Passengers off a Magnetic Island to Townsville ferry received a surprise when a gleaming bus turned up at the terminal bearing the above destination sign Murwillumbah 605. This is on the far north coast of New South Wales, a nine hour drive from Sydney , 90 minutes from Brisbane , which under the coronavirus travel restrictions is a no go destination for Queenslanders .None of those waiting for a bus had thought to pack a toothbrush for an interstate getaway.
Asked where he was going , the driver said Pallarenda , a Townsville suburb . When told he was showing Murwillimbah , he got out , checked the destination , changed the indicator . Wearing a mask , behind a glass shield , the driver of the next bus then told passengers entering the smartly fitted out vehicle he was not taking any money . Our waterfront scribe says he has noticed a number of new buses in Townsville and one on Magnetic Island and suggests the mainland media should go for a ride and pick up a story one day .
Point of interest : Captain Cook sailed by what became Murwillimbah on the Tweed River in 1770 , naming Mount Warning , and then went on to name Magnetical Island .
