THEN CLERMONT TO CHARTERS TOWERS - GREGORY DEVELOPMENT ROAD.
NOTE: GREGORY DEVELOPMENT ROAD NORTH OF CHARTERS TOWERS COVERED IN NORTH QLD. SECTION.
The Gregory Highway runs from Springsure in the south via Emerald to just
north of Clermont .. dual lane and sealed. It continues northward as the Gregory
Developmental Road via Charters Towers to The Lynd. This section is sealed, but
some single lane.
This route offers an alternative north/south inland route.
The section as far north as Clermont is often busy with farming activities.
The northern section is less busy, but lots of the traffic consists of roadtrains,
so care is needed .. particually on the single lane sections.
0 km (185.5 km) SPRINGSURE town .. most facilities. Lots of "no camping" signs noticed near parks in and close to town.
Caravan park in town. Update 20 Oct. 2003 from a friend in Springsure is that it is possible to camp in showgrounds
.. follow continuation of main street south over creek, up hill, turn right, next left past hospital, showground
entrance on right .. best parking near toilet block. Investigated Oct. '06.
* Class 2 (fee $15 first night, then 3 free nights). 24° 07.36'S. 148° 05.00E. Hema map 8, J 6.
Toilets, showers, some shade, good WATER, rubbish bins, quit, OK big rigs, good TV, good CDMA, power, washing machines.
[2.8 km]
2.8 km (182.7 km) LIONS PARK ..west side .. level gravel area in front of fenced facilities .. set back from highway.
Now signed (Oct '06) "no camping, but caravans allowed to park overnight".
Class 2. 24° 05.624'S. 148° 05.820'E. Hema map 8, J 6.
Toilets, tables, Water, BBQ, rubbish bins, 20m max to highway, OK big rigs, good TV, good CDMA.
Nice flat area at rear, but steep gutter blocks access from side road. That side road was investigated .. Virgin
Rock Rd., a short distance to sale yards, car/truck washing area and a "no camping" sign at end of road and
circular turning area.
[34.9 km]
37.7 km (147.8 km) Large gravel pit noted on top of rise .. east side.
[7.5 km]
45.2 km (140.3 km) GINDIE .. town.
[5.4 km]
50.6 km (134.9 km) FAIRBURN DAM turn off to the west. Western access to the
popular (fishing, redclaw) Fairburn Dam and caravan park.
[12.4 km]
63.0 km (122.5 km) AIRPORT road junction to the east. Quite busy little airport!
[3.7 km]
66.7 km (118.8 km) CAPRICORN HIGHWAY JUNCTION. Turn west for Emerald and continuation of Gregory Highway to the north.
Turn east for popular Kylies Farm rest area about 4 km from this junction.(Currently CLOSED, expect re-open
for a fee Dec.'05. Still closed ( ? permamently) Oct. '06.
[1.0 km]
67.7 km (117.8 km) BOTANICAL GARDENS .. turn hard left at roundabout west of bridge.
Parking area under western approaches of road and railway bridges .. some sealed, some dirt.
Class 2. 23° 31.836'S. 148° 10.007'E. Hema map 8, H 7.
Toilets, tables, shade, water, fire places, rubbish bins, OK big rigs, noisy as under bridge.
[0.2 km]
67.9 km (117.6 km) Parallel parking area .. left (south) side, small dirt area north side. Suit large rigs for shopping at
Coles opposite. Coles Express discount fuel servo further west on a corner .. north side of highway.
[0.4 km]
68.3 km (117.2 km) EMERALD .. railway station. Town centre.
[0.4 km]
------------------------------
EMERALD .. Gregory Highway to Capella and Clermont turn off north.
Pass through the centre of town and continue ahead to the INFORMATION CENTRE / DUMP POINT on the northern side
of the highway.
Class 2. 23° 31.483'S. 148° 09.391'E. Hema map 8, H 7.
Toilets, modern DUMP POINT (though difficult/impossible access for big rigs), tables, shade, WATER, rubbish bins,
probably noisy as adjacent to highway. Motor homes have been observed parking on the side road west of info centre
and on the edge of the park just up past Junior Soccer building to toilet block where there are level dirt areas
adjacent to the road .. houses opposite.
Class 3 to 4. 23° 31.31' S. 148° 09.35' E. Hema map 8, H 7.
Toilets, some shade, WATER, rubbish bins, OK big rigs, good TV, good CDMA.
Fuel .. on the southern side of the highway and just west of the info. centre is the Caltex fuel depot.
They offer discount to CMCA members .. show membership card when paying for fuel. NOTED .. CLOSED Oct. '06.
------------------------------
68.7 km (116.8 km) Junction .. Gregory Highway to the north .. to the west of the shopping center.
Heading north out of town you pass through some more general shopping areas .. then an industrial type area.
The road between Emerald and Capella is essentially straight, passing through slightly undulating, cleared,
wide acre farms.
[52.6 km]
121.3 km (64.2 km) CAPELLA .. town. Most facilities available. 48 hour parking on the western side of highway
immediately to the south and north of the railway station .. adjacent to the road and noisy most of the
night due to roadtrains etc. We stayed south of the station, adjacent to a playground and toilets .. possibly
a little quieter in the section just north of the station. NOTE. 2nd hand report May '06 was area is now closed!
* Class 2. 23° 05.04'S 148° 01.33'E Hema map 8, G 6.
Water tap adjacent to position above .. north of station. Toilets, shade, rubbish bins adjacent to position south
of station. Dump point reported in showground .. across train line a couple of hundred metres south of station.
One motor home owner reported ( a year or so ago) that the council man in the showground wasn't aware of the dump
station .. bit mind boggling!
Turn east in the centre of town for Tieri and other mining towns .. described seperately.
The Ampol service station on the northern outskirts of the town received a favourable report regarding its
restaurant and memorabilia .. also the caravan park to the east of that general area has had good reports.
[1.8 km]
123.1 km (62.4 km) Cotherstone Rd. .. unsealed road to Dysart.
As we proceed further north, the countryside becomes more undulating.
[55.0 km]
178.1 km (7.4 km) Clermont roundabout .. turn left for Clermont town 3 km distant.
About half way to the town and on the right side a short distance off (signed), is a fuel depot .. prices
considerably cheaper than others in the area. Most facilities available in Clermont .. including a caravan park.
[2.9 km]
181 km (4.5 km) BLAIR ATHOL mine turn off.
[4.5 km]
185.5 km (0 km) Charters Towers turn off .. actually a continuation of the
Gregory Highway but called Gregory Development Road. Peak Downs Highway commences.
PARKING ON NORTHERN CORNER.
A gravel pit exists close to the corner. To the north of the garvel pit, is a track cutting the
corner. North of that track are a number of tracks in the bush .. these are suggested for parking.
* Class 3. 22° 44.280'S. 147° 38.037'E. Hema map 8, G 6.
No facilities, some shade, 60m max. from highway, OK big rigs with care.
GREGORY DEVELOPMENT ROAD.
0 km (216.8 km) Rounabout.
[1.2 km]
1.2 km (215.6 km) TRUCK PARKING BAY .. north east side .. rubbish bin.
[13.2 km]
14.4 km (202.4 km) OVERHEAD RAIL BRIDGE .. railway to Blair Athol mine.
[46.9 km]
61.3 km (155.5 km) Mt. COOLON turn off .. east side.
[4.4 km]
65.7 km (151.1 km) Turn off north east .. possible parking .. old section of road between the
2 bridges, north east of existing road .. continue north west to a small cleared area just to
east of the larger bridge. ? Class 3 or 4. However, area is exposed and close to highway.
[0.3 km]
66.0 km (150.8 km) PARKING AREA .. Bellyando Crossing .. to north of store and fuel supply.
Class 5. 21° 31.940'S. 176: 51.513'E. Hema map 8, E 5.
Covered tables, BBQ, rubbish bins, OK big rigs, 20m from highway.
Caravan park behind store. (Thus ?) signed "NO CAMPING"
[0.2 km]
66.2 km (150.6 km) TRUCK PARKING BAY .. north east side .. loop on and off highway and
adjoins parking near store.
Class 3 or 4. (Near caravan park!). 21° 31.863'S. 146° 51.383'E. Hema map 8, E 5.
Drive through so OK big rigs, 25m max. from highway.
[2.0 km]
68.2 km (148.6 km km) PARKING each side of road.
[8.2 km approx.]
76.4 km approx (140.4 km approx) About 10 km north of Crossing .. overnight parking reported .. east
side, 300 m north of sign indicating rest area at Crossing .. near high tower 300m also on east
side of highway.
Class 2. 21° 28.603'S. 146° 43.623'E. Hema map 8, D 3.
OK medium size rigs. Thanks Frank.
[26.1 km approx.]
102.5 km (114.3 km) CAPE RIVER .. just south of bridge, east side.
* Class 2. 20° 59.943'S. 146° 25.617'E. Hema map 8, D 4.
Shade, lotsa firewood, small area, close to 100 kph highway (not a lot of night
time traffic), OK big rig if not congested. We preferred this spot over the more
used area to the north .. nice and shady.
[0.1 km]
102.6 km (114.2 km) CAPE RIVER bridge.
[0.4 km]
103 km (113.8 km) CAPE RIVER REST AREA .. west side.
Class 2. 20° 59.716'S. 146° 25.502'E. Hema map 8, D 4.
No shade, rubbish bin, 40m max. from 100 kph highway, OK big rigs.
Dusty area about 40m square adjacent to highway.
HIGHWAY IS SINGLE LANE TO THE NORTH .. with some dual lane sections.
HIGHWAY SOUTH to Clermont is dual lane.
[108.7 km]
211.7 km (5.1 km) JUNCTION FLINDERS HIGHWAY. Turn east for Charters Towers.
[1.7 km]
213.4 km (3.4 km) Mobil ROADHOUSE .. south side. Large reasonably level sealed parking area.
Road trains use this area to turn. Best parking south east corner as far off the sealed area as possible.
* Class 2. 20° 05.840'S. 146° 15.231'E. Hema map 8, B 4.
Toilets, showers, little shade, water, rubbish bins, coin laundry, public telephone at servo.
Good TV and CDMA phone. CMCA sticker noted, so ? discount to CMCA members .. suggest
take membership card and enquire.
Mechanical workshop noted next door .. western side.
[2.9 km]
216.3 km (0.5 km) Woolworths discount fuel .. east side.
[0.5 km]
216.8 km ( 0 km) CHARTERS TOWERS Post Office. Follow signs into/through the city.
Old DUMP POINT is located inside showgrounds .. north west of the town centre .. suggested
access via Mary Street. 20° 04.322'S. 146° 15.100'E. western end of grounds opposite
new looking mens toilet block. Dead end street means reversing in or out.
Reports say all water available from taps in showgrounds is normal town water .. thus OK.
PARKING .. there is signed caravan parking available in Hogkinson Street .. next street
south of, and parallel to Gill (the main) street. The street to the north of Gill Street
is Ryan Steet .. Woolworths supermarket and angle parking .. though we, and others,
parked parallel to the kerb in less busy areas of that street.
There is a signed heavy vehicle bypass around the shopping centre. There is a new (Nov. '06) dump point/parking area
facilty on this bypass. For info see Townsville west to Cloncurry section.
GREGORY DEVELOPMENT ROAD north to The Lynd (Kennedy Highway)
in NORTH QLD. section.
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