Storm chasin'

When you're driving for three days, it can get a bit boring: the road stretches out ahead and it helps to have some interesting clouds, road signs or tree species to observe and share. After a pleasant camp at Mt Kaputar National Park, we had a brief downpour which necessitated a hasty retreat to the tent for breakfast. The clouds dispersed as quickly as they had formed. Apparently the sub-alpine habitat of  the park enjoys its rain mostly in the Summer.

We set off  for the NSW-Queensland border, stopping only for the most essential rest breaks and fuel-ups. Early afternoon we spotted the storm clouds and could clearly see the front of the storm. I photographed it as we were driving - largely for self-amusement as I didn't expect the photos to work out. By the time we got to the border we knew we had caught up with the storm, having followed it for at least 40 kms (or had it followed us?). The rain started hammering down as we drove through Goondiwindi and on a rather confusing roundabout (the first of many in Qld) we realised we had taken the wrong turn to Boggabilla (its twin border town).



With windscreen wipers on the maximum speed and still not coping with the downpour, we quickly decided to pull off the road and wait out the storm. We watched as the other traffic slowed, and small bushes and tree branches blew across the road into the paddocks. Albert manoeuvred the car so that its rear faced the brunt of the storm and it rocked with the force of the tempest for about half an hour. What an experience for drought-stricken Victorians!

For the next 50 kms we drove very carefully to avoid the trees that had fallen into the road, blocking one or the other lane. The Gold Coast experienced the worst of the storm with much damage to properties and power blackouts.