Last Updated on March 20, 2015 by Red Nomad OZ
At first glance, this sign in Far North Queensland’s Atherton appears to be a fairly standard ‘No Parking’ notice. But is it really? A few deviations, slight, but immediately detectable by your sign-junkie-sleuth MAY show something more sinister…
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Generally, a no-parking area would be signed ‘No Parking Anytime’. Note the difference!
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Available times or other instructions are normally listed underneath – as they are here – but are a little different to ‘normal’ instructions (you may have to enlarge the shot for a closer look)
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AND … not least is the strategic placement. This doesn’t appear to be the usual metal pole used for official signs …
Spooky, huh?!?!
What does it all mean?? Buggered if I know! But here’s a multiple choice questionnaire – put your favourite response in a comment below!
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The town of Atherton is the closet renegade signmaker capital of Australia, if not the world!
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It’s a competition. The first person to a) notice and b) report it and c) in the most creative entry wins a prize! (I’m kinda hoping it’s this one …)
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The track from the Hallorans Hill lookout that wends down through a weird crater, and emerges at this sign is a portal into a parallel universe.
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Disgruntled locals are making a statement that viewers, including hapless travellers and the local council, just can’t ignore!
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The sign directs UFO traffic out of Atherton enabling Wycliffe Well to maintain its proud heritage as UFO capital of Australia, if not the world!
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The nails contain a deadly poison that will subtly do away with the tree – this way no one will suspect why the tree died …
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It’s a modern art installation.
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None of the above! Put the REAL answer in your comment below!!
On second thoughts, I’m not too sure about the parallel universe theory – the superb goods at the FAAABULOUS Atherton Bakery surely couldn’t have been replicated by aliens! If they were – well, all I have to say to that is ‘Beam me up’!
PS Apologies for the poor picture quality – this is what happens when one is trying to be surreptitious about taking pix in a dark, eerie spot with dim eerie light!!
@Manzanita – If that’s the case, maybe the locals haven’t noticed yet!!
@LV – haha! You could be onto something there …
It is probably for the young folks not to park night or day and smooch.
Travellers had an extra home made sign in their trunk and thought of a spontaneous trick. Plus it always allowed them a place to park when they returned.But to do what? Smuggle something??? Oh I love mysteries!!
@River – HHHMMMmmm… you might just be onto something there – my friends would agree with you, that’s for sure!
@Cathy – and maybe that’s all they wanted to achieve!
@Glen – ah c’mon! Now you’re just being practical!!
@Michelle Globetrotter – just btw you, me and the rest of the world, you’re right!
@Mary – Size, shape and placement indicate autos – but it’s in a residential cul de sac. Your theory re ‘disgruntled’ and ‘parking space theft’ is pretty sound though!!
Is the sign actually meant for autos? My guess would be that it was put up by a disgruntled shop owner whose parking spot is taken by interlopers. I must also add I’m not usually right :-). I hope you have a great day. Blessings…Mary
Haha….you can always find such strange things in Queensland 🙂
The sign is there to prove how boring making parking signs is, and how cutting back the costs and making the proof reader redundant was a bad idea
Hmmmm, it does make one stop and think about it.
It’s there to keep curious people wondering and staying still long enough for the aliens to zap in and find out what your brain is all about.
@Toni – Bugger! Here was I looking for inside information!!
@Mrs Tuna – OMIGOD! You’d do that??
@Andrew – Yeah! #5 is my personal fave too!
@Aleah – My hope is that the person who put it there will one day let us all know the REAL reason!
@Windsmoke – it sure did that!!
It’s just an amusing sign to cheer up grumpy people who take life to seriously, No.7 sounds good to me :-).
The line “or any other time for that matter” cracks me up. Why didn’t they just say “No Parking Anytime”? LOL I’m leaning towards reason number 7!
4 or 6 sound plausible, but I like 5.
One of the things I do in my work life is design signing and striping plans for roadway plans. I’ll slip this one in on the next project.
I grew up in the next town over from Atherton, so I can confidently say, I have no idea at all what this sign means.