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Cooladdi, located approximately nine hours west of Brisbane, is currently on the market for less than half the average cost of a unit in Queensland’s bustling capital.
Carol Yarrow and Jo Cornel, the town’s sole residents, manage the local roadhouse.
This establishment serves multiple roles, functioning as the community’s post office, pub, café, and general store, and it regularly welcomes both travelers and nearby graziers.
“It’s never lonely here, as locals and travelers stop by daily,” Carol shared with nine.com.au.
“We often say there’s never a dull moment,” she added.
Carol and Jo are ending a three-year tenure in Cooladdi.
“I am ready to retire, and Jo would like to return to Brisbane to be closer to family,” Carol said.
Keeping the place going means covering a bit of everything – the Foxtrap handles food, accommodation, and the day-to-day running of the town, as well as practical tasks such as ensuring deliveries reach nearby properties.
Asked her favourite memory from the past three years, Yarrow couldn’t choose just one.
She recalled evenings when locals and travellers gathered for State of Origin and Australia Day, enjoying Giant Jenga as music and laughter filled the venue.
Cooladdi hasn’t always been so small. It was once a railway town with around 270 residents, complete with a school, a police station, and a butcher.
These days, however, the Foxtrap remains the hub for the wider district.
“Cooladdi is a special place to a lot of people,” Carol says, pointing to both its role in the community and its history.
For anyone thinking about taking it on, it comes down to attitude.
“Whoever comes in needs to have a love of the outback or be able to adapt – and a happy disposition at the bar is always important,” she says.
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