Freight folly sees rail going to waste

IT IS a hot, dry, unforgiving landscape on the ranges and plains west of Townsville.

Some friends and I have driven the highways 1400km west to the Barkly Tableland and then 900km north to the McArthur River in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

There is fresh rock ballast on the Great Northern rail line which runs alongside the Flinders Highway 900km to the mining city of Mount Isa.

It gives the impression a lot of government cash has been spent and that the line is in reasonable condition. But you see few trains.

Much of the freight – and there is a lot – is carried by road.

It is a scandalous situation presided over by the bean counters of Brisbane where the freight charges and competition rules combine to make it cheaper to cart bulk goods by road rather than rail.

For someone sitting in an airconditioned State Government office, it is out of sight, out of mind. What would they care? But for us, it is a white- knuckle ride. Heavy road trains carrying fuel, cattle, mineral ores and metals concentrates hurtle along the highway.

Trucks towing up to four trailers, measuring more than 50m long, weighing perhaps 130 tonnes, snake as they approach on an uneven surface.

As he approaches the truckie appears to accelerate to straighten the load.

Our driver tightens his grip, moves as far as he can to the left and we are buffeted by the shockwaves as a wall of metal rushes by. The vehicles pass and you can relax.

There are flat yellow plains, as far as the eye can see, lined against a brilliant blue sky.

In the distance a shimmering mirage produces the swindle of water on the road.

Some paddocks are a moonscape of bare earth and rock. Accusations are offered of a country over grazed.

But there are few cattle or animals around. The land is crying out for rain.

So too are the young ringers we meet at Camooweal’s Post Office Hotel.

When it rains, they say, they can go home for Christmas.