Queensland Motoring Dawn

Richard McDonough

Ever given a second thought to fuelling up at almost any street corner or buying your spare parts from a myriad of local suppliers? Perhaps you’ve been known to curse the state of our roads and the ever rising costs of running a car. Even questioning what the authorities are doing about it? Well spare a thought for those who started this motoring madness over a century ago. Their lot was to overcome prevailing social and bureaucratic prejudices; and that was before they even ventured out in their primitive vehicles to do battle with the rough tracks that were optimistically called ‘roads’.
In a state as large as Queensland it was inevitable that the motor car would take hold, despite the naysayers. This is the story of how it all started; from the first sighting of a self-propelled vehicle on a Brisbane street to the high adventure of cross-country motoring in outback Queensland, and even the odd interstate trip to the deep south. These individuals were trail-blazers in its truest sense. Our forebears had the vision and gumption to see it through and you will be amazed at what they went through. So get comfortable, buckle up and enjoy the ride.

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