Blackall–Jericho Road is a continuous 121-kilometre (75 mi) road route in the Blackall-Tambo and Barcaldine local government areas of Queensland, Australia.[1] It is a state-controlled regional road (number 441), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[2][3]
Blackall–Jericho Road | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Rural road |
| Length | 121 km (75 mi)[1] |
| Major junctions | |
| South-west end |  Landsborough Highway, Blackall |
| Narbethong Road | |
| North-east end |  Capricorn Highway, Jericho |
Route description
editThe road commences as Clematis Street at an intersection with the Landsborough Highway (known as Shamrock Street) in Blackall, in the Blackall-Tambo region. It runs north-east before turning east as Ivy Street, which becomes Blackall–Jericho Road as it leaves the town. It turns north-east and continues to the locality and regional boundary, where it enters the former locality of Mexico, now a part of the locality of Jericho, in the Barcaldine region. While passing through Blackall the road runs through the village of Yalleroi and passes the exit to Narbethong Road to the north-west. Continuing north-east to the town of Jericho the road enters from the west as Davy Street, turns north as Edison Street, and ends at an intersection with the Capricorn Highway (known as Darwin Street).[1]
The road is now fully sealed, with the last 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) completed in March 2022.[4]
For travel to and from the Blackall district this road is part of the shortest route to east coast centres from Bundaberg to Bowen[5][6] It is 73 kilometres (45 mi) shorter than travelling on highways via Barcaldine.[7]
History
editThe Blackall region was explored in 1846 by explorer Sir Thomas Mitchell and his party.[8] In 1856, Augustus Gregory passed through the area noting that the landscape was a vast plain lacking vegetation, in contrast to Mitchell's description of good country.[9] Blackall was named by Surveyor Abraham H. May after Sir Samuel Blackall, the second Governor of Queensland.[10][11]
During the 1860s Blackall developed as a service centre for the surrounding pastoral properties. A survey of town allotments was conducted in 1868.[9] The dominant industry in the area is grazing with over 70 homesteads reported to be in the district in 2020.[12][13] A substantial number of these properties are adjacent to or accessed from Blackall–Jericho Road.[14] One such property is Paradise Downs, which welcomes tourists for guided tours and sightseeing.[15]
Yalleroi pastoral run is believed to have been established in the 1870s.[16]
It is believed there was a pastoral run called Mexico in the 1880s in the area to the south of Jericho.[17]
The first exploration of the Jericho area by Europeans was also by Major Thomas Mitchell who passed through in 1846.[8] By the 1850s settlers had moved in.[18]
When the first survey for the Jericho to Blackall railway line was done in 1884 the road did not exist.[17] The railway was approved in 1905 and opened in 1908. It was closed in 2005 as it could no longer compete with road transport.[19]
Major intersections
editAll distances are from Google Maps.[1]
| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blackall-Tambo | Blackall | 0 | 0.0 | Landsborough Highway – south-east – Tambo – north-west – Barcaldine | South-western end of Blackall–Jericho Road. Road continues north-east as Clematis Street. |
| 79.1 | 49.2 | Narbethong Road – north-west – Narbethong, Landsborough Highway | Road continues north-east. | ||
| Barcaldine | Jericho | 121.0 | 75.2 | Capricorn Highway – west – Barcaldine – east – Alpha. | North-eastern end of Blackall–Jericho Road. |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Blackall to Jericho" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "Central Queensland region map" (PDF). Department of Transport and Main Roads ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0]. 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ "Central West district map" (PDF). Department of Transport and Main Roads ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0]. 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2023.
- ^ "Blackall-Jericho Road, pave and seal". Queensland Government. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Blackall to Bundaberg" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "Blackall to Bowen" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 20 May 2023.
- ^ "Jericho to Blackall via Barcaldine" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 23 May 2023.
- ^ a b ADB: Mitchell, Sir Thomas Livingstone (1792 – 1855) Archived 5 February 2010 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 2010-5-1
- ^ a b Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) (2002). Heritage Trails of the Queensland Outback. State of Queensland. p. 39. ISBN 0-7345-1040-3.
- ^ "Blackall – town in Blackall-Tambo Region (entry 2967)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Blackall – locality in Blackall-Tambo Region (entry 47058)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
- ^ "Queensland Globe". State of Queensland. Retrieved 9 May 2021.
- ^ "Homesteads – Queensland". Queensland Open Data. Queensland Government. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 24 November 2020. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- ^ "Map of Blackall Jericho Road". Bonzle.com. 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Paradise Downs Station". aloeus.com. 2023. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ "Yalleroi – town in Blackall-Tambo Region (entry 38369)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
- ^ a b "Report of a Journey on Foot, over the Route Proposed for a Branch Line of Railway between Jericho and Blackall Township". The Western Champion. Vol. VI, no. 271. Queensland, Australia. 22 August 1884. p. 2. Retrieved 13 August 2019 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ "Jericho, Queensland". Aussie Towns. 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
- ^ Kerr, John (1998). Triumph of Narrow Gauge: A History of Queensland Railways. Boolarong Press.