By Amelia Willmer
It may be only a matter of time before someone is swept to their death at Cambanoora, local families warn.
Reckless bush-bashers in 4WDs who regularly ignore Road Closed signs are putting themselves and rescuers at great risk.
“After it rains, the force of the waters in Cambanoora Gorge is both majestic and terrifying,” said resident Justine Hankin.
“I have seen massive boulders, mobilized by floating tree trunks, sent hurtling downstream. It can be absolutely ferocious.”
That’s why, when the creeks rise, large electronic warning signs are activated at the start of the gorge road telling drivers the road is closed.
Out of town day-trippers, some in caravans and some in 4WDs, regularly ignore the signs, local families have witnessed.
“If we don’t win our battle against concreting the creek crossings and the concreting goes ahead, even more vehicles will be coming into the gorge and even more drivers will ignore the warnings. The chance of a fatality increases exponentially,” Justine warned.
“Social media sites promote the gorge but don’t warn that the road is closed. These day-trippers have left home early in Brisbane or Ipswich and they get here to see the road is closed, but they’ve come all this way and they don’t want their big day out ruined.
“It’s the old Aussie ‘she’ll be right” attitude but they don’t realise how life-threatening that decision could be.
“If this concreting of the river crossings goes ahead, we dread that it is only a matter of time before someone loses their life.“
