Hervey Range Developmental Road Explained

Road Name:Hervey Range Developmental Road
Road Name2:Hervey Range Road
State:qld
Type:rural road
Length:125
Route:
  • Entire route
Direction A:East
End A: Thuringowa Drive, and
Ross River Road, Kirwan
Exits:
Direction B:West
End B: Gregory Highway,
Through:,

Hervey Range Developmental Road (alternate spellings: "Herveys", "Hervey's") is a continuous 125km (78miles) road route in the Townsville and Charters Towers local government areas of Queensland, Australia. It is designated as State Route 72. It is a state-controlled regional road (number 83A).[1] [2]

Route description

The road commences as Hervey Range Road (State Route 72) at an intersection with Garbutt–Upper Ross Road (Thuringowa Drive / Riverway Drive) and Ross River Road (see below), on a mid-point of and . State Route 72 continues east on Ross River Road. The road proceeds west through Thuringowa Central, passing between Kirwan and, and crossing the Bohle River as it enters . Here it runs under the Bruce Highway at an incomplete diamond interchange. From the start to this point the road has a four-lane divided carriageway, which reverts to two lanes undivided just west of the Bruce Highway.

Continuing west the road passes between and, and then crosses the Alice River, a tributary of the Black River, and follows the boundary between the localities of and . After crossing Scrubby Creek and Canal Creek, passing the exit to Black River Road to the north-east, entering Hervey Range, and crossing Log Creek, the road turns south-east. It runs parallel to the Black River as it approaches the ascent of the Hervey Range. At the peak of the range, following a circuitous climb, it passes through the southern tip of, enters the Charters Towers Region and then continues to the south-east, still in the locality of Hervey Range.[3]

On entering the locality of the road turns to the west. It continues west, passing the exit to Dotswood Road to the south and crossing several creeks and the Star River before reaching the Burdekin River, which it crosses into the locality of . After turning south-west it reaches an intersection with the Gregory Highway, where it ends.

About 2km (01miles) of this road has a gradient greater than 5%, of which 440m (1,440feet) is between 10 and 15%, and 320m (1,050feet) is greater than 15%. The highest point on the road is 421m (1,381feet) and the lowest is 15.2m (49.9feet).[4] The road is fully sealed.[5]

For communities along the Gulf Developmental Road, this road is part of the shortest route to east coast centres from Townsville to .

Road widening

A project to widen more than 3km (02miles) of this road, at a cost of $8.9 million, was to be completed late in 2021.[6]

Ross River Road

Country:AUS
State:QLD
Type:S
Route:72
Ross River Road
Location:Townsville Connection Road (Bowen Road / Charters Towers Road), Mundingburra to Garbutt-Upper Ross Road (Thuringowa Drive / Riverway Drive), Kirwan
Length Km:8.1

Ross River Road is a state-controlled district road (number 612).[1] [2] It starts at an intersection with Townsville Connection Road (Bowen Road / Charters Towers Road) (State Route 17) in . It runs west as State Route 72, crossing Douglas-Garbutt Road (Nathan Street), for 8.1km (05miles) to, where it ends at an intersection with Garbutt–Upper Ross Road (Thuringowa Drive / Riverway Drive), while State Route 72 continues west on Hervey Range Road. The road's only major intersection is with Douglas–Garbutt Road.

History

The original Hervey Range Road, now known as Page Road, was a steep and difficult track. It was constructed in 1865, and was then the only way to travel from Townsville to the west.[7]

Gold was discovered in in 1871.[8] In the period 1872 to 1899 the population grew to about 25,000. The railway opened in 1882, effectively replacing a two-day coach ride from Townsville for new arrivals.[9]

The current Hervey's Range Road (as it was then called) was opened in April, 1933.[10]

Major intersections

All distances are from Google Maps.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: North Queensland region map . 2020 . Department of Transport and Main Roads ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0] . 24 January 2023 .
  2. Web site: Northern district map . 2020 . Department of Transport and Main Roads ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0] . 24 January 2023 .
  3. Hervey Range . Open Street Map . 2022 . 2 February 2023.
  4. Web site: Hervey Range Developmental Road . Bonzle Digital Atlas . 2023 . 2 February 2023.
  5. Web site: The Tropics Trail . Charters Towers Regional Council . 2023 . 2 February 2023.
  6. Web site: Hervey Range Developmental Road (Townsville - Battery), Rupertswood Drive to Black River Road, widen pavement . Queensland Government . 31 January 2023.
  7. Web site: Original Hervey Range Road (Page Road) . tracks.4x4 earth.com . 2023 . 31 January 2023.
  8. http://www.citigold.com/about/charters-towers-story Charters Towers Story
  9. Web site: World History . https://web.archive.org/web/20160525171143/http://www.charterstowers.qld.gov.au/web/charters-towers-redundant/visitors/world_history.shtml . dead . 2016-05-25 . Charters Towers Regional Council . 25 May 2016 . 1 February 2023.
  10. Web site: North Queensland History - Hervey's Range Road . Trisha Fielding . 20 July 2015 . 31 January 2023.