawned with threatening rain-clouds,<br />
so the roadsters arrived at their designated<br />
starting points with hoods raised, whilst those with<br />
permanent tops appeared looking rather smug. With<br />
planned departure from Coles Express, Nudgee<br />
being 8.00 am, Peter Gannon (MGB), Errol and<br />
Wendy Hoger (MGB) and David & Meryl Miles<br />
(Magnette) met there, before moving on to the BP<br />
on the highway at Morayfield to join Don Webster<br />
and Ross & Shez Letten (MG TDs), Barry Lutwyche<br />
& Jan Burke (MGB), Dino & Margaret Mattea (MGA<br />
Coupe) and John and Pat Walker (Honda Jazz).<br />
Light rain began to fall as we left the A1 at<br />
Caboolture for what we expected to be a less<br />
trafficked road through Kilcoy, Burnett Highway, Ban<br />
Ban Springs then across via Biggenden to re-join<br />
the Bruce Highway just south of Gin Gin before<br />
reaching our overnight Motel just north of Miriam<br />
Vale. Seemed a good idea at the time, but a slow<br />
moving truck whose driver was under the delusion<br />
that there was no one else on the road impeded<br />
our progress until, thankfully, turning off onto the<br />
Brisbane Valley Highway.<br />
First stop, at Nanango<br />
Morning tea was at Nanango, where the rain had,<br />
perhaps, decided to follow the errant truck. Ever<br />
clearing skies were our companion for the next few<br />
days. The pre-arranged rendezvous with Allan &<br />
Joyce Tebbutt (MGB) successfully took place at<br />
Tanzy, from whence our convoy consisted of 9 cars.<br />
A clear run through cattle country of the Central<br />
and Northern Burnett districts had us at Ban Ban<br />
springs for our lunch stop, some fuel and a chat.<br />
Dino and Margaret, having arranged to meet a Mini<br />
enthusiast in Gin Gin, left early, but in the wrong<br />
direction, and were recalled by some desperate<br />
phone calls.<br />
Happy hour, Thursday, Moorawatha Homestead Motel<br />
Dallarnil / Booyal Rd, we rejoined the Bruce<br />
Highway for the last leg to our Koorawatha Motel<br />
overnight stop, with Dino successfully delivering<br />
Mini parts to his grateful recipient.<br />
The traditional “Happy Hour” was held on the<br />
expansive lawns in front of the motel units and was<br />
followed by a welcome dinner.<br />
Departing at around 8.00am, the journey took us to<br />
Rockhampton – fuel stop for many in preparation for<br />
the long haul north. A late morning tea stop / early<br />
lunch just south of Marlborough was a welcome<br />
break for fuel, food and a chat with the occupants of<br />
a lime green Holden Sports-wagon, a Queensland<br />
police “Q” car, bristling with all sorts of electronic<br />
gadgetry. Police were out in force, obvious and not<br />
so obvious along this stretch of highway.<br />
Our last fuel / food / comfort stop was at the very<br />
pretty seaside hamlet of Clairview, a most welcome<br />
oasis from the central Queensland cattle country<br />
through which we had passed. North of here, cane<br />
farms began to replace the open country as our<br />
destination drew nearer. Traffic lights replaced open<br />
road as we entered Mackay, with a relative easy run<br />
to the Windmill Motel and Convention Centre, our<br />
home and headquarters for the next 3 nights.<br />
The Brisbane convoy, Friday MT at Clairview<br />
It was another quite scenic drive from Ban Ban<br />
Springs, through Biggenden, then utilising the<br />
The <strong>Octagon</strong> - <strong>September</strong> <strong>2016</strong> 37
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