Community donations help Greenvale Roadhouse support stranded travellers, truckies

While dozens of people were stranded at a NQ roadhouse during the flooding event, a single donation kickstarted a ripple of generosity which spread across Australia. See what happened.

Greenvale Roadhouse owners Dan and Julie Condon have appreciated the support that they received from the community to support stranded truckies and travellers. Picture: Pony Express Photography.

While dozens of travellers were stranded at Greenvale Roadhouse during the 2025 flooding event, all it took was one donation to kickstart a ripple of generosity which spread across Australia, proving that the worst situations can bring out the best in people.

As this month’s deluge lifted river heights and severed roads on the western side of the Great Dividing Range, the family-owned Greenvale Roadhouse stepped up as a vital hub for dozens of stranded travellers and truckies.

It was a baptism of fire for mother-of-four Julie Condon, who purchased the roadhouse last December with her husband Dan, who had been away mustering when the monsoon struck.

When the first round of rain cut the roads, she said the stranded travellers were really positive and they had plenty of food, but “then the second lot of rain came through (mid-last week) and it got very serious”.

“We had 50 to 60 trucks here at one point … and 30 to 40 family vehicles … all just sitting with nowhere to go, nothing to do, and at that point, I was pretty concerned about what we had foodwise,” Ms Condon said.

The lineup of trucks at Basalt Creek, Gregory Developmental Road (Greenvale – Charters Towers) on February 7. Picture: Terence Swemmer.

“Feeding people was never a problem, it was probably more charging people – I didn’t really like that part, because I knew everyone was stuck.”

With their electricity supply severed for eight days, she offered their generator-powered house as a place where travellers could take care of their kids, shower, and do their washing.

Stranded travellers and truckies were still in high spirits at the Greenvale Roadhouse on February 9, thanks to generosity from the community. Picture: Supplied.

Stranded travellers gathered at the Greenvale Roadhouse on February 9, appreciating donations from the community. Picture: Supplied.

When a generous truckie offered $200 to pay for coffees, they posted about it onto social media, which kicked off a “massive” outpouring of generosity from the Australian public.

They received help setting up a PayID account to collect almost $6000 in donations which was distributed as food, drinks, and supplies to lift the spirits of the stranded travellers.

“It was very full on and amazing. The truck drivers were so positive, and they just were patient and knew they had to get through,” she said.

The Burdekin River on Hervey Range Road, Greenvale on February 9. Picture: Supplied.

“Everyone was doing what they had to do and chipped in … it definitely gave me faith in humanity.”

Although the sun was peaking out of the clouds, and east coast roads were reopening, she said they were still not out of the woods, with roads still cut around the area, there was still $1500 left in the kitty to support those in need over the coming weeks.

Stranded travellers gathered at the Greenvale Roadhouse on February 9, appreciating donations from the community. Picture: Supplied.

Ms Condon called for political leaders to put better systems in place like improved signage, Google Maps warnings, or public messaging to discourage travellers from attempting journeys when they could be cut off by rising rivers without adequate provisions.

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Originally published as Community donations help Greenvale Roadhouse support stranded travellers, truckies