2018 is the first full year the Brown Signs website has been online, with over 210 destinations by the end of the year. We look at the ten destinations that attracted the most attention during the year. Understandably, many have been listed for all or most of the year so they have been accumulating views longer than others. A few have come in during the year and became popular to push a few out of the list. During 2018 we had our first brown sign destination removed from the maps, yet it still made this list.
1. 7 Mile Diggings
7 Mile Diggings was by far the most popular destination with over 13% of all destination views. 7 Mile Diggings, also known as Seven Mile Diggings, was a popular 4wd destination until it was closed for 4wd access. It is still open to visit and with a permit camp at the top of the hill (yes, before going onto the off-road tracks) to wander around and look at the historical diggings site. High interest for 7 Mile Diggings has continued through the whole year with the most attention in December.
2. Boonah via White Swamp
Boonah via White Swamp has attracted a lot of interest, possibly because there is not a lot of information around about it. White Swamp was erased from the maps for many years until it was reinstated in 2006 as a rural place. The town doesn’t exist, however, there is the White Swamp Cemetery as the remaining remnant of the town. Where the cemetery is located is still unknown to us. If you know where the cemetery is and how to get to it, we would like to hear from you. White Swamp is the only destination outside of Queensland to make the list this year.
3. Ficks Crossing
Ficks Crossing has been a popular destination and interest in it has been increasing throughout the year. A free camp near a wide freshwater creek great for swimming, paddle boating, and fishing, it is a great spot for spending a day with the family or an overnight stop travelling through.
4. Mt Ngungun
One of the most popular and accessible peaks to climb in the Glass House Mountains, Mt Ngungun is the first on this list that hasn’t been available for the whole year. A significant portion of the interest has on how to pronounce it. An Aboriginal word, g is silent with the correct pronunciation ‘noo-noo’. If you speak to locals, they will likely correct you to ‘gun-gun’. Whichever pronunciation used, the walk to the peak of Mt Ngungun is well rewarded with views of the other peaks that can’t be had from anywhere else.
5. Dingo Fence
Dingo Fence is the start the 5,600km fence starting near Jandowae in Queensland and ending in South Australia, the longest man-made structure in the world. There is a lot of interest in the dingo barrier fence, in particular on where it is, where it starts, and where it ends.
6. Bora Ring
Bora Rings attract attention in general, a ceremonial location used by Aboriginals. With the Bora Ring brown sign destination near Coolabunia being the only bora ring on our website, it has received some of that attention. The site is in disrepair and difficult to spot with signage missing or destroyed, and as such, the directions on our website has assisted others who have had difficulty to locate the site.
7. Schmeiders Cooperage
Schmeiders Cooperage attracted a lot of attention earlier in the year, the 2nd most popular from April to July. Interest from August onwards dropped significantly, it wouldn’t make the top 20 if we looked only at the second half of the year. The brown sign for the historical cooperage was blanked out sometime before September when we visited the nearby Bundaberg Rum Distillery. The removal of the brown sign may explain the drop in interest we have seen on the Brown Signs website. Schmeiders Cooperage is the first brown sign destination to be archived and removed from the general maps. Nevertheless, it managed to make it on our top 10 list.
8. Bigriggan Reserve
Bigriggan Reserve is a paid camping reserve along a freshwater river with grassy campgrounds. Bigriggan Reserve was the most popular brown sign destination on the website March, replacing nearby Flanagan Reserve the month before. 7 Mile Diggings just beat it in April before it became the top destination every month since.
9. Yatala Pie Shop
Yatala Pie Shop hasn’t been the most popular at any time but it has been consistent since it was added to the brown signs website. Had we looked only during the months Yatala Pies were on the website it would have been a couple of places further up the list. With a long history in Brisbane, Yatala Pies is on the Queensland Q150 Icons list, although I think it is safe to say most stop there for the pies, not the history. The most common query coming into the brown signs website is asking if Yatala Pies have gluten-free pies. Yes, they do.
10. Churchbank Weir Reserve
The final brown sign destination to make the list, Churchbank Weir Reserve is another part-year destination and has been popular soon after it was available. Churchbank Weir Reserve is a free camp not too far from Brisbane, especially if you are on the south side. The weir is downstream from the reserve, so the water in the creek beside the camping area is plentiful. Another destination great for freshwater fishing and paddle craft.
