Burke Developmental Road

The Burke Developmental Road is a Queensland (Australia) developmental road. It links Cloncurry and Normanton in a south–north direction, then turns to the north-east 30 km (19 mi) north of Normanton for 230 km (140 mi) before turning south-east till Dimbulah, where it becomes the Mareeba Dimbulah Road.[2]

Burke Developmental Road

Start of unsealed portion of northeast-bound Burke Developmental Road east of Karumba
Burke Developmental Road (green on black).
General information
TypeRoad
Length1,035 km (643 mi)
Route number(s) National Route 83
State Route 27
Major junctions
South end Barkly Highway /
Flinders Highway, east of Cloncurry
East end Mareeba Dimbulah Road, Dimbulah
Location(s)
Major suburbsNormanton, Mungana, Chillagoe[1]

The road crosses the Gilbert River. This bridge was named after two of the region's indigenous leaders, Lily and Jubilee Slattery.[3] A major unsealed section begins about 45 km (28 mi) north of Normanton and continues until Chillagoe. As of 2014, some sections totaling about 15 km (9.3 mi) are unsealed between Chillagoe and Dimbulah. It may become impassable during the wet season. In mid-2007, A$28 million worth of funding was allocated for the widening of the road.[4]

Northern Australia Beef Roads upgrades

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The Northern Australia Beef Roads Program announced in 2016 included two projects for the Burke Developmental Road.

Pavement strengthening

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The project for progressive sealing works between Chillago and Almaden (Package One) was completed in early 2020 at a total cost of $4.7 million.[5]

The project for progressive sealing works between Chillago and Almaden (Package Two) was completed in early 2020 at a total cost of $2.7 million.[6]

Other upgrades

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Replace bridge

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A project to replace the Butcher Creek bridge, at a cost of $10.7 million, was completed in December 2021.[7]

Progressive sealing

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A project to progressively seal sections of the road between Normanton and Dimbulah, at a cost of $14 million, was expected to complete in June 2022.[8]

Another project to progressively seal sections of the road between Almaden and Chillagoe, at a cost of $14.8 million, was to be completed by late 2022.[9]

Major Intersections

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LGALocationkmmiDestinationsNotes
CloncurryCloncurry00.0  Barkly Highway (National Route A2) west – Mount Isa /
east – Cloncurry, Hughenden, Winton
Southern end of Burke Developmental Road. National Route 83 continues west concurrent with Barkly Highway.
Four Ways180110Wills Developmental Road – south–east – Julia CreekSouthern concurrency terminus with Wills Developmental Road
181112Wills Developmental Road – north–west – GregoryNorthern concurrency terminus with Wills Developmental Road
Flinders River318198Bridge
CarpentariaNormanton373232  Gulf Developmental Road (National Route 1) south–east – CroydonSouthern concurrency terminus with National Route 1
375233  Savannah Way (National Route 1) – south–west – Carpentaria,[10] BurketownNorthern concurrency terminus with National Route 1
Norman River381237EB Whyte Bridge[11] – National Route 83 terminates here. Burke Developmental Road continues as State Route 27.
CarpentariaHowitt410250Karumba Road – west – KarumbaSee map of Howitt[12]
Gilbert River483300Lily and Jubilee Slattery Bridge[3]
Middle Creek546339Bridge
Staaten River569354Bridge
CarpentariaMaramie640400Dunbar Kowanyama Road – north–west – KowanyamaSee map of Maramie[13]
Lynd River764475Bridge
Walsh River820510Bridge
Walsh River908564Bridge
MareebaPetford1,003623Herberton–Petford Road – south–east – HerbertonSee map of Petford[14]
Emu Creek1,005624Bridge
MareebaDimbulah1,035643  Mareeba Dimbulah Road – east – MareebaNorthern end of Burke Developmental Road (Dimbulah town centre).
State Route 27 continues east to Mareeba as Mareeba Dimbulah Road.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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Termite mounds along the Burke Developmental Road, Stokes, 2019
 
Burke Developmental Road south of Normanton, 2019

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Map of Burke Developmental Road in Queensland - Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia". Archived from the original on 26 December 2012. Retrieved 5 September 2010.
  2. ^ "Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads - Maps". Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  3. ^ a b "Bridge named in honour of Indigenous leaders". ABC News Online. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 30 June 2009. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  4. ^ "North-west Qld shares in road funds". ABC Western Queensland. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 July 2007. Archived from the original on 29 June 2011. Retrieved 10 March 2011.
  5. ^ "Burke Developmental Road - Chillagoe to Almaden - Progressive Sealing - Package One". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2022. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  6. ^ "Burke Developmental Road - Chillagoe to Almaden - Progressive Sealing - Package Two". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  7. ^ "Burke Developmental Road (Cloncurry-Normanton), Butcher Creek, replace bridge". Queensland Government. 4 May 2022. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Burke Developmental Road (Normanton-Dimbulah), pave and seal". Queensland Government. 9 November 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  9. ^ "Burke Developmental Road (Normanton-Dimbulah), progressive sealing". Queensland Government. 20 December 2021. Archived from the original on 22 May 2022. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
  10. ^ "Carpentaria, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  11. ^ "Norman River Bridge". Carpentaria Shire Council. Archived from the original on 9 July 2014. Retrieved 9 July 2014.
  12. ^ "Howitt, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Maramie, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Petford, Queensland" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 1 August 2017.