Cloncurry–Dajarra Road

Cloncurry–Dajarra Road commences at an intersection with the Barkly Highway in {{QLDcity|Cloncurry}}, about {{convert|11|km|mi}} west of the town. Starting as Cloncurry–Duchess Road it runs south until it approaches the railway line, where it turns south-west to parallel the line. At the southern boundary of the locality it crosses the line and enters {{QLDcity|Kuridala}}. Ballara Nature Refuge occupies much of Kuridala. The road and the railway line each follow separate corridors through the nature refuge in a north–south direction.

Nearing the southern extent of the nature refuge the road crosses the line on two occasions, before and after the side road to {{QLDcity|Malbon}} village. It then turns south-west, still loosely following the railway line, until it approaches the south-west corner of Kuridala. Here it turns west, crossing the Burke River and a branch railway line before turning south-west then sharply north-west at an intersection with Chatsworth Phosphate Road, and entering {{QLDcity|Duchess}}.

The road continues west to the town of Duchess where it crosses the railway line, turns south-west, and re-crosses the line, which then turns north-west towards Mount Isa. It then turns west until it reaches an intersection with Mount Isa–Duchess Road,{{efn|A small section of Mount Isa-Duchess Road, within Mount Isa City, is a state-controlled district road (number 7709) rated as a local road of strategic significance (LRRS).}} where it turns south-west as Dajarra–Duchess Road. From here the road continues south-west and then west before crossing the {{QLDcity|Dajarra}} boundary and again turning south-west. It continues south-west until it meets the Diamantina Developmental Road (here known as Boulia–Mount Isa Highway) {{convert|0.7|km|mi}} south-east of the town of Dajarra, where it ends.

Land use along this road is a mixture of stock grazing on native vegetation, nature refuge and railway operations.

Much of the road remains unsealed, but approximately {{convert|4.5|km|mi}} was sealed in 2018 under a $3.2 million project funded by the Northern Australia Beef Roads Program.{{cite web |url=

https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=067222-16QLD-NAB |title=Cloncurry to Dajarra Road - Progressive Sealing |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=23 January 2019 |access-date=30 March 2022}}

In November 2021 funding of $31.5 million under various programs was announced for this road, with an expected completion date of early 2022.{{cite web |url=https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/cloncurry-dajarra-road-improvement-works |title=Cloncurry - Dajarra Road - Imptovement works |publisher=Queensland Government |date=9 November 2021 |access-date=16 April 2022}}

{{main|Cloncurry, Queensland#History|Great Northern Railway (Mt Isa line)#Beyond Cloncurry|Kuridala Township site#History|Duchess, Queensland#History|Dajarra, Queensland#History|Dajarra and Selwyn railway lines#History}}

Copper was discovered in the Cloncurry area in 1867,{{cite web|title=Welcome to Cloncurry Shire Council|url=http://www.cloncurry.qld.gov.au/|access-date=19 February 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140212071620/http://www.cloncurry.qld.gov.au/|archive-date=12 February 2014|df=dmy-all}} and the town was established to service the Great Australia Mine to the south. Fort Constantine was the first pastoral run in the district.{{cite web|last=Sheaffe|first=Stephen W.|title=Roger Sheaffe - a Pioneer|url=http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:203737/s00855804_1990_14_5_210.pdf|access-date=19 February 2014|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140223074905/http://espace.library.uq.edu.au/eserv/UQ:203737/s00855804_1990_14_5_210.pdf|archive-date=23 February 2014|df=dmy-all}} Gold was discovered nearby, at Top Camp.{{cite web |title= Gold, Mount Isa Cloncurry region |url= http://prophetau.com/alluvialreport/mountisa.html |work= The Alluvial Gold Report Qld |access-date= 19 February 2014 |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20140224131459/http://prophetau.com/alluvialreport/mountisa.html |archive-date= 24 February 2014 |df= dmy-all }} The town was surveyed in 1876{{Cite book |title=Heritage Trails of the Queensland Outback |last=Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) |author-link=Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland) |year=2002 |publisher= State of Queensland |isbn=0-7345-1040-3 |pages=85–86 }} and proclaimed in 1884. The railway arrived in 1907.

It is likely that several other pastoral runs were established in the district.

Copper was discovered at Kuridala in 1884 and the Hampden mine commenced operations in the 1890s. The discovery was on a pastoral lease named Eureka.{{cite QHR|30727|Kuridala Township, Hampden Smelter and Mining Complex|645604|accessdate=1 August 2014}} Copper mining in Kuridala led to the establishment of two new towns, {{QLDcity|Ballara}} and Kuridala, both now abandoned.

Copper was discovered in Duchess in 1897 on a pastoral run, which led to the opening of a mine and the founding of the town.{{cite QPN|10650|Duchess|town in Shire of Cloncurry|accessdate=7 July 2020}} The railway arrived in 1912.{{cite book|last=Kerr|first=John|title=Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways|date=1990|publisher=Boolarong Publications|isbn=978-0-86439-102-5|page=224}} The town of Duchess is surrounded by cattle stations, including Stradbroke{{cite web |url=https://www.mdh.net.au/stradbroke.html |title=Stradbroke |publisher=MDH Pty Ltd |date=2022 |access-date=19 April 2022}} and Bushy Park.{{cite web |url=https://www.whitepages.com.au/bushy-park-pastoral-co-10517378/duchess-qld-10518876B |title=Bushy Park |publisher=White Pages |date=2021 |access-date=19 April 2022}}

The railway branch line arrived in the small settlement of Dajarra in 1917,{{Cite book|title=Triumph of narrow gauge : a history of Queensland Railways|last=Kerr|first=John|year=1990|publisher=Boolarong Publications|isbn=978-0-86439-102-5|publication-date=1990|pages=125}} and the town grew around it. There were already many pastoral runs in the surrounding area and further west, and the primary purpose of the railway was the transport of live beef cattle to markets in the east of the state. Dajarra railway station was reputed to be one of the busiest cattle transfer sites in the world.

Prior to construction of the railway, it is likely that early roads were cut from both Cloncurry and Dajarra to provide access for wheeled vehicles to the pastoral runs and mining settlements. Over time these tracks may have been improved and extended to eventually form a through road.

Although not yet fully sealed the road is used extensively by road trains carrying cattle, and by other large trucks conveying heavy goods.

All distances are from Google Maps. The entire road is in the Cloncurry local government area.

{{AUSinttop|noLGA=yes}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=Cloncurry

|lspan=

|type=

|km=0

|Mile=

|road={{AUshield|QLD|A2}} {{AUshield|R|83}} Barkly Highway – east – {{QLDcity|Julia Creek|Mckinlay}}
– west – Mount Isa

|notes=North-eastern end of Cloncurry–Dajarra Road. Local name is Cloncurry–Duchess Road.

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=Kuridala

|lspan=2

|type=

|km=45.3

|Mile=

|road=Malbon–Selwyn Road – east – {{QLDcity|Malbon|Selwyn}}

|notes=

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=

|lspan=

|type=

|km=101

|Mile=

|road= Chatham Phosphate Road – south – {{QLDcity|The Monument}}

|notes=

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=Duchess

|lspan=

|type=trans

|km=118

|Mile=

|road=Mount Isa–Duchess Road – north-west – Mount Isa

|notes=Name changes to Dajarra–Duchess Road.

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=Dajarra

|lspan=

|type=

|km=169

|Mile=

|road={{AUshield|R|83}} Diamantina Developmental Road (Boulia–Mount Isa Highway) - south - {{QLDcity|Boulia}}
– west – Mount Isa

|notes=South-western end of Cloncurry–Dajarra Road

}}

{{Jctbtm

|keys=trans

}}

{{portal|Australian Roads|Queensland}}

{{reflist}}

{{notelist}}

{{Road infrastructure in Queensland}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cloncurry-Dajarra Road}}

Category:Roads in Queensland