A piece of interesting history which included volunteer workers from the Freestone area, was the construction of the first road over Cunningham’s Gap.
Mr Albert Cox, a councillor and chairman of Glengallan Shire Council and the then MLA for Warwick, Mr G P Barnes, were having difficulty convincing those in authority that Cunningham’s Gap was a better site for a road than the one then being used over Spicer’s Gap, as the road over Spicer’s Gap appeared to be much steeper than the way they were proposing over Cunningham’s Gap. Albert and George Cox had for many years been hauling timber from the slopes of Cunningham’s Gap with their bullock team. They had also done much work in the Spicer’s Gap area and it was this experience which showed them that Cunningham’s Gap was the best way to go.
A group of volunteer workers worked of a weekend, removing trees and making a passable road. These volunteers were Albert Cox, George Cox, Ned Cox, Christie Mauch, Dave Mauch, Jim Shelley, and the Rettke Bros from Yangan. When the road was complete, two Buick cars, one owned by Mr Barnes, and the other owned by Mr Bretts, a service station owner from Warwick, made the journey down the mountain and back to the top again. The occupants of the cars were Mr Barnes and his son and Mr Bretts.
By completing this work, they were able to prove their point that this was a much more acceptable road and is the was we now all take for granted each time we travel to Brisbane, giving little thought to the struggle and effort of the volunteers who paved the way. Several members of the families of the volunteers returned to Cunningham’s Gap after the whole of the road was opened and the cairn erected to the memory of Allan Cunningham. They can be seen in the photo enjoying their day.
