Spy has heard from some truckies that busy Campbell Town, on the Midlands or Heritage Highway in Tasmania, may have a road built to bypass the town – however the topic has caused some debate.
Given the strategic location of Campbell Town that would certainly be big news for Apple Islanders.
And it would be a hotly debated issue given the amount of heavy vehicle traffic which passes through there.
It is 134km from the capital Hobart and 68km from the second biggest city Launceston. An official told Spy an average of 1000 trucks pass through daily.
When you also consider that trucks travelling to the Tassie east coast leave the Midlands Highway at Campbell Town, that number would be higher.
The word is that the local municipal Northern Midland Council has heard of approaches to the State Government to have Campbell Town bypassed.
However, Spy is told that Council would prefer to have the traffic through so the town doesn’t die as it may if bypassed.
There are lots of shops there including a Banjo’s Bakery which is well patronised, and of course a park with excellent public toilets.
I can recall (unfondly) having to queue up outside the loo waiting for an urgent call of nature.
A bus carrying sporting teams had stopped ensuring a long wait for use of the men’s and women’s toilets.
In the park there is also a shed with no walls which housed a large Tasmanian log and this is a genuine tourist attraction.
Spy hears that new toilets are to be built there and completed by June 2021, not far from a Service Tas office which would allow drivers to toilet and rest or get their new log book as this is the only Service Tas office on a major route in Tasmania.
There are numerous cases of towns which have basically died when they have been bypassed, so we’ll be sure to keep you posted as more info comes to hand.