A road train parked up near the popular Gulf Gate Roadhouse in Croyden, Queensland. Main photo: Alf Wilson
Long time operators of the Gulf Gate Roadhouse at remote Croydon heard a “loud bang” the night space rock from a meteor hit terra firma near the town.
Helen and Shane Ellems have operated the popular roadhouse with truckies since it opened in 1986 and said there had been a lot of talk at the roadhouse about the meteor.
“It was about 9.30pm and we heard a big bang like something had exploded,” Helen told Spy of the May 19 phenomenon.
Croydon is a town within the Shire of Croydon in Queensland, located 529km west of Cairns and has a permanent population of about 300.
Helen said many people, including truckies, had stopped at the roadhouse and the meteor was the main topic of conversation.
“But nobody yet seems to know where it landed,” she said.
Whilst truckies are enjoying a home cooked meal at the roadhouse many speculate about the meteor, Spy understands.
Scientists were collating data to determine the fall site of Saturday’s Queensland meteorite.
The meteor, estimated to be a metre across, lit up skies between Mackay and Cairns and west to the Gulf of Carpentaria.
Professor Phil Bland from Curtin University’s School of Earth and Planetary Sciences told the ABC that the sonic boom felt by residents indicated the meteorite could have landed near Croydon.
Croydon Shire Mayor Trevor Pickering said he expected the event to draw prospectors to the town, which has a population of just 266.
“I’ve heard that people may be coming looking for it. There’s got to be bits of it laying around somewhere. Finding the site would be difficult but I would actually like to put a helicopter up and have a bit of a fly around,” Mayor Pickering said.