| Road Name: | Marlborough–Sarina Road |
| Road Name2: | (Inland route) |
| State: | qld |
| Type: | road |
| Length: | 243 |
| Direction A: | South |
| Exits: |
|
| Direction B: | North |
Marlborough–Sarina Road is a state-controlled district road (number 512) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] [3] It runs from the Bruce Highway in, via an inland route, to the Bruce Highway in, a distance of 243km (151miles). It was part of the Bruce Highway until 1982.[4]
Marlborough–Sarina Road starts at an intersection with the Bruce Highway in Marlborough. It runs southwest and west as Marlborough Road through the localities of Marlborough and Mount Gardiner, where it passes the exit to Duaringa–Apis Creek Road to the south. Next it turns northwest as Marlborough–Sarina Road through Clarke Creek, where it passes the exit to May Downs Road to the southwest. Continuing northwest through Lotus Creek it passes the exit to St Lawrence–Croydon Road to the northeast. Turning north it passes through Oxford, crossing Funnel Creek as it enters Nebo.
It passes the exit to Oxford Downs–Sarina Road to the southwest before turning northeast through Nebo and into Blue Mountain, where it passes the exit to Blue Mountain Road to the northwest. Turning east it enters Sarina Range, where it passes the exit to Koumala–Bolingbroke Road to the southeast. Turning northeast it continues through Sarina Range and into Sarina, where it ends at an intersection with the Bruce Highway.
The road provides access to the rural communities along its route and on intersecting roads. It also facilitates cross traffic between the Bruce Highway, Capricorn Highway, Fitzroy Developmental Road, and Peak Downs Highway.
By 1860 a track from Gladstone to Bowen included a section from Marlborough to St Lawrence, but it ran inland from St Lawrence and did not proceed along the coast to Sarina. A likely route for the section of track from St Lawrence to Nebo is attached. A few years later a track through low-lying swampy country was established from St Lawrence to Sarina and Mackay. By the late 1800s this track had become a widely used but difficult coach road. In the 1920s motorists began using this road.[5]
In 1940 the coast road was still in poor condition and it was decided to build a sealed inland road from Marlborough to the Sarina–Clermont Road (now the Oxford Downs–Sarina Road) near the location of Wandoo pastoral station. Progress was slow, but by 1949 a track had been cleared and some bridges built. Bitumen sealing commenced in the early 1950s. Work continued until 1962, when the bitumen seal was completed, but much of it was only to a width of 3.6metres. This was the first sealed road from Marlborough to Sarina and became part of the National Highway. Between 1962 and 1973 the widening of bitumen seal and narrow bridges was undertaken.[5]
In the mid 1950s the road was used for the Round Australia Reliability Trials, where many cars suffered damage, particularly on undeveloped, rocky, low level creek crossings. This led to the press labelling the road a "Horror Stretch". In the 1960s several murders and shootings occurred along the road, further enhancing its "bad" reputation.[5]
In 1974 it was decided that the coast road would be upgraded to highway standard to become part of the National Highway, and funding was transferred to that project. On 29 October 1982 the upgraded coast road was opened as part of the National Highway.[6] [4]
All distances are from Google Maps. The road is within the Livingstone, Isaac and Mackay local government areas.
The following state-controlled roads intersect with this road:
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| Duaringa–Apis Creek Road (Apis Creek Road) | |
| Location: | Duaringa Connection Road, Duaringa to Marlborough–Sarina Road, Mount Gardiner |
| Length Km: | 104 |
Duaringa–Apis Creek Road (Apis Creek Road) is a state-controlled district road (number 5101), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] [3] It runs from Duaringa Connection Road in to Marlborough–Sarina Road in, a distance of 104km (65miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| May Downs Road | |
| Location: | Marlborough–Sarina Road, Clarke Creek to Fitzroy Developmental Road, May Downs |
| Length Km: | 69.6 |
May Downs Road is a state-controlled district road (number 5122), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] It runs from Marlborough–Sarina Road in to Fitzroy Developmental Road in, a distance of 69.6km (43.2miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| St Lawrence–Croydon Road | |
| Location: | Bruce Highway, St Lawrence to Marlborough–Sarina Road, Lotus Creek |
| Length Km: | 44.2 |
St Lawrence–Croydon Road is a state-controlled district road (number 5124), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] It runs from the Bruce Highway in to Marlborough–Sarina Road in, a distance of 44.2km (27.5miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads, but it connects at its eastern end with St Lawrence Connection Road.
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| Oxford Downs–Sarina Road | |
| Location: | Peak Downs Highway, Strathfield to Marlborough–Sarina Road, Nebo |
| Length Km: | 27.5 |
Oxford Downs–Sarina Road is a state-controlled district road (number 514), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] It runs from the Peak Downs Highway in to Marlborough–Sarina Road in, a distance of 27.5km (17.1miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| Blue Mountain Road | |
| Location: | Marlborough–Sarina Road, Blue Mountain to Peak Downs Highway, Blue Mountain |
| Length Km: | 28.4 |
Blue Mountain Road is a state-controlled district road (number 5127), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] It runs from Marlborough–Sarina Road in to the Peak Downs Highway in Blue Mountain, a distance of 28.4km (17.6miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| Koumala–Bolingbroke Road | |
| Location: | Bruce Highway, Koumala to Marlborough–Sarina Road, Sarina Range |
| Length Km: | 23.6 |
Koumala–Bolingbroke Road is a state-controlled district road (number 5126), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] It runs from the Bruce Highway in to Marlborough–Sarina Road in, a distance of 23.6km (14.7miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.
The following state-controlled roads are linked to intersecting state-controlled roads:
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| Duaringa Connection Road | |
| Location: | Duaringa–Apis Creek Road, Duaringa to Capricorn Highway, Duaringa |
| Length Km: | 0.85 |
Duaringa Connection Road is a state-controlled district road (number 515), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [3] It runs from Duaringa–Apis Creek Road in to the Capricorn Highway in Duaringa, a distance of 0.85km (00.53miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.
| Country: | AUS |
| State: | QLD |
| St Lawrence Connection Road | |
| Location: | Bruce Highway, St Lawrence to Macartney Street, St Lawrence |
| Length Km: | 6.9 |
St Lawrence Connection Road is a state-controlled district road (number 858), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[1] [2] It runs from the Bruce Highway in to Macartney Street in St Lawrence, a distance of 6.9km (04.3miles). It has no intersections with other state-controlled roads.