Cloncurry–Dajarra Road is a continuous 169 kilometres (105 mi) road route in the Cloncurry local government area of Queensland, Australia.[1] It is a state-controlled district road (number 7708) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).[2][3] It is a north-east to south-west link between the Barkly Highway and the Diamantina Developmental Road, servicing a number of cattle grazing and production areas in northern Queensland.[1]
Cloncurry–Dajarra Road | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Rural road |
| Length | 169 km (105 mi)[1] |
| Route number(s) | no shield |
| Major junctions | |
| North-east end |   Barkly Highway Cloncurry |
| |
| South-west end | Diamantina Developmental Road Dajarra |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Malbon, Duchess |
Route description
editCloncurry–Dajarra Road commences at an intersection with the Barkly Highway in Cloncurry, about 11 kilometres (6.8 mi) west of the town. Starting as Cloncurry–Duchess Road it runs south until it approaches the railway line, where it turns south-west to parallel the line. At the southern boundary of the locality it crosses the line and enters Kuridala. Ballara Nature Refuge occupies much of Kuridala. The road and the railway line each follow separate corridors through the nature refuge in a north–south direction.[1]
Nearing the southern extent of the nature refuge the road crosses the line on two occasions, before and after the side road to Malbon village. It then turns south-west, still loosely following the railway line, until it approaches the south-west corner of Kuridala. Here it turns west, crossing the Burke River and a branch railway line before turning south-west then sharply north-west at an intersection with Chatsworth Phosphate Road, and entering Duchess.[1]
The road continues west to the town of Duchess where it crosses the railway line, turns south-west, and re-crosses the line, which then turns north-west towards Mount Isa. It then turns west until it reaches an intersection with Mount Isa–Duchess Road,[a] where it turns south-west as Dajarra–Duchess Road. From here the road continues south-west and then west before crossing the Dajarra boundary and again turning south-west. It continues south-west until it meets the Diamantina Developmental Road (here known as Boulia–Mount Isa Highway) 0.7 kilometres (0.43 mi) south-east of the town of Dajarra, where it ends.[1]
Land use along this road is a mixture of stock grazing on native vegetation, nature refuge and railway operations.[1]
Road condition
editMuch of the road remains unsealed,[1] but approximately 4.5 kilometres (2.8 mi) was sealed in 2018 under a $3.2 million project funded by the Northern Australia Beef Roads Program.[4]
In November 2021 funding of $31.5 million under various programs was announced for this road, with an expected completion date of early 2022.[5]
History
editCopper was discovered in the Cloncurry area in 1867,[6] and the town was established to service the Great Australia Mine to the south. Fort Constantine was the first pastoral run in the district.[7] Gold was discovered nearby, at Top Camp.[8] The town was surveyed in 1876[9] and proclaimed in 1884. The railway arrived in 1907.[9] It is likely that several other pastoral runs were established in the district.
Copper was discovered at Kuridala in 1884 and the Hampden mine commenced operations in the 1890s. The discovery was on a pastoral lease named Eureka.[10] Copper mining in Kuridala led to the establishment of two new towns, Ballara and Kuridala, both now abandoned.
Copper was discovered in Duchess in 1897 on a pastoral run, which led to the opening of a mine and the founding of the town.[11] The railway arrived in 1912.[12] The town of Duchess is surrounded by cattle stations, including Stradbroke[13] and Bushy Park.[14]
The railway branch line arrived in the small settlement of Dajarra in 1917,[15] and the town grew around it. There were already many pastoral runs in the surrounding area and further west, and the primary purpose of the railway was the transport of live beef cattle to markets in the east of the state. Dajarra railway station was reputed to be one of the busiest cattle transfer sites in the world.
Prior to construction of the railway, it is likely that early roads were cut from both Cloncurry and Dajarra to provide access for wheeled vehicles to the pastoral runs and mining settlements. Over time these tracks may have been improved and extended to eventually form a through road.
Modern usage
editAlthough not yet fully sealed the road is used extensively by road trains carrying cattle, and by other large trucks conveying heavy goods.
Major intersections
editAll distances are from Google Maps.[1] The entire road is in the Cloncurry local government area.
| Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cloncurry | 0 | 0.0 | Barkly Highway – east – Julia Creek, Mckinlay – west – Mount Isa | North-eastern end of Cloncurry–Dajarra Road. Local name is Cloncurry–Duchess Road. | |
| Kuridala | 45.3 | 28.1 | Malbon–Selwyn Road – east – Malbon, Selwyn | ||
| 101 | 63 | Chatham Phosphate Road – south – The Monument | |||
| Duchess | 118 | 73 | Mount Isa–Duchess Road – north-west – Mount Isa | Name changes to Dajarra–Duchess Road. | |
| Dajarra | 169 | 105 | Diamantina Developmental Road (Boulia–Mount Isa Highway) - south - Boulia – west – Mount Isa | South-western end of Cloncurry–Dajarra Road | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| |||||
References
edit- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Cloncurry to Dajarra" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
- ^ a b The State Road Network of Queensland (PDF) (Map). Queensland Government ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0]. 30 June 2022. Retrieved 4 August 2023.
- ^ a b "North West district map" (PDF). Department of Transport and Main Roads ©State of Queensland [CC BY 4.0]. 2019. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ "Cloncurry to Dajarra Road - Progressive Sealing". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 23 January 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Cloncurry - Dajarra Road - Imptovement works". Queensland Government. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 16 April 2022.
- ^ "Welcome to Cloncurry Shire Council". Archived from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ^ Sheaffe, Stephen W. "Roger Sheaffe - a Pioneer" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 23 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ^ "Gold, Mount Isa Cloncurry region". The Alluvial Gold Report Qld. Archived from the original on 24 February 2014. Retrieved 19 February 2014.
- ^ a b Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) (2002). Heritage Trails of the Queensland Outback. State of Queensland. pp. 85–86. ISBN 0-7345-1040-3.
- ^ "Kuridala Township, Hampden Smelter and Mining Complex (entry 645604)". Queensland Heritage Register. Queensland Heritage Council. Retrieved 1 August 2014.
- ^ "Duchess – town in Shire of Cloncurry (entry 10650)". Queensland Place Names. Queensland Government. Retrieved 7 July 2020.
- ^ Kerr, John (1990). Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways. Boolarong Publications. p. 224. ISBN 978-0-86439-102-5.
- ^ "Stradbroke". MDH Pty Ltd. 2022. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ "Bushy Park". White Pages. 2021. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
- ^ Kerr, John (1990). Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways. Boolarong Publications. p. 125. ISBN 978-0-86439-102-5.
Notes
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