Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road is a continuous road route in the

Gladstone William Ewart Gladstone ( ; 29 December 1809 – 19 May 1898) was a British statesman and Liberal politician. In a career lasting over 60 years, he served for 12 years as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, spread over four non-conse ...

region of

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. The route is signed as State Route 58. Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road (number 181) is a state-controlled regional road. As part of State Route 58 it provides an alternate route between and . It is also part of the shortest route from to the north of the state.

Route Description

The Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road commences as Glenlyon Street at an intersection with the

Dawson Highway The Dawson Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia. It runs for between Gladstone and Springsure where it terminates. From Gladstone to Rolleston it is signed as State Route 60, and then A7 onwards to Springsure. It continues west f ...

in . It runs north-west, becoming Hanson Road, turning west and then south-west before crossing Auckland Creek into . After crossing a branch of Auckland Creek it runs north-west, passing the

Gladstone Power Station The Gladstone Power Station is a power station at Callemondah, Gladstone, Queensland, Australia. It is Queensland's largest power station, with six coal powered steam turbines generating a maximum of 1,680 MW of electricity. Power from ...

and crossing the

Calliope River The Calliope River is a river located in Central Queensland, Australia. The river rises in the Calliope Range inland from the industrial port city of Gladstone, flows past the town of Calliope, before emptying into the Pacific Ocean just north o ...

and its

anabranch An anabranch is a section of a river or stream that diverts from the main channel or stem of the watercourse and rejoins the main stem downstream. Local anabranches can be the result of small islands in the watercourse. In larger anabranches, th ...

, before entering . The road continues north-west as Hanson Road until it comes to an intersection with Landing Road, where it changes to Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road. This soon turns south-west and crosses the

railway line Rail terminology is a form of technical terminology. The difference between the American term ''railroad'' and the international term ''railway'' (used by the International Union of Railways and English-speaking countries outside the United Sta ...

as it enters . It follows the railway line to the west through Aldoga and then parallels it north-west along the south-western boundary before meeting the

Bruce Highway The Bruce Highway is a major highway in Queensland, Australia. Commencing in the state capital, Brisbane, it passes through areas close to the eastern coast on its way to Cairns in Far North Queensland. The route is part of the Australian Na ...

in Mount Larcom. lies just north of the road, and lies to the south. Land uses along this road include residential, industrial and rural, including some areas of native vegetation.

State Route 58

State Route 58 follows a number of separately named roads from Benaraby to Gladstone, and from Gladstone to Mount Larcom. It is a slightly longer alternative to the Bruce Highway. It leaves the Bruce Highway at Benaraby and follows the

Gladstone–Benaraby Road Gladstone–Benaraby Road is a continuous road route in the Gladstone region of Queensland, Australia. Much of the route is signed as State Route 58. Gladstone–Benaraby Road (number 185) is a state-controlled regional road. As part of Stat ...

north. In South Gladstone it turns west on Philip Street and then north on Glenlyon Road, which soon becomes Glenlyon Street. It passes the north-eastern end of the Dawson Highway in Gladstone Central and then turns west as Hanson Road. This runs generally west until it reaches Yarwun, where it changes to Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road, which continues south-west, west, and north-west until it reaches the Bruce Highway at Mount Larcom.

Road condition

Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road is fully sealed. It has a distance of about with an incline greater than 5%.

History

The area where Gladstone now stands was the site of a short-lived convict settlement in 1847. In 1853 a new town was surveyed, and the next year a government agent was appointed, resulting in an influx of free settlers as land became available throughout the region. The first school opened in 1861, and the town became a

Municipality A municipality is usually a single administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality'' may also mean the go ...

in 1863. Development was slow until 1893 when a meatworks was established. The railway line arrived in 1897. In January 1854, the New South Wales government proclaimed two new districts: Port Curtis (based on Gladstone) and Leichhardt (later renamed Fitzroy, based on Rockhampton). This released vast amounts of good grazing land for selection. Pastoral runs were soon taken up in these areas, leading to the cutting of tracks suitable for wheeled vehicles from the commercial centres to the properties. One such track was the forerunner of the Dawson Highway, while others formed the basis of what eventually became the Bruce Highway. Until the forerunner of the Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road was built, with its four bridges, the shortest route from Gladstone to Mount Larcom was via , about further than the current route. Mount Larcom

pastoral run A pastoral lease, sometimes called a pastoral run, is an arrangement used in both Australia and New Zealand where government-owned Crown land is leased out to graziers for the purpose of livestock grazing on rangelands. Australia Pastoral lea ...

was established as a sheep station in 1855, and the Targinia run, in Targinnie to the east, opened in 1863 and became a fruit farm, later adding sheep to its products. After several years of armed conflict with Aboriginal people, closer settlement began in the Mount Larcom district, with the first school opening in 1882. The railway line from Gladstone to Rockhampton opened in 1903, and schools were opened in Targinnie and Yarwun in 1902 and 1906 respectively. Both before and after the arrival of the railway there was a growing demand for a more direct and more reliable road connection to Gladstone. This was eventually achieved with the opening of the initial version of the Gladstone–Mount Larcom Road.

Major intersections

All distances are from Google Maps. The entire road is in the

local government area.

References