Road Photos & Information: Queensland
Cobb and Co Tourist Drive
Statistics:
- Length:
- 111 km
- Termini:
- Eastern: Warrego Hwy (Darren Lockyer Way) (A2) and Mt Crosby Rd (SR37), North Tivoli
- Western: Lindsay St (TD1) and Warren St, East Toowoomba, outside the Cobb and Co Museum
- Miscellaneous:
- Route taken: Lindsay St, Bridge St, New England Hwy, Toowoomba Connection Rd, Murphys Creek Rd, Postmans Ridge Rd, Warrego Hwy, Gatton-Helidon Rd, Western Dr, Railway St, Spencer St, Eastern Dr, Gatton-Laidley Rd West, Forest Hill-Fernvale Rd, Glenore Grove Rd, Railway St, Hunt St, Gordon St, Victoria St, Gatton-Laidley Rd East, Whites Rd, Patrick St, Vaux St, Drayton St, Rosewood-Laidley Rd, Railway St, Simes St, Lanefield Rd, Walloon Rd, Karrabin-Rosewood Rd, Queen St, Karrabin-Rosewood Rd, Toongarra Rd, Old Toowoomba Rd, Brisbane St, Limestone St, East St, Pine St, The Terrace, Downs St, Delacy St, Tantivy St and Mt Crosby Rd
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- East Toowoomba, North Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Redwood, Withcott, Postmans Ridge, Helidon Spa, Helidon, Grantham, Gatton, Forest Hill, Laidley, Grandchester, Calvert, Lanefield, Rosewood, Thagoona, Walloon, Karrabin, Wulkuraka, Leichhardt, West Ipswich, Ipswich, North Ipswich, Tivoli and North Tivoli
Route Numbering:
- Current:
- Multiplexed with: A2 A3 A21 37 38 62 80 1
- Former: 54 54 15 15 85
- Road Authority Internal Classification:
- 18A (Helidon Spa to Helidon) 1
- 22A (Toowoomba to East Toowoomba) 1
- 302 (Ipswich to North Ipswich) 2
- 308 (Laidley to Rosewood) 2
- 312 (Gatton to Laidley) 2
- 314 (Helidon to Gatton) 1
- 315 (East Toowoomba to Postmans Ridge) 1
- 3002 (Rosewood to Wulkuraka) 2
- 3042 (North Ipswich to North Tivoli) 2
General Information:
The Cobb and Co Tourist Drive forms one of the original routes between Ipswich and Toowoomba. It passes through several small towns, and consists almost two-lane undivided rural road, suburban arterial road and divided highway standards.
The route, in part, traces the steps of the famous Cobb and Co coaches, which were awarded the first ever mail route in Queensland. 3
The first Cobb & Co mail service in Queensland operated from Brisbane to Ipswich. Passengers and mail heading further west were taken from Ipswich to Grandchester by train and then by another Cobb & Co coach for the rest of the journey to Toowoomba. 3
After the railway line from Brisbane to the Darling Downs was completed in 1875, Cobb & Co operated from the western railheads, carrying passengers and mail to many outback towns and settlements. 3
Up to 40 horses and 6 staff were needed for an average day's journey of about 80 kilometres. Teams of horses were changed at depots spaced every 25 to 40 kilometres along the routes. At its peak Cobb & Co owned thousands of horses and numerous coaches, workshops, offices and stables and employed hundreds of drivers, grooms, coach builders and office staff. 3
Cobb & Co completed its last coach run on August 14 1924, from Surat to Yuleba in south-west Queensland. The company was wound up in 1929. 3
- A2 for 3 km, between Helidon Spa and Helidon.
- A3 for 2 km, between North Toowoomba and East Toowoomba.
- A21 for 12 km from East Toowoomba to Postmans Ridge.
- State Route 37 for 4 km, between North Ipswich and North Tivoli
- State Route 38 for 2 km, between Ipswich and North Ipswich
- State Route 62 for 6 km, between Wulkuraka and Ipswich.
- State Route 80, for 8 km, between Grantham and Gatton.
- Tourist Drive 1, for 1.4 km between East Toowoomba and North Toowoomba.
History:
- 1 January 1866: The Cobb and Co mail route between Brisbane to Ipswich and then Grandchester to Toowoomba commenced. 3
- 22 May 1947: Rosewood Laidley Road was proclaimed a "Secondary Road" under the Main Roads Acts 1920-1943 on 22 May 1947, and the powers originally vested in the Little Liverpool Main Road Board were assumed by the Commissioner for Main Roads. 4
- 1965: David Trumpy Bridge across the Bremer River was opened, and the 1865 road bridge was demolished, leaving only its abutments. 5
- 1980s: Construction of the Southern Ipswich Bypass, with Cunningham Hwy eventually redirected along new bypass upon completion. 3 As a result, NR15 shifted to new route and the old one renumbered to BUS-NR15. 6
- 1985: Construction begins on Gatton Bypass. 7
- 1989: Gatton Bypass (current Warrego Hwy alignment) opens to traffic as a single carriageway route. 7
- May 2010: New traffic lights were turned on at the intersection of Toongarra Road and Aspinall Street in Leichhardt. 8
East Toowoomba to North Tivoli
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign facing the Warrego Hwy (A2) off ramp in Helidon at the Turner St junction, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at the Warrego Hwy (A2) off ramp in Helidon, April 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
RD sign as Cobb & Co Tourist Drive leaves Helidon, April 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Entering Grantham:
Cobb & Co Tourist Drive as it enters the small town of Grantham, April 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
AD sign at the junction with Gatton-Clifton Rd (SR80) at Grantham, April 2011. The SR80 duplex begins at this junction.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Western Drive) approaching Spencer and Railway Streets in Gatton, April 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Western Drive) at the junction with Spencer and Railway Streets in Gatton, April 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Eastern Drive) at Gatton approaching Gatton-Laidley Road, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Eastern Drive) at Gatton approaching Gatton-Laidley Road, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Eastern Drive) at Gatton at the junction with Gatton-Laidley Road, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.
Image © Rob Tilley
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Laidley, June 2009.
Image © Michael Greenslade
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on John St at Rosewood, approaching Rosewood-Laidley Rd & Karrabin-Rosewood Rd, June 2009.
Image © Michael Greenslade
North Tivoli to East Toowoomba
Trailblazer:
Trailblazer on Limestone St Ipswich, as the route becomes Burnett St, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Ipswich approaching Burnett St (unnumbered) and Brisbane St (SR62), March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign with incorrect NR shield at the corner of Burnett St and Brisbane St (SR62) in Ipswich, March 2013. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns left at this junction.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Brisbane St at West Ipswich, approaching Hooper St, Moffatt St and Lobb St, March 2013. Cobb & Co Tourist Drive continues straight and becomes Old Toowoomba Rd.
Image © Paul Rands
Lobb Street:
Old Toowoomba Rd at the ramp to Lobb St at West Ipswich, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Bremer River:
Crossing Bremer River via One Mile Bridge at West Ipswich, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Trailblazer:
Cobb & Co Tourist Drive trailblazer on Old Toowoomba Rd, Leichhardt, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on approaching Shine St, the unnumbered section of Old Toowoomba Rd and Toongarra Rd (SR62) at Leichhardt, March 2013. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive follows SR62 at this junction.
Image © Paul Rands
Old Toowoomba Road & Shine Street:
ID sign on the roundabout with Old Toowoomba Rd and Shine St, Leichhardt, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Old Toowoomba Road & Shine Street:
ID sign on the roundabout with Old Toowoomba Rd and Shine St, Leichhardt, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Leichhardt, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Sign:
Reassurance sign on Toongarra Rd at Leichhardt, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the corner of Karrabin-Rosewood Rd and Sherman Rd at Karrabin, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Sign:
Reassurance sign on Karrabin-Rosewood Rd approaching Wulkuraka Connection Rd at Karrabin, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Entering Walloon:
Karrabin-Roswood Rd as it enters the town of Walloon, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Walloon, approaching Haigslea-Amberley Rd (SR93), March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on the roundabout with Haigslea-Amberley Rd (SR93) in Walloon, March 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
2 QLD Government, Department of Transport & Main Roads, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, Metropolitan District, November 2022.
3 Lockyer Valley Council Cobb & Co Tourist Drive Brochure.
4 QLD Government, Queensland State Archives, Little Liverpool Main Road Board.
5 QLD Government, Environment & Resource Management, Queensland Heritage Register, Heiner Road Railway Overpass.
6 QLD Government, University of Southern Queensland, Library, The construction of the southern Ipswich bypass from Saunders Street to Deebing Creek thesis by Elton John Walker.
7 Lachlan Sims.
8 Ipswich City Council, Media Releases, Traffic lights to make it safer at Leichhardt intersection, 21 May 2010.