Road Photos & Information: Queensland
Pacific Motorway, Gateway Motorway and Bruce Highway (M1 / A1)
Gladstone to Bowen
Statistics:
- Length:
- 1802 km (Gladstone to Bowen: 644 km)
- Termini:
- Northern: Draper St (unnumbered), Portsmith
- Southern: NSW Border at Tugun
- Miscellaneous:
- Continues as Pacific Mwy (M1) in NSW
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Mt Larcom, Rockhampton, Sarina, Mackay, Proserpine and Bowen
Route Numbering:
- Current: A1
- Former: A1 1 1
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 10E (Benaraby to Rockhampton
- 10F (Rockhampton to St Lawrence)
- 10G (St Lawrence to Mackay)
- 10H (Mackay to Proserpine)
- 10J (Proserpine to Bowen)
General Information:
The M1 / A1 corridor is the main coastal route from the NSW border to the northern tip of the east coast of Australia, and links major cities and towns with Brisbane, and beyond the NSW border, Sydney.
Formerly known as the Great North Coast Road, the Bruce Highway is named after former Minister of Public Works, Henry Bruce 2 and connects Brisbane with all coastal regions north of the city.
The route is freeway standard from the Gateway Motorway interchange to Curra, north of Cooroy. From there, the route alternates between single and dual carriageway, and passes through rural, residential, industrial and commercial areas.
History:
- Bruce Highway:
- October 1934: Bruce Highway named after Minister for Works. 3
- November 1934: Bruce Highway declared. 4
- May 1940: Original Wallaville Bridge completed. 5
- December 1967: A deviation was completed north of Mount Larcom, which bypassed what is now Gentle Annie Road. Also Ambrose to Raglan Deviation completed. 5
- April 1968: New bridges over St Helens Creek and Waterhole (35 km north of Mackay) commenced. 5
- 20 December 1969: New bridges over St Helens Creek and Waterhole opened to traffic, replacing crossing built in 1934. 5
- June 1974: Ramsay Creek bridge works commenced. 5
- August 1974: Ramsay Creek upgrade roadworks commenced. 5
- January 1975: Ramsay Creek bridge completed. 5
- November 1975: Six Mile Creek bridge works commenced. 5
- December 1975: Ramsay Creek upgrade work completed. 5
- April 1976: Work on the Bajool Bypass commenced. 5
- October 1976: Completion of Six Mile Creek bridge. 5
- May 1977: Bajool Bypass completed. 5
- 23 December 1977: 6.2 km Bakers Creek Deviation including railway overpass opened by Russ Hinze. 5
- September 1984: O'Connell River Bridge and associated 3.4 km-long deviation opened by Minister for Welfare Services G. Muntz. 5
- January 2014: Work began on a high-level flood access between the Burnett Highway and Yeppen Roundabout, south of Rockhampton. 6
Gladstone to Bowen
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Burnett Hwy (A3) at Gracemere, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Burnett Highway:
Bruce Hwy (A1) at the junction with Burnett Hwy (A3) at Gracemere, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Port Curtis approaching Capricorn Hwy (A4), May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Port Curtis approaching Capricorn Hwy (A4), May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the roundabout with Capricorn Hwy (A4) at Port Curtis, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the roundabout with Capricorn Hwy (A4) at Port Curtis, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Highway 1 Sign:
Very old Highway 1 sign at Parkhurst, October 2013.
Image © Phillip McCallum
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) approaching Perkins St, Marlborough, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at St Lawrence, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Carmila, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Sarina, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on the corner of Bruce Hwy (A1) and Hay Point Rd at Alligator Creek, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Ooralea approaching Boundary Rd, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign approaching Peak Downs Hwy (SR70) at Mackay, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) approaching Marian-Hampden Rd (SR5) at Hampden, May 2018. Note the missing SR5 shield.
Image © Dean Sherry
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Bloomsbury, May 2018. Note the missing route number.
Image © Dean Sherry
Welcome to The Whitsunday Region:
Sign at Thoopara welcoming people to the Whitsunday Region, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Proserpine approaching Main St, May 2018. Note the missing route number for the right turn.
Image © Dean Sherry
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign assembly on the corner of Bruce Hwy (A1) and Shute Harbour Rd at Hamilton Plains, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Bowen, June 2018. Note the remnant or erroneous NH1 shield.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Peter Delemother Rd and Lauriston St at Bowen, June 2018. Note the remnant or erroneous NH1 shield.
Image © Dean Sherry
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Bowen, June 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Bowen to Gladstone
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Lower Don Rd at Bowen, June 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Bowen with remnant NH1 shields approaching Don St, June 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Yakapari-Seaforth Rd at The Leap, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) in Mackay approaching Gordon St, January 2014.
Image © Terry Siva
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) in Mackay approaching Gordon St, January 2014.
Image © Terry Siva
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) approaching Black River Rd at Black River, May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) in Sarina, approaching the junction with Marlborough-Sarina Rd and East St, January 2014.
Image © Terry Siva
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) at Norman Gardens approaching Musgrave St and Moores Creek Rd, June 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Yaamba Rd (unnumbered) at Berseker approaching Bruce Hwy (Moores Creek Rd and Yaamba Rd) (A1) and Moores Creek Rd (unnumbered), May 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
2 QLD Government, Bulldust, Beef and Beyond.
3 Nambour Chronicle, 26 October 1934.
4 Nambour Chronicle, 23 November 1934.
5 Tyler Bullock.
6 QLD Government, Department of Transport and Main Roads, Projects, Yeppen South Project.