Gregory Highway
The Gregory Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia that serves the major coal-mining centres of Central Queensland.[2] The highway was named after Augustus Gregory, an early explorer.
Gregory Highway Gregory Developmental Road | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Gregory Highway (yellow on black), Gregory Developmental Road (green on black) | |
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 930 km (578 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Former route number |  National Route 55(Charters Towers – Springsure) |
| Major junctions | |
| North end |  Gulf Developmental Road (National Route 1), Mount Surprise, Queensland |
| |
| South end |  Dawson Highway (State Highway A7), Springsure, Queensland |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Charters Towers, Belyando, Clermont, Emerald |
| Highway system | |
Route description
The highway runs southward from Quartz Blow Creek, a point 31 kilometres (19 mi) west of Mount Surprise on the Gulf Developmental Road, via Charters Towers, to Springsure, over 900 kilometres (560 mi) away.[3] The northern section of 756 kilometres (470 mi) is designated by the state government as the Gregory Developmental Road. The shorter southern section between Clermont and Springsure (174 kilometres (108 mi)) is designated the Gregory Highway. As of 2015, the first 120 kilometres (75 mi) between the Gulf Developmental Road via Einasleigh to the Lynd Junction are unsealed and may be corrugated. The next section to Charters Towers has been upgraded from single lane to mostly dual-laned bitumen.[3] The road is used by many road trains.
High quality road section
Example of poorer quality road section
Northern Australia Beef Roads upgrades
The Northern Australia Beef Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project for the Gregory Developmental Road.
Road widening
The project to widen the road south of Charters Towers is expected to be completed in early 2023 at a total cost of $5.79 million.[4]
Roads of Strategic Importance upgrades
The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the Gregory Highway.
Corridor upgrade
A lead project to upgrade the Townsville to Roma corridor, including sections of the Carnarvon, Dawson and Gregory Highways and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $125 million, commenced construction of some work projects in 2020. Planning continues for other projects.[5]
Intersection upgrade Capricorn Highway
A project to upgrade the intersection with the Capricorn Highway in Emerald at a cost of $7.9 million is scheduled for completion in mid-2023.[6] This project was targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.[7]
Pavement strengthening and widening
A project to strengthen and widen sections of pavement on the Gregory Developmental Road between Charters Towers and The Lynd at a cost of $15.3 million is planned to be completed in mid-2023.[8] This project is targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.[7]
Other upgrades
A project to widen and strengthen 7 kilometres (4.3 mi) of pavement between Marble Creek and Christmas Creek, at a cost of $45.41 million, was due to be completed in late 2023.[9]
A project to upgrade a culvert near Porphyry Road, at a cost of $5,1 million, was due to be completed in late 2023.[9]
Proposals
The Queensland Inland Freight Route is a proposal to upgrade the existing highways from Charters Towers to Mungindi. This would involve significant upgrades to the Gregory Highway between Charters Towers and Springsure.
List of towns along the Gregory Developmental Road/Highway
Major intersections
| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etheridge | Mount Surprise | 0 | 0.0 | Gulf Developmental Road (National Route 1) – west – Georgetown / east – Mount Surprise | Northern end of Gregory Developmental Road (No route number) |
| Conjuboy | 120 | 75 |  Kennedy Developmental Road (State Route 62) – west, then south – Hughenden / east – Greenvale | Western concurrency terminus with Kennedy Developmental Road | |
| 123 | 76 | Kennedy Developmental Road (State Route 62) – north – Mount Garnet | Eastern concurrency terminus with Kennedy Developmental Road | ||
| 123 | 76 | Kennedy Developmental Road (State Route 62) – north – Mount Garnet | Gregory Developmental Road continues south-east as State Route 63 | ||
| Charters Towers | Basalt | 284 | 176 |  Hervey Range Road (State Route 72) – east – Hervey Range | |
| Charters Towers | 382 | 237 |  Flinders Highway (State Route A6) – east – Townsville | Northern concurrency terminus with Flinders Highway / Gregory Developmental Road continues south-west through Charters Towers | |
| Black Jack | 390 | 240 | Flinders Highway (State Route A6) – west – Pentland | Southern concurrency terminus with Flinders Highway | |
| 390 | 240 | Flinders Highway (State Route A6) – west – Pentland | Gregory Developmental Road continues south as State Route A7.[1] | ||
| Isaac | Belyando | 588 | 365 |  Bowen Developmental Road (State Route 77) – east – Mount Coolon | |
| Clermont | 741 | 460 |  Peak Downs Highway (State Route 70) – east – Nebo | Northern concurrency terminus with Peak Downs Highway | |
| 755 | 469 | Peak Downs Highway (State Route 70) – south – Clermont | Southern concurrency terminus with Peak Downs Highway / Gregory Highway continues east as State Route A7 | ||
| Central Highlands | Emerald | 862 | 536 |  Capricorn Highway (State Route A4) – west – Alpha | Western concurrency terminus with Capricorn Highway |
| 864 | 537 | Capricorn Highway (State Route A4) – east – Blackwater | Eastern concurrency terminus with Capricorn Highway | ||
| Springsure | 930 | 580 | Dawson Highway (State Route A7) – south–east – Rolleston | Southern end of Gregory Highway / State Route A7 continues south-east as Dawson Highway | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
References
- "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 5 December 2019.
- Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads - Maps
- Hema, Maps (2007). Australia Road and 4WD Atlas (Map). Eight Mile Plains Queensland: Hema Maps. pp. 10&13. ISBN 978-1-86500-456-3.
- "Gregory Developmental Road - South of Charters Towers - Widening". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 20 September 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- "Townsville to Roma Corridor Upgrade". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- "Capricorn Highway and Gregory Highway Intersection Upgrade (Emerald)". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 17 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- "ROSI early works package" (PDF). Queensland Government. 29 April 2020. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- "Gregory Developmental Road (Charters Towers - The Lynd) - Feeder Road - Pavement Strengthening and Widening". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 24 May 2021. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
- "Gregory Developmental Road (Charters Towers - Lynd), package of works". Queensland Government. 22 November 2021. Retrieved 22 June 2022.