IT’S been 100 years since the last mail run by stagecoach from Surat to Yuleba in the Maranoa region of Queensland.
While today’s deliveries are done using modern motor vehicles and trucks, a group of history buffs take part in regular re-enactments along the 76 kilometre bush track that connects the towns.
One of the re-enactors is history loving Rosewood man Graham Wass.
Graham is also a skilled horseman when it comes to harness pony driving, so combining the two made sense.
He is training for next month’s trek and said he’d taken part in two in the past.
The re-enactments happen every five years, those taking part gather at Surat and follow a stage coach on the road to Yuleba.
People participate by either riding in the stagecoach for a short time, driving horses by harness or riding a horse.
Graham drives his horse using a harness.
“Cobb and Co used to do a re-enactment every 10 years then on the 95th one they did a re-enactment for that one, and this year will be the centenary year,” Graham said.
“We’ve done the one when it was 90 years, then 95 and now we are doing the 100 year one.”
The journey is open to everyone.
“Any sort of vehicle really,” his wife Ruth Wass said.
“We’ve got a sulky [horse harnessed carriage], some people have buggies and others just ride their horses.
“As you get into your older years, you like to have more comfort and go in a vehicle.
“Graham takes the sulky he restored and drives that.”
Graham said the Cobb & Co stagecoach was ‘virtually’ an original replica of one from the time period, including its five horse team.
“It’s a 78 kilometre route and there are changing stations along the way,” he explained.
“We do 52 kilometres the first day and 27 kilometres the second.
“When the horses are changing, that’s a smoko stop and then you have your lunch stop.”
Participants spend the night at Wallabella, at the 52 kilometre mark.
“From what I am hearing there is going to be a lot of activity out there this year,” he said.
“The last two times we did it there were about a dozen to 15 vehicles, but those numbers are expected to double or triple this time round.”
The journey starts on August 25.
