The opening of the much-anticipated Gympie Bypass will see traffic diverted around the Queensland town. How this will impact businesses there is still unknown.
Among those businesses in Gympie is the popular Gold Nugget Truck Stop on the Bruce Highway, which has been a mainstay of the town for over 30 years.
Just hours before the bypass opened late on Tuesday night, Big Rigs spoke with roadhouse manager Ken Lavender about how it could impact business.
“There are of course some concerns, but we’ve known this was going to happen for quite some time, so we have put plans in place,” he said.
The Gold Nugget incorporates an old-school restaurant, service station, truck parking, truck driver facilities and caravan park.
“With the road network the way it is, we’re hoping that trucks can still come off the highway and continue heading north to us, and we’re hoping they’ll be able to easily access us when coming from the south too,” Lavender added.
“If we don’t get the support, there may need to be changes to staffing and operating hours but we’re hopeful that it will all be okay. The Gold Nugget has been around a long time, and it’s well known and loved by the trucking community.
“Most of the truck drivers we’ve spoken to over the years have said they still plan on stopping here – but we won’t know the ramifications until the bypass opens.”
Lavender says the charm and character of the roadhouse, coupled with the old style home cooked meals, have kept customers coming back.
“That’s what makes us unique in the market and unique to Queensland. We’ve supported the trucking industry and we hope they’ll continue to support us too.”
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