Peak hour, road rage, traffic jam. Three phrases not common where I’m currently living and working.

As a governess working on a cattle station in remote south-west Queensland, the concept of commuting everyday to work and battling with traffic isn’t something I have to contend with. I returned to the station in mid-January to resume my agventure after the summer break. Driving the 2000kms from my home on the Mid North Coast of NSW to Queensland I encountered all types of vehicles and traffic situations but my favourite was this one.

Driving between Charleville and Quilpie I had seen some emus along the way but all of them had run far and wide when they heard/saw the car. Not these 3 cheeky devils. They, along with their father and 2 other siblings were stopped on the side on the road and as I slowed down to pass them didn’t even flinch. So I grabbed my camera and got a picture of them. Then these 3 decide to just walk out onto the road and stop in front of my car. They must have stopped there for a good minute before eventually moving on their way.

Driving in the outback is definitely a different type of driving. When visiting neighbours can mean a round trip of hundreds of kilometres, driving is just a way of life out here. Especially when you live on the longest road in Australia.

When going along you may encounter an emu, cow, sheep, camel, kangaroo, wedge-tail eagle or goanna on the road and more often than not they aren’t in a rush. You stop to let these pass, sometimes even without beeping our horn. In comparison to city driving where sitting at the traffic lights for half a second longer than required usually results in getting beeped at.

I think more people need to take a break from the hustle and bustle, ‘take the road less travelled’ and explore everything this country has to offer. Maybe even embark on their own agventure.