CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
A Brisbane teenager, who doesn’t have much experience on the great open roads apart from a couple trips to Nan’s place in Gympie, has today ventured bush.
17-year-old Moreton Ireland (Yeerongpilly) said that after successfully passing his Queensland driving test, he suddenly felt an urge to go on a three-hour drive to nowhere.
He’s only allowed one passenger, and he’s also got to contend with an 11pm curfew. So that means if he wants to pick up one of the boys before this journey, he better hot foot it.
Because it’s technically a six hour drive. Three hours to nowhere in particular, and three hours back.
Moreton’s parents, Fraser and Diamantina, say they are encouraging their son to get used to long distance driving – because it’s better to learn in daylight than on the way home from an 18th or 21st.
“I’ve let him borrow my car” says mum.
“He’s taking his friend Liam from down the road. I’m happy for these boys to do anything if it gets them out of the house and off those bloody video games”
Moreton’s dad chuckles.
“Not sure where he’s going exactly” says dad.
“But he’s been on google maps all morning. Looks like he wants to cross the border south for a little look around. They’ll probably end up in Lismore or Murwillumbah for lunch. Good country round that way. You could eat the dirt. I’m telling ya, anything grows in that soil”
And it seems dad would be correct. Anything and everything does grow in the soil of the Northern Rivers. That’s why the first place Moreton is driving to is in that part of the world.
He grabs a can of Glen 20 and some eye drops and hits the road.
