Gulf Developmental Road is an Australian highway linking the
Cairns
Cairns (, ) is a city in Queensland, Australia, on the tropical north east coast of Far North Queensland. The population in June 2019 was 153,952, having grown on average 1.02% annually over the preceding five years. The city is the 5th-most-p ...
and
Normanton regions in northern
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
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. It is the only sealed (
asphalt
Asphalt, also known as bitumen (, ), is a sticky, black, highly viscous liquid or semi-solid form of petroleum. It may be found in natural deposits or may be a refined product, and is classed as a pitch. Before the 20th century, the term a ...
) road linking these two regions.
In the east, the road begins at an unnamed junction on the southern edge of
Forty Mile Scrub National Park
Forty Mile Scrub is a national park in Queensland (Australia), 224 km drive southwest of Cairns.
Ancient volcanic streams, grass forests, springs, streams, and a preserved isolated pocket of semi-evergreen vines are just some of the conten ...
, 241 km south-west of Cairns. The Gulf Developmental Road runs west before terminating at its junction with the
Burke Developmental Road
The Burke Developmental Road is a Queensland (Australia) developmental road. It links Cloncurry and Normanton in a south–north direction, then turns to the north-east north of Normanton for before turning south-east till Dimbulah, where it ...
7 km south of Normanton, a total distance of 442 km. Towns along the route include
Mount Surprise
Mount Surprise is a rural town and locality in the Shire of Etheridge, Queensland, Australia. In the , the locality of Mount Surprise had a population of 169 people.
Geography
The town is located in the Gulf Savannah in Far North Queensland ...
,
Georgetown and
Croydon
Croydon is a large town in south London, England, south of Charing Cross. Part of the London Borough of Croydon, a local government district of Greater London. It is one of the largest commercial districts in Greater London, with an extensi ...
.
[Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads - Maps]
/ref> There are no other communities along the route, but it passes through the ghost town
Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to:
* Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned
Film and television
* Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser
* Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...
of Cumberland
Cumberland ( ) is a historic county in the far North West England. It covers part of the Lake District as well as the north Pennines and Solway Firth coast. Cumberland had an administrative function from the 12th century until 1974. From 19 ...
. The road is sealed for its full length, but as of 2018 there are many sections of the road which are only single lane bitumen. These sections require caution when passing other traffic as the shoulders are gravel and vehicles need to move partly onto the shoulders. They extend between points about 55 kilometres west of Georgetown and 20 kilometres west of Mount Surprise.
The Gulf Developmental Road is designated Highway 1; however, it is not part of the National Highway network.
Major intersections
This road has only one major intersection, with the Gregory Highway
The Gregory Highway is a state highway in Queensland, Australia that serves the major coal-mining centres of Central Queensland. The highway was named after Augustus Gregory, an early explorer.
Route description
The highway runs southward from ...
in the locality of .
Upgrades
The Roads of Strategic Importance
Roads of Strategic Importance (ROSI) is a $5.8 billion initiative of the Australian Government designed to help connect regional businesses to local and international markets, and to better connect regional communities. The source for this article ...
initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the Gulf Developmental Road.
Corridor upgrade
A lead project to upgrade the Cairns to Northern Territory border corridor, including the Gulf Developmental Road and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $62.5 million, was commenced in 2020, with planning continuing.
Pavement strengthening and widening
A project for pavement strengthening and widening of sections of the Gulf Developmental Road between Mount Garnett and Croyden at a cost of $21.5 million is planned to be completed by mid-2022.
See also
* Einasleigh River Bridge
The Einasleigh River Bridge is a road bridge over the Einasleigh River on the Gulf Developmental Road, in the Far North Queensland, Australia, located east of Georgetown and west of Mount Surprise. The bridge is part of the only sealed (asp ...
* Highways in Australia
Highways in Australia are generally high capacity roads managed by state and territory government agencies, though Australia's federal government contributes funding for important links between capital cities and major regional centres. Prio ...
* List of highways in Queensland
Queensland, being the second largest (by area) state in Australia, is also the most decentralised. Hence the highways and roads cover most parts of the state unlike the sparsely populated Western Australia. Even Queensland's outback is well se ...
References
{{Road infrastructure in Queensland
Highways in Queensland
Highway 1 (Australia)