Ilaga Thuwani Bridge - 2002 - Camooweal, Queensland, Australia
S 19° 55.226 E 138° 06.833
54K E 197846 N 7794729
A date plaque on a National Highway bridge over a river in far western Queensland.
Waymark Code: WMF4JE
Location: Queensland, Australia
Date Posted: 08/22/2012
Views: 11
The bridge across the Georgina River at Camooweal was officially named
Ilaga Thuwani, meaning
The Place (or Camping Ground) of the Rainbow Serpent, as requested by the Indjalandji group. Bridge signage and the official plaque indicates it is also known as
Georgina River Bridge.
The bronze plaque on the southeastern abutment pillar of the bridge reads:
Main Roads
2002
The bridge replaced a low level bridge 50 metres to the south which was often flooded, cutting off the community, nearby pastoralists, and interstate visitors from the town for weeks at a time.
Ilaga Thuwani Bridge was constructed by Barclay Mowlem Construction Ltd and RoadTek under the direction of Queenslands Department of Main Roads and was officially opened on 20 December 2002 as indicated on the plaque at S19°55.272' E138°07.047'.
The Commemorative Plaque is headed by the Australian Coat of Arms followed by an inscription which reads:
Georgina River Bridge
Barkly Highway,
Camooweal
Officially opened by
Senator the Honourable Ron Boswell,
Parliamentary Secretary to the
Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services
and
The Honourable Steve Bredhauer MP,
State Minister for Transport and Minister for Main Roads
and Member for Cook
on
20 December 2002
Safe parking is available a short walk away, enter at S19° 55.279' E138° 07.062' (near the plaque). If you are heading west and not towing anything you can park safely near the Georgina River sign just before the bridge.
Camooweal is a small town in north-western Queensland, Australia, located 188 km north-west of the city of Mount Isa and 12 km east of the Northern Territory border. Local government is provided by the Mount Isa City Council. The town lies on the Barkly Highway, and is adjacent to the Georgina River. At the 2011 census, Camooweal had a population of 187.
The Mount Isa City Council jurisdiction is one of the largest in the world in terms of area and stretches all the way to the border town of Camooweal, 188 km to the north-west. They claim to have the longest 'Main Street' in the world, and at 188 kilometres it takes some beating.
While in Camooweal why not take a guided tour through the Memorabilia Shed at the Drovers Camp just east of town. It is open from 8am to 5pm every day and contains a great deal of memorabilia relating to cattle droving.