Road Photos & Information: Queensland: Mulgrave Road, Florence Street, Captain Cook Highway, Kennedy Highway & Gulf Developmental Road

Road Photos & Information: Queensland

Mulgrave Road, Florence Street, Captain Cook Highway, Kennedy Highway & Gulf Developmental Road (National Route 1)

Statistics:

Length: 706 km
Eastern Terminus: Rigg St and Bruce Hwy (Ray Jones Dr) (A1), Cairns 1
Western Terminus: NR1 signposting ends at Burke Developmental Rd (NR1 / NR83) at Normanton. 1
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route: Cairns, Smithfield, Kuranda, Mareeba, Atherton, Ravenshoe, Mt Garnet, Minnamoolka, Georgetown, Croydon and Normanton

Route Numbering:

Current:
Former:
Multiplexes:
Road Authority Internal Classification: 20A (Cairns to Smithfield), 32A (Smithfield to Mareeba), 32B (Mareeba to Ravenshoe), 32C (Ravenshoe to Mt Garnet), 32D (Mt Garnet to Minnamoolka), 92A (Normanton to Croydon), 92B (Croydon to Georgetown) and 92C (Georgetown to Minnamoolka) 2

General Information:

National Route 1 is a route connecting Cairns CBD with the Atherton Tablelands and also several small towns in the gulf country.

The route is divided arterial road standard in the Cairns area, before becoming a single carriageway highway, and eventually becoming a single lane wide paved road and then unsealed road further west.

The route passes through commercial, residential, rural and bushland areas, and also passes Cairns Airport.

Captain Cook Highway:

Captain Cook Highway is named after James Cook (1728–1779). He was an explorer, navigator and cartographer, and was the first Englishman to reach the unexplored eastern coast of Australia, which he chartered and claimed for Great Britain. He did this on board the ship The Endeavour. As part of this trip, which also took in New Zealand, Tahiti, Papua New Guinea, and the coast of South America, Captain Cook surveyed about 3200 km of Australian coast. 3

Captain Cook Highway is used by many tourists to travel to Port Douglas north of Cairns. It's a vital link between two tourist locations. 4

The highway can be divided into three sections; each reflecting a separate era in the development of the area north of Cairns. Cairns to Buchans Point is a major arterial serving the rapidly expanding Marlin Coast and intersects the Kennedy Highway at Smithfield. The countryside is relatively flat and, until recently, was predominantly cane fields. 4

The standard of the road has vastly improved from the earlv davs when it was only a rough track connecting Cairns to the isolated communities of Port Douglas and Mossman. 4

Kennedy Highway:

The Kennedy Highway is named after Edmund Kennedy (1818-1848). He was an educated Englishman and a qualified surveyor when he migrated to NSW in 1840. He joined the Surveyor General's Department and became second in charge to Thomas Mitchell the Surveyor General. During the next few years he made several exploratory trips into northwestern Queensland. 5

In 1848 during Mitchell's absence in England he was commissioned by the NSW Government to explore the Cape York Peninsula. Starting from Cardwell, the most northern settlement at the time, his instructions were to explore the eastern coast as far as Albany Bay to re-provision from a ship that was to be sent and then to explore the west coast as far as Gulf of Cape Carpentaria and then travel overland back to Sydney. 5

The name of Kennedy can be found in many places in North Queensland, for example, Kennedy Bay, Kennedy National Park, Kennedy township, Kennedy Creek, Kennedy Hill, Kennedy Highway, and Kennedy Electorate. 5

Multiplexes along the route include:

State Route 52, for 500 m at Atherton
Great Tropical Tourist Drive, for 257 km, between Cairns and Minnamoolka

History:

1930: The Cook Highway gazetted as Cook State Highway No. 11. 4
1932: A new bridge over the Barron River at Stratford was constructed. 4
17 December 1933: The Cook Highway was officially opened at Hartleys Creek by the then Minister for Public Works, the Honorable HI Bruce. However, the cost of the road's construction had been high and, as it was to be used extensively by tourist traffic, arrangements were made for the institution of a toll. The proceeds from the toll were to go towards the cost of road's maintenance. 4
June 1937: A timber bridge over Thomatis Creek was completed. Thomatis Creek was formed when the Barron River broke its banks in the flood of 1932. This link provided a shorter route for the Cook Highway across the Barron Delta from Stratford to Smithfield. 4
1938: Bitumen surfacing commenced at the Cairns end. 4
1940: Completion of bitumen sealing. Cairns Shire was replaced by Mulgrave Shire and work was undertaken on what was to be the Kennedy Highway which intersects the Cook Highway at Smithfield. 4
1946: Toll abolished, having raised a gross revenue of $12 755 during 12 years. 4
1946-1956: Widening of the highway to accommodate higher traffic volumes and larger vehicles. 4
1964: The new road plan for Queensland was gazetted and the Cook Highway was renumbered as Highway No. 20. 4
1966: Timber bridge over Saltwater Creek in Cairns replaced with concrete bridge. 4
16 December 1977: A new higher level bridge over the Barron River (current bridge) was officially opened by the, then Minister for Local Government and Main Roads, (the Honorable RJ Hinze, MLA). 4
1980: The four lanes on what was then a new alignment past the airport between Saltwater Creek and Arnold Street was completed. 4
1981: Bridge over Avondale Creek replaced. 4
1982: Bridge over Thomatis Creek replaced. 4
1987: Work commenced on extending the four lanes north from Cairns to the Holloways Beach intersection.
1988: Completion of widening of Captain Cook Hwy from Cairns to Holloways Beach Access Rd. 4
June 2009: Widening of a 1.9 kilometre section of Kennedy Highway between Battle Creek and Little Dinner Creek completed. 6
July 2009: Works commence on widening a 3.3 kilometre section of Kennedy Highway between Big Dinner Creek and Mt Garnet. 6
December 2009: Completion of widening works between Big Dinner Creek and Mt Garnet. 6
5 September 2011: Work begins on widening the last single lane section of Kennedy Highway, between Cairns and the Gulf Developmental Road junction. Work included widening traffic lanes to 3.5 m with 1 m wide sealed shoulders. 7
2012: Work completed on widening the final section of the Kennedy Highway between Cairns and the Gulf Developmental Road intersection west of Mount Garnet. 8
February 2012: Work commences on improved drainage and approaches to Barron River Bridge. 9

Cairns to Normanton		Normanton To Cairns
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Florence St approaching Florence St (NR1) and Captain Cook Hwy (NR1) at Cairns, July 2012. Note the missing NR1 shield for straight ahead, and the incorrect Mulgrave Rd name patch. Image © Terry Siva		Reassurance Directional Sign: Westernmost NR1 sign, Normanton near Burke Developmental Rd (NR1 / NR83) junction, August 2015. Image © Richard Wardle
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Bruce Hwy (A1) (Florence St) approaching Captain Cook Hwy (NR1 / TD14), Sheridan St and Florence St (unnumbered), Cairns, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry		Intersection Directional Sign: Council ID sign detailing distances to farm properties and localities, corner of Kennedy Hwy (NR1) and Gunnawarra Rd at Mt Garnet, September 2018. Image © Richard Wardle
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the corner of Bruce Hwy (A1) (Florence St), Captain Cook Hwy (NR1 / TD14), Sheridan St and Florence St (unnumbered), Cairns, June 2018. A1 ends at this location and is replaced by NR1. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Captain Cook Hwy (NR1) at Cairns North, approaching Airport Av, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Cairns North, near Lily Creek, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Captain Cook Hwy (NR1) at Aeroglen approaching Whitfield St and Stratford Connection Rd, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Captain Cook Hwy (NR1) approaching the roundabout with Machans Beach Rd at Machans Beach, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Distance Sign: Reassurance directional sign at Holloways Beach, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Smithfield showing both Kennedy Hwy (NR1) and Captain Cook Hwy (SR44) distances, May 2005. NR1 changes from name to Kennedy Hwy beyond the SR44 junction. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Smithfield approaching Captain Cook Hwy (SR44) and Mt Millman Rd, June 2018. NR1 becomes Kennedy Hwy at this location Image © Dean Sherry
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the signalised rounabout with Captain Cook Hwy (SR44) and Millman Rd, June 2018. NR1 becomes Kennedy Hwy at this location Image © Dean Sherry
	Distance Sign: RD sign on Kennedy Hwy (NR1) at Smithfield, after the Captain Cook Hwy (SR44) split, June 2018. Click here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from May 2005. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Kennedy Hwy (NR1) approaching Mulligan Hwy (SR81) (Byrnes St) in Mareeba, June 2018. Note the missing SR81. Click here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from May 2005. Image © Dean Sherry
	Distance Sign: RD sign as Kennedy Hwy (NR1) leaves Mareeba, June 2018. Click here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from May 2005. Image © Dean Sherry
	Trailblazer: NR1 / Savannah Way trailblazer at Mareeba, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign near Priors Creek in Atherton, approaching Cook St and Railway Av, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign in Atherton approaching Silo Rd and Atherton-Herberton Rd (SR52), May 2005. Note the mixed case text for Silo Rd, it should be in all capitals. The SR52 duplex begins at this junction. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Kennedy Hwy (NR1 / SR52) at Atherton, approaching Gillies Hwy (SR52), May 2005. The SR52 duplex ends at this junction. Image © Rob Tilley
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Atherton, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Tourism-Based Advance Directional Sign: Tourism-based AD sign at Upper Barron approaching Mt Hypipamee Crater Rd, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Evelyn approaching Tumoulin Rd, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at East Evelyn approaching East Evelyn Rd (SR24), June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Silver Valley approaching Silver Valley Rd, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Distance Sign: Reassurance directional sign at Innothot Springs, September 2018 Image © Richard Wardle
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign assembly facing Gunnawarra Rd at Mt Garnet, September 2018 Image © Richard Wardle
	Advance Directional SIgn: AD sign at Forty Mile approaching Kennedy Developmental Rd (SR62) and Gulf Developmental Rd (NR1), June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional SIgn: AD sign at Forty Mile approaching Kennedy Developmental Rd (SR62) and Gulf Developmental Rd (NR1), June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Georgetown, approaching St Georges St, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing St Georges Street, Georgetown, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Richmond Road: Corner of Gulf Dev Rd (NR1) and Richmond Rd at Gilbert River, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
	Touring Route Sign: Touring route sign at Croydon, June 2018. Image © Dean Sherry
Click here for Bruce Highway (A1) Click here for the continuation of NR1 as Carpentaria Highway in Northern Territory

1 Sam Laybutt (Ozroads)
2 Department of Transport & Main Roads, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, Far North Region: front
3 Michael Humphry, Captain James Cook, November 2001.
4 The Captain Cook Highway 1788-1988, A. Churchward
5 Eacham Historical Society, A Brief Overview of the Kennedy Expedition, 4 June 2005.
6 Queensland Government, Ministerial Media Statements, Kennedy Highway upgrade improves travelling conditions, 14 January 2010
7 Queensland Government, Ministerial Media Statements, Kennedy Highway two laning under way, 5 September 2011
8 Department of Transport and Main Roads, Corporate Profile, Far North Region
9 Department of Transport and Main Roads, Major Works Between Machans Beach Roundabout and Barron River Bridge, 24 February 2012

Last updated: 07-Jul-2020 19:48

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