Peak Downs Highway
The Peak Downs Highway links the towns of Mackay and Clermont in the Australian state of Queensland.[1] It represents the main link between Queensland's Whitsunday Coast and the Central West region of the state. The highway runs for a total length of 266 kilometres (165 mi), before joining the Gregory Highway (Highway A7, formerly Highway 55) south to Clermont, a total of 283 kilometres (176 mi).[2] Major settlements served by this route include Walkerston, Nebo, Moranbah (10 kilometres (6.2 mi) north of the highway, but the largest town along the route) and Clermont.
Peak Downs Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Peak Downs Highway depicted in green on black. | |
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 283 km (176 mi) |
| Route number(s) |  State Route 70 |
| Major junctions | |
| East end |  Bruce Highway, Mackay, Queensland |
| |
| West end |  Clermont Alpha Road (State Route 41), Clermont, Queensland |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Moranbah, Nebo, Eton |
| Highway system | |
Highway conditions
The highway is notorious for the extremely dangerous conditions caused by its service as a primary access route for workers, fuel, machinery and other supplies to the coal mines of the Bowen Basin. The narrow two-lane highway is often congested with oversize loads (e.g. mining haul-trucks, dozers and excavators, tyres and buckets) and road trains, which presents a significant hazard and frustration to fatigued long-haul commuters (Drive-in, Drive-out mine workers) on the road.
Upgrades
The Northern Australia Roads Program announced in 2016 included the following project for the Peak Downs Highway.
Pavement widening and strengthening
The project for pavement widening and strengthening between Clermont and Nebo is expected to be complete in late 2022 at a total cost of $35 million.[3]
Major intersections
| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mackay | West Mackay, Paget, Ooralea tripoint | 0 | 0.0 | Bruce Highway (Queensland Highway A1) - south - Sarina / north-east - Mackay | North-eastern end of Peak Downs Highway (State Route 70) |
| Racecourse, Te Kowai midpoint | 2.7 | 1.7 | Mackay Ring Road - north - Glenella south - Bakers Creek | No entry from Mackay Ring Road northbound. | |
| Alexandra | 6.4 | 4.0 |  — Mackay–Eungella Road (State Route 64) - north-west - Marian | ||
| Eton | 25.1 | 15.6 |  Marian Eton Road (State Route 5) - north-west - Marian | Eastern concurrency terminus with State Route 5 | |
| 25.8 | 16.0 | Eton Homebush Road (State Route 5) - south-east - Homebush | Western concurrency terminus with State Route 5 | ||
| Isaac | Nebo | 82 | 51 |  Suttor Developmental Road (State Route 11) - west - Mount Coolon | |
| Strathfield, Oxford midpoint | 117 | 73 |  Fitzroy Developmental Road (State Route 67) - south - Dingo | ||
| Clermont | 266 | 165 |  Gregory Highway (State Route A7) - south - Clermont town centre /north - Charters Towers | Northern concurrency terminus with Gregory Highway | |
| 280 | 170 | Gregory Highway (State Route A7) - south-east - Emerald | Southern concurrency terminus with Gregory Highway | ||
| 283 | 176 | Clermont Alpha Road (State Route 41) - west - Alpha | South-western end of Peak Downs Highway | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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References
- 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. 10–11. ISBN 978-1-86500-456-3.
- "Peak Downs Highway (Clermont - Nebo) Wuthung Road to Caval Ridge Pavement Widening and Strengthening". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 18 June 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
