Heading west from Grafton, we cross the Great Dividing Range and on to our next destination, the agricultural town of Moree. Other than being asked by friends and family why we could possibly want to go to Moree, we were told that because of the severe flooding that had affected many parts of New South Wales we would in any case be lucky to get there! The answer to the first question was easy. We were paying another visit to our friends Charles & Janell (yes, we’d been to Moree before!) who owned thousands of acres of farmland around Moree. Whether or not we could get there was indeed up in the air! Charles had called a few days earlier saying that they had been severely affected by the floods. Their home had been cut off for several days by floodwater, their properties badly flooded, crops damaged or even destroyed and harvesting impossible because the ground was so wet. Floodwaters had receded enough that we would be able to get through to them (although one of their large properties was still inaccessible) but on this visit we would miss out on the “full agricultural experience”.
Undaunted and carefully (mostly) avoiding the many potholes along the way, we arrive in Moree. Roads have been badly damaged by the heavy rain and flooding compounded by the constant pounding delivered by Australia’s uniquely large tractor trailers - so called “road trains” which in the near total absence of railways are the only way of transporting freight across the country’s vast distances. No road is too narrow for these monsters it seems, rural towns without bypasses (and that includes Moree) see them thundering through the centre and posted speed limits don’t seem to apply to them! You get used to them I suppose, but for the inexperienced road trains (not to mention ever present kangaroos) can make driving in rural Australia rather daunting!
Charles & Janell’s homestead was no longer inaccessible but Charles had warned that the road leading to their home was still rather wet! And as the photo shows, he wasn’t wrong. Stay to the left as you’re driving up he said where the water wasn’t too deep but avoid the middle of the road where a very large and deep pothole was lurking beneath the floodwaters! Happy to report that we make it through without needing a tow and arrive at their homestead to be greeted by a group of kangaroos happily munching away on Charles & Janell’s front lawn!
A day or two earlier, Moree had been visited by Australia’s Governor-General and his good lady wife who had flown in to see for themselves the damage caused by the floods and provide a bit of a morale boost for the rain weary farmers. We hear this from a couple of the local dignitaries, Moree’s mayor included who stopped by for a chat when with our hosts and a couple of their friends we were enjoying an early morning cup of coffee in a town centre cafe. The mayor had been called on to collect Australia’s first couple from Moree’s small airport and drive them around (security detail in tow) during their brief visit. Towards the end of their stay, their Excellencies met with a small group of local worthies in a community centre. After the usual pleasantries and no doubt an encouraging speech from the G-G, Mrs G-G asked all present to join hands and sing the delightful ditty “You Are My Sunshine”. And then when you reach the third chorus to turn and look into the eyes of the adjacent person and sing like you really mean it!!
Job done! Rain-sodden farmers’ morale boosted, their Excellencies chauffeured back to the airport by the town mayor can move on to another community no doubt to provide a another burst of sunshine….
