Outback: Winton to Boulia

Truckin Around Oz

13 Aug

Back in the days before motorised transport, the trip between Winton and Boulia in the Queensland outback was made by horse and dray, or Cobb and Co coaches.

These days the 362km trip is part of the Kennedy Development Road which is also known as the Min Min Byway.

The only building along the highway once you leave Winton or Boulia is the historical Middleton Hotel. Built in 1876, it is the last standing out of eight hotels which had been on the Winton-Boulia road. The Cobb and Co would take four days to complete the one way trip and the last coach was run in 1912.

This is the original building and was a Cobb and Co stop 144 years ago. These days you can of course stop there for a meal, drinks and fuel at the Middleton, whose publican, Lester Cain is a wealth of knowledge about the road transport industry.

Lester and wife, Valerie have run the Pub – one of Australia’s most remote pubs and roadhouses - for the past 15 years.

“There have been quite a lot of cattle trucks travelling along the road this year. Stock from the Northern Territory, where it was dry, has been relocated to properties around here after rain, and they have been taken to meat works by trucks. Many are from Curley Livestock Transport which has a depot at Boulia. The highway has been improved in recent years and parts have been widened,’ Lester said.

The pub has a liquor licence from 10am - midnight but is open for breakfast early in the morning. Plenty of truckies pull in for a nosh of bacon and eggs, commented Lester. Social distancing is in place for patrons who dine in and everybody has to sign in. Earlier on during the Coronavirus Pandemic only take away food was available under the regulations.

“Some days it is so quiet we’re lucky to sell a few beers and some soft drink. On the odd occasion it can get busy, but not like the days before Covid-19 when tourist buses stopped here,” said Lester.

About 84km west of the hotel heading towards Boulia are ruins of the Min Min Hotel which was built in the late 1880’s and burnt down in the 1920’s.

Its name has been given to a mysterious light named the Min Min that has been seen around the region since Cobb and Co days. Many people claim to have seen this orange light which bounces around in the distance. Explanations from people who allegedly have seen it range from UFO’s, from gases, spirits of dead people, or even phosphorus on the bum or a moving kangaroo or emu.

Lester has seen the Min Min Light several times. “I think it is from static electricity off particles of dust rising from the ground,” he said.

At Boulia there are Min Min Light signs in the main street and a Min Min Encounter Centre. Boulia used to be the venue for annual camel races and other popular events which will return in future years after the Coronavirus scare is past.

**“Camels to the starting gate please.”**

Winton is a beautiful town with lots of history. It takes about five hours and you may well come across cattle crossing the highway. I have travelled the highway from there to Boulia many times and I would recommend it for the views, genuine history and mystique.