Starting from the horse and buggy in the 1880s to this modern age, transport has always been very important to Muttaburra and its district due to the isolation and the fact there is no public transport.
Teamsters who met the needs of the first settlers camped near the water-hole at Muttaburra and so the township grew as tradesmen made it their home.
Muttaburra’s initial mail service came by Cobb & Co bi-weekly from Bogantungan in the early 1880s. Since then it has been serviced from Prairie, Aramac, Hughenden, and Longreach with all different modes of transport.
The cartage of wool was one of the main export items to be carried out of Muttaburra by dray a few bales a load in the early days, to today when a fully loaded semi carries about 270 bales. Muttaburra has never been self-sufficient and so all items must come in by some form of transport.
As well as produce in and out of this has advanced over the years too. The first European’s arrived in a horse drawn buggy. Gordon Lee made a great impact on the transport into Muttaburra when he commenced Somerset Airways in 1950 making Muttaburra accessible during the wet season by air. He also owned Somerset Garage.
Today bitumen roads to the east and the improvement in the bridges, gravel roads and vehicles help beat the tyranny of distance.
