Mungindi and The One Ton Post

After a week or so spent along the lower Fraser Coast, including Hervey Bay, Tin Can Bay and Rainbow Beach and then the Sunshine Coast where we based ourselves in the Noosa area it was, unfortunately, time to commence the return leg of our road trip.

From the Sunshine Coast we made our way to Toowoomba where during an over-night stop we managed to catch up with my cousin Scott. After a bit of head scratching we determined that it had been about 26 years since the two of us had last seen each other! We spent a very pleasant evening reacquainting ourselves over a couple of beers and a barbeque.

' Selfie' of Grant, Scott and Heather - We got together when we passed through Toowoomba

Our last night in Queensland was spent at a free campsite on the northern bank of the Barwon River at Mungindi.

Heather relaxing in the shade of the van alongside the Barwon River

Mungindi is a border town which lies on both sides of the QLD and NSW border. It is unique in that it is the only town in Australia where the name is the same on both sides of the border (but both sides share a single NSW post code - 2406). Strangely for a town with a population of just 700, and no signs of crime in the town, it has two police stations – one staffed by QLD Police, the other with NSW Police, located on either side of the bridge! Also strange is the fact that during the summer months when daylight saving time is in effect in New South Wales but not in Queensland, Mungindi operates on two different time zones. Odd but true!

Mungindi’s main claim to fame, however, is the ‘One Ton Post’ which is located about 8km west of town. The marker is the original survey peg placed by surveyor John Cameron in 1881 and marks the eastern end of the border between NSW and QLD that runs for 700km along the 29^th parallel. East of the One Ton Post the border between the two states meanders with the river (or rivers) to the Pacific coast (see map on One Ton Post sign in pics below).