The Silsoe Road has been a pretty barren bush road to drive along this year – 107km in length, it stretches from the outskirts of Longreach to a ghost property absorbed by a neighbour years ago – but thanks to Rose Philp, it’s become the talk of the state.
She wanted to do something to help raise the spirits of families who’ve spent up to three years carting hay bales in and stock out along the road, watching their grass reserves wither up and die out the truck window.
She got a bee in her bonnet early in December and decided to organise a Christmas mailbox/roadsign decoration competition, and was stunned at the response.
“I thought people might just wrap a bit of tinsel round a pole, but they’ve been absolutely ingenious,” she said. “It’s been a real rubbish dump creativity activity.
“I guess, as one of us said, with no stock to feed, we’ve all got a bit of time on our hands.”
Rain clouds feature in a number of the creations as well.
Now as you turn off the Landsborough Highway and head west you are greeted with everything from Santa feeling the effects of a bad prawn to apparitions of snowmen, thanks to a pile of rubber tyres painted white.
There is even a Leopardwood tree with a shape reminiscent of a traditional Christmas tree on the town common, near the start of the road, which has been decorated anonymously with tinsel and baubles for the past few years.
“It’s very much struggling this year,” Rose said.
She said the exercise had given everyone a lot of pleasure, especially the children along the road, to look forward to the decorations at each mailbox.
Rose has managed to obtain two prizes to reward people’s efforts, one for the best family creation and the other for the best Australian humour.
Winners will receive a Christmas hamper from Westpac Agribusiness or five nights accommodation in a three-room Sunshine Coast apartment.
Results will be announced at the Silsoe Road Christmas party on December 23.
Fairfax Media is inviting readers to choose their favourite Silsoe Road mailbox decoration, by voting in our reader’s poll.
