Day 109 - UnBULLievable!

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Biloela to Moura 64km

Today started unexpectedly early.  The caravan park in Biloela in their effort to have cake and eat it too, want to serve both the tourists and the miners.  So with their early shift starting, the rumble of diesel trucks of all descriptions began at 0500, followed by the dump truck rumbling around the park at 0600 emptying all the skips, then, inevitably, the bloke with the blower.  He kicked off at 0830 and was still going at 0930 when we left the soundscape behind.  UnBULLieviable!

I was so glad to be riding half of our distance today on the back roads, a bit of peace and quiet, some sunshine, some curious cows, even a light tail wind.  


We ponder what is growing in the paddock, something we haven't yet seen, and standing there to answer our questions is the farmer.  Turns out he's a herb grower, and this is a field of organic coriander.  He asks where we are heading, and he tells us that this particular back road is currently mostly mud and puddles.  Not to worry though, he loads us and our bikes into his ATV and drives us through 4km of said mud and puddles.  Lovely bloke, answers our questions about organic farming in Queensland, he grows coriander, parsley, lemon grass and oregano for McCormick.  As well as broad acre cropping and, of course, cattle.  We get a job offer, which I was pretty curious to give a go, but Kerstin was more reserved.  How UnBULLieviably kind!  May the growing season be as kind, and the prices for his crops good.

The view from  the ATV

The backroads must end at some point, so we take the Dawson hwy west.  Stopping for lunch in the town of Banana (we are currently in the Banana shire).  Don't get too excited, we're not in literal banana territory yet.  The town and the shire are named after a banana coloured bullock.  How UnBULLieviable is that?!

Bullock poetry

The final 20kms into Moura take us past the Dawson coal mine.  They have been mining coal here since 1961, it is a complex of three open cut mines, and is unBULLievably enormous.  Directly employing 1300 people, a fair segment of whom are billeted in accommodation camps in Moura.  Judging by the wide berths and staring from the vehicles passing us this afternoon, I'm guessing not too many are cyclists!  But most gave a bemused wave in response to a wave and a smile from us, even the truck drivers.
Location: Moura QLD 4718, Australia

Comments

  1. BrendaJune 1, 2022 at 6:11 AM

    How Australian is that 'Banana coloured Bull' just like Diamond Creek is named after a pet cow. We did not get the Autumn break this year, so this week of rain is welcome, albeit with along with freezing wind and hail. Misty is enjoying the being inside by the fire. We have been feeding constantly for which the cows are very grateful. They have enjoyed the mild conditions until this interruption. Our family have endured the dreaded Covid, only 3 of the 18 have escaped thus far. Keep well, the weather should improve for you the further you go North

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Louise SensiJune 2, 2022 at 3:05 PM

      I didn't know that about Diamond Creek! Sorry to hear about "the covid", but to be honest I quite enjoyed some forced rest.

      Delete

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