Old thread - Marlborough Sarina Road (Attn Tyler)

[Michael Greenslade]

Hi all,

Tyler recently brought up a thread regarding Bruce Highway alignments
and the old Marlborough-Sarina alignment was brought up. I had some
trouble locating this email I sent a few years back due to it being
sent to the old Yahoo group but found it on my old email program at
home. Anyway, for those who want a re-cap read the email below. All
the images and weblinks are still working.

Cheers,
Michael

--------------------------------------
(January 2009)

Hi all,

Have recently returned from Mackay. The route taken northbound was
the
direct route on the Bruce Hwy detouring only for St Lawrence. Once the
job
was finished, I ventured north to Seaforth and on the way back to
Rockhampton, detoured to Hay Point and then travelled the old
Marlborough-Sarina Rd.

The old Marlborough-Sarina Road was an interesting drive - 55km longer
than
the Bruce Hwy, its one of those epic journeys where you have a mixture
of
countrysides (sugar cane, rich farmland, arid, hilly/steep etc). While
only
55km longer, it takes more than 40 mins extra to drive it. There is a
steep
and windy section as the road climbs out of the sugar cane farms in
Sarina
up over the range, but then good speeds can be achieved as the road
gets
away from the ranges and onto the dry flat areas that reminds me more
of
the kind of scenery that you see around Barcaldine and Emerald (ie
dry).
Once the road begins to head east again, it passes through the
ranges,
winds down towards the coast and back into richer countryside before
re-joining the Bruce Hwy.
Its such a remote drive though - there is *nothing* to look at besides
the
hills to the east and dry flat plains to the west once youre through
the
hilly areas (80% of the journey) with the only sign of life being the
Lotus
Creek roadhouse and the very occasional homestead.
The road is generally pretty good - two lanes the whole way, at times
narrow, quite bumpy, no overtaking lanes, no kilometre posts although
that
is made up for with the abundance of distance signs that have been
placed
in the middle of nowhere. Just about all signage is old and black and
there
was no evidence of NR1 - however even on the current Bruce Hwy, route
markers are hard to come by. I reckon 15 cars passed by me for the
whole
length. If there wasnt any history behind the road being the first
coastal
sealed road between Rocky and Mackay, then there would be no use for
the
road at all as it sevices bugger all and connects nothing of
importance.

Half way along I encountered a pretty wild storm which made driving
difficult. The bitumen is pretty undulating and water sits on the
surface
so you had to be careful to not lose control when driving at speed.
What
made it worse is that wildlife (kangaroos) decided to come out and
drink
the fresh water. The lack of traffic was probably the reason they dare
as
its a much lesser occurance on the Bruce Hwy with as it has constant
traffic.
The slow trip, wet weather (in parts) made the drive exhaustive - I
was
glad to get back on the Bruce Hwy. I wont be in a hurry to drive that
again
(hence I made sure I photographed every sign - even if there wasnt
many!) :-)

Here are a selection of pics from the whole journey:

Bruce Hwy, heading north through Parkhurst (10km north of Rockhampton)
- if
one of these were released with current route marking it would be
complicated:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Parkhurst-Bruce%20Hwy20.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north through Kunwarara - one of the classic black
distance signs with the squishy Central QLD font still remains:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Kunwarara-Bruce%20Hwy7.jpg

Here it is without the coverplate:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Kunwarara-Bruce%20Hwy.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north between Marlborough and Sarina. Standard
fare
distance signs between these two towns with the absence of any route
markers:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Bruce%20Hwy23.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north as it approaches the St Lawrence turnoff.
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/St%20Lawrence-Bruce%20Hwy1.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north near Clairview. Nice old black sign:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Clairview-Bruce%20Hwy1.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north near Koumala (20km south of Sarina), nice
scenery:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Koumala-Bruce%20Hwy2.jpg

Old black distance sign, heading south on the Bruce Hwy from Sarina:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Sarina-Bruce%20Hwy6.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north through Sarina - spot the error anyone?
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Sarina-Broad%20St7.jpg

This old classic has been replaced, believe it or not *without* the
A1
route markers!:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Sarina-Broad%20St5.jpg

Bruce Hwy, heading north between Sarina and Mackay - nice old black
sign:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Alligator%20Creek-Bruce%20Hwy1.jpg

His southbound mate:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Bruce%20Hwy25.jpg
has unfortuantely been replaced with a brand new sign.

The Bus-1 route in Mackay hasnt changed at all. Heres the only
directional
sign featuring the route. It may be replaced soon due to the
roadworks
along Harbour Drive:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Mackay-Harbour%20Rd5.jpg

Bus-1 trailblazer that I havent previously photographed - Glenpark
St,
North Mackay:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Mackay-Glenpark%20St1.jpg

Beaten up old black sign in the northern suburbs of Mackay:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/North%20Mackay-Beaconsfield%20Rd1.jpg

Standard fare directional signs heading north (and around) of Mackay
on the
Bruce Hwy:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/North%20Mackay-Bruce%20Hwy8.jpg

The Bruce Hwy, heading north-west outside of Mackay - again nice
scenery in
this part of the world:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Farleigh-Bruce%20Hwy1.jpg

The start of the Marlborough-Sarina Rd, distance sign outside of
Sarina:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Sarina-Marlborough%20Sarina%20Rd1.jpg

Typical conditions on the Marlborough-Sarina Rd about 10km from
Sarina:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd1.jpg

Old black distance sign on the Marlborough-Sarina Rd as it heads north
from
the Moranbah Rd junction:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd3.jpg

Black directional signs at the Marlborough-Sarina Rd and Moranbah Rd
junction:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd5.jpg

More directional signs at the same junction:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd4.jpg

Old black distance sign on Marlborough-Sarina Rd - this is the first
of
many that pop up out of nowhere:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd7.jpg

Marlborough-Sarina Road (about 20km south of Moranbah Rd turnoff) -
great
scenery:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd9.jpg

Distance sign, southbound on the Marlborough-Sarina Rd:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd13.jpg

Approaching the Lotus Creek Roadhouse on the Marlborough-Sarina Rd. A
very
lonely outpost. :-)
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Lotus%20Creek%20Roadhouse1.jpg

Lotus Creek Roadhouse:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Lotus%20Creek%20Roadhouse2.jpg

Distance sign, heading north on the Marlborough-Sarina Rd:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd18.jpg

Typical conditions south of Lotus Creek:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd19.jpg

Notice the scenery starts to change as the road heads further east
(southbound):
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd22.jpg

Last of the distance signs that appears northbound on the
Marlborough-Sarina Rd (no distance sign at Marlborough):
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd24.jpg

Last of the distance signs that appears southbound before rejoining
the
Bruce Hwy:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd23.jpg

Countryside approximately 40km west of Marlborough on the
Marlborough-Sarina Rd:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd26.jpg

Typical intersection on the Marlborough-Sarina Rd:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd27.jpg

Marlborough-Sarina Rd - scenery about 15km west of Marlborough -
notably
richer countryside:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Sarina%20Rd29.jpg

This sign indicating the start of the Marlborough-Sarina Rd from the
Bruce
Hwy at Marlborough:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/BruceHwy4.jpg

has been replaced with this standard fare:
http://www.hotkey.net.au/~krool/photos/qld/Marlborough-Bruce%20Hwy1.jpg

Hope you all enjoy the pics!!

Michael

[Phillip McCallum]

Wow - very interesting Michael, I didn't remember that post at all!
Although I had gone along this road as a child, it's a very long time
ago and I have no memories of it specifically. So - thanks for
reposting!

Phillip

Hi all,

Cheers,
Michael

--------------------------------------
(January 2009)

Hi all,

Michael

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[Tyler Bullock]

So that was once NH1, wow its a very lonely road isn't it? Love the old black signage btw, so neat and concise.

> Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:41:29 -0700

> Subject: [Aussie Highways] Old thread - Marlborough Sarina Road (Attn Tyler)

> From: kr...@hotkey.net.au
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com

[Sam Laybutt]

Thanks for reposting this Michael, I really enjoyed another look through these photos. I hope to drive this route eventually.

> Date: Wed, 21 Sep 2011 06:41:29 -0700
> Subject: [Aussie Highways] Old thread - Marlborough Sarina Road (Attn Tyler)
> From: kr...@hotkey.net.au
> To: aussie-...@googlegroups.com
>
>