Mileages will vary depending on who you’re talking to, and the capricious whims of Federal and State bureaucrats have switched the region around Mackay between Central Queensland, North Queensland and an entirely separate entity labelled something like Mid-North Queensland, but as far as Hughesy’s concerned once you’re headed north out of Mackay you’re on the way there.
You can argue all you like about the exact point where Central Queensland stops and the actual North begins, but you won’t find too many folks who’ll disagree with an assessment that Parkhurst, The Caves and Yaamba are firmly in the Central region, and the lengthy stretches of not very much that take you through Marlborough on to points beyond mark a pretty obvious transition between regions without doing much to define boundaries.
Lengthy stretches of not very much, however, don’t quite equate to nothing and when you hit Marlborough there are three options depending on how you like your not quite nothing.
Veer off to the left just after you’ve left town and you’ll wind up on the old highway, a lengthy stretch of practically zero that heads up over a range and through the wilds of Barmouth and Lotus Creek before sashaying down the Sarina Range and weaving its way into Sarina, which means you can probably say you’ve arrived in the North.
Head along the main highway past the 110 km/h sign and you’ll pass signs pointing away from the higheay to outposts like Ogmore and St Lawrence before you round a hill and catch your first sight of ocean in quite a while at Clairview. Stick to the main highway and it’ll be your last until Cardwell, but once you’re passing Clairview, for my money you’re starting to get into the North.
Passing Clairview almost invariably raises questions concerning the likely state of play as far as the roadside business at Flaggy Rock is concerned and the advisability of refuelling at Carmila or Ilbilbie. The road takes you through Koumala as well, but our northbound itinerary almost invariably involves stopping at Flaggy Rock, Carmila or Ilbilbie.
Around those points you’re starting to move into cane country again, the first you’ll have seen since somewhere around Maryborough, and the road takes you past a substantial rail complex at Jilalan before it loops around another hill and, hey presto, you’re passing the sugar mill and power alcohol plant in Sarina and are, to all intents and purposes, in the North.
There are side tracks and short cuts once you’re past Sarina, some of which take you into the Pioneer Valley, probably via Homebush and Eton, and others run back to the coastal coal terminals at Dalrymple Point and Hay Point, but ignore those, sail on past Baker’s Creek and the Islamic Centre and you’ll find yourself at Mackay’s City Gates, where you’ve got an interesting choice.
Turn left at the lights and there’s a short cut through Marian that’ll avoid the city congestion , or head straight on along Nebo Road and you’re headed into the city of Mackay. Your call, though when we’re homeward bound after a southern sojourn there’s almost invariably a turn to the left.