Cattle on North West roads.

TommyG · Senior Member

Cattle on North West roads.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

been happening for years now. Its also a problem inland north of Kalgoorlie and all through the central area. If its not cattle, its sheep or goats - in some places theyre much worse than roos etc as farmers herd their stock together and close to the roads.

Ive seen full sized steers and bulls that have (hopefully) been hit by a very large truck and killed. The bad thing is theyre left lying across the road and often the carcass is intact - which makes its so much more dangerous for other motorists.

A rule of thumb is if there hasn't been rain for some time in the area, the grass along the roadside it tempting for both the farmer and his stock

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Grazing the long acre.? Keep in mind some roads are cattle routes ..

http://www.qld.gov.au/environment/land/stock-routes/about/

-- Edited by Aus-Kiwi on Sunday 7th of June 2015 10:48:05 PM

aussietraveller · Guru

Travelled the Barkley Hwy some 20 years ago and the number of dead cattle was to the level where we wondered how the farmers could survive when loosing so many of their animals. We crossed again twelve months ago and only saw four dead cattle and one horse in the whole length of the Barkley, but it always pays to drive with both eyes wide open and at a speed that will allow you to avoid animals on the road.

Bruce and Bev · Guru

I agree with you Dave about travelling at a speed that is safe. The problem is many farm animals and roos etc blend in perfectly with the scrub or grass and can be impossible to see until the last minute or they run or hop at high speed across the road and you don't even see them till theyre in front of you or about to be.

That's why I don't drive at dawn or dusk to minimize the risk when roos and the like become more active

PeterD · Guru

Nothing new about unfenced paddocks. They have been there since the early 1800s. What is new is the city slickers who have not experienced this before.

The hardest thing to pick is not the animals who are upright. The roads are nice and warm at night time compared with the paddocks. This attracts the cattle to sleep on the roads, they are much harder to see..

Murraman · Senior Member

I recently was heading from Manilla to Barraba NSW with a Golf cart in tow when coming out of a bend into a straight there were about 5 or 6 cows on the road in a 100 zone which I was doing, No signage. I crapped myself and stood on the anchors but I knew I wasn't going to stop in time, Luckily I weaved through them as I was slowing. The gent behind with a golf cart also had trouble, There were no signs warning about it but a farmer was with them.

Coming back later that day he had signs out about it. In hindsight I should have informed the police.

03_Troopy · Guru

I got a small steer about 120K east of Wilcannia last Monday night about 7:30 pm. Was only doing between 80 and 90 KPH at the time due to all the roos and goats on the road, so was lucky not to do too much damage to the vehicle. Killed the poor steer though.

Wizardofoz · Guru

Murraman wrote:
I recently was heading from Manilla to Barraba NSW with a Golf cart in tow when coming out of a bend into a straight there were about 5 or 6 cows on the road in a 100 zone which I was doing, No signage. I crapped myself and stood on the anchors but I knew I wasn't going to stop in time, Luckily I weaved through them as I was slowing. The gent behind with a golf cart also had trouble, There were no signs warning about it but a farmer was with them.

Coming back later that day he had signs out about it. In hindsight I should have informed the police.

Had exactly the same thing happen to me, around a bend and wacko, a herd of cattle roaming along the road only 100 metres or so in front of me, luckily I managed to stop in time....very dangerous and very bad practice by the farmer sitting in his ute beside the road.