Goodaye all, this week a Newell Highway and specifically Moree area focus. Back on this goat track, geez I missed it, the road to the Isa is not that much better in places, but neither can touch the roads in the West I have travelled on recently.
In raising a number of issues at the Newell Highway Taskforce meeting, I also got to ask some questions of other attendees. I asked about the toilet at Gurley, why is it half in the parking bay and closed already. It seems the adjacent land is owned by the Australian Rail Track Corporation and they flat refused to allow any use of their land. Thanks a lot.
Now again, we might think it then should have been simply moved along a bit, but the problem with it now closed, is due to the height and it floods. Anyone who has ever parked there in the rain, would have expected that. It is being addressed, just a pity money has been wasted, or we could have had another toilet built for use somewhere even better.
I was told that Tycannah Creek rest area is to be upgraded and have followed up asking to see the plans. That bay is one if not the only one with decent shade, certainly in that neck of the woods and whilst they will add a toilet, I fear they will destroy the shade and I will be fighting against that. I will be asking them to consider building an additional site and leaving Tycannah as it is. I would welcome your thoughts.
The next problem is the parking around the Puma at Moree. We certainly welcomed it there and it gets full quickly, much worse in harvest and many have been parking in the streets surrounding it. Now technically it is illegal, but council have been ignoring it till now, for two reasons. The first is that a village will be built on the adjoining land for Inland Rail workers, so it will have a large population increase in the area and they will have vehicles and people coming and going for the next few years.
The second problem is what I want to seek input on. In discussions with council, they raised the problem of piss bottles being thrown and left full on the land and then people defecating there as well. It got to the point, that they were getting complaints from locals and their workers complained about the issue of cleaning it up and this stuff being hit by mowers etc. Council agreed to then leave the grass grow, please remember again, they could have policed the one hour parking, but have not since the site opened, but then some shit on the road and left full piss bottles there as well.
So thanks to the untidy lazy and stupid idiots who can’t walk to the servo and or empty a pee bottle etc, we will lose anther parking area and have pissed off the council and those who have to clean up after them. We are all getting older and we know good food is hard to come by and sometimes bad food has repercussions you must act on fast, but to do this when the servo has a functioning toilet less than mostly 200 or 300 metres away, is not just a disgrace, it is simply pathetic.
When the idiots who do this next want a toilet or place to park, they will whinge and sook that we don’t have places and we all know that is true now. So what chance have I got in asking for more, when people behave this way? I would like your views please.
The Puma has had to close the showers due to lousy building and the site I am told is sinking and cracking pipes. Bad work has had us affected again, yet if we can’t even pee etc without making a mess for others, no wonder we are struggling to get decent facilities for truckies. What can we do to change this?
NHVR will be holding a discussion group for drivers and farmers at the Puma at Moree next Tuesday, 2nd March from 10 AM till 6 PM. The Moree Council Road Safety Officer has provided some funds to give out meal vouchers to drivers who attend and make a reasonable effort to participate towards better road safety outcomes for all. I have spoken with the council RSO re the issues raised above as mentioned, but would like to thank them for this effort as well. It is the first time I am aware of such a gesture. Safe Travelling Rod Hannifey.
TRUCKRIGHT 