spring bluff

18 kilometers in to the middle of nowhere, there lies a beautiful sight. Before reaching this lovely place, however, you must travel through dusty bush and the impossibly tiny town of Murphy's Creek -- which is notable for its one and only feature, a small railway station. (And by small, I mean a boxy rectangle of a building and a platform. That's it.)

There isn't a lot of hoopla surrounding this lush, hidden spot. One or two signs advertise a tourist attraction '18 km' off the main roadway. Nothing, however, gives a hint as to what it may be or even what to expect. The signs simply state, 'Spring Bluff, 18 km.'

The 18 km off the main road is, by the way, a long one. You travel through sparsely populated countryside, past a couple of languishing cows, and along eucalyptus and gum tree lined roads. It's very pretty in and of itself, in that empty Queensland way. It might even remind you of what the American wild west may have looked like, before gold mining and Billy the Kid took over.

After a seemingly long and unending drive, you reach one little sign for a turn off up a gravel road that simply says 'Spring Bluff.' The driveway doesn't look very promising, especially since the remote location feels all the more pronounced once you leave asphalt.

However, I can assure you that this drive up the gravel, through the bush and alongside cow pastures is very worth it. Why? Because Spring Bluff is like a hallucination, a dream. It is a lush green spot in the middle of dry bush. In other words, it is a veritable oasis.

Spring Bluff, a 130 year old railway station, rests on the main line that runs between Ipswich (outside of Brisbane) and Toowomba (yes, that Toowomba.) In 1914, Queensland Rail began a gardening competition that encouraged railway workers to make their stations pretty. Although Spring Bluff feel in to desrepair in the 1960's, it has since returned to its preferred, lovely state. The result? A beautified and flower happy spot in the middle of the bush.

There are flowers galore and a bamboo grove. There are prettily arranged boulders and a cascading waterfall. The grass is greener than almost anywhere else in summertime Queensland. The station platform itself is draped in baskets of hanging blooms. Everywhere you look, there is life, color and floral arrangements galore. If you're allergic to pollen, this is not the place to be. If, on the other hand, you are a plant buff, you've come to the right spot.

Train buffs may enjoy walking through the old station building and platform. Old equipment lies out in the open, allowing visitors to touch and actually feel history. A train car from a previous era is crouched down in to the earth next door, where you can run your hands along the wooden sides and peer in the dusky windows.

A visitor's log is of special interest. It seems that this remote little spot attracts quite a few visitors. Australians were especially well represented on the list. Americans? Not so much. I felt very cheerful when I was able to sign my name and country on the visitor's log.

I would highly recommend a stop off at the lovely Spring Bluff. The drive alone is worth it, as it goes through some interesting rural areas. It's a snapshot of Australian life that is worth seeing. The gardens of Spring Bluff are also worth a stroll.