Rockhampton–Emu Park Road

Rockhampton–Emu Park Road commences at an intersection with the Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road in {{QLDcity|Berserker}}, a suburb of {{QLDcity|Rockhampton}}. Starting as Bridge Street it runs south-east and then turns east as Lakes Creek Road, running along the boundary between Berserker and {{QLDcity|The Common}}. It runs through the southern part of {{QLDcity|Koongal}} and then turns south-east, following the Fitzroy River through {{QLDcity|Lakes Creek}}. It enters {{QLDcity|Nerimbera}} and continues south-east for a short distance before turning north-east. It continues north-east through {{QLDcity|Nankin}} to {{QLDcity|Tungamull}}, where it passes the exit to Keppel Sands Road (see below) to the southeast. It then passes through {{QLDcity|Coowonga}} and {{QLDcity|Coorooman}} before turning east through the southern tip of {{QLDcity|Tanby}} and entering {{QLDcity|Emu Park}}.

Land use along the road is mainly rural, but with business and residential developments at each end.

The road is fully sealed, with almost no dual carriageway. The following projects aim to improve the condition of sections of this road.

The project for upgrading between {{QLDcity|Gracemere}} saleyards and the Rockhampton abattoirs to provide access for Type 1 Road Trains, funded by the Northern Australia Beef Roads Program, was completed by early 2021 at a total cost of $30 million.{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=067210-16QLD-NAB |title=Rockhampton Road Network - Road Train Access |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=8 April 2021 |access-date=31 March 2022}} It involved about {{convert|29|km|mi}} of road improvements on four roads:

• Capricorn Highway – from Saleyards Road at Gracemere to the Bruce Highway roundabout at Rochhampton ({{convert|7.7|km|mi}}).
• Bruce Highway – from the Capricorn Highway roundabout to the Yaamba Road intersection ({{convert|8.3|km|mi}}).
• Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road – from the Bruce Highway intersection south-west to the Emu Park Road intersection ({{convert|2.4|km|mi}}.
• Rockhampton–Emu Park Road – from the Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road intersection to St Christophers Chapel Road at Nerimbera ({{convert|10.2|km|mi}}).

A project to provide overtaking lanes and priority safety and capacity improvements, at a cost of $19 million, is planned for construction from late 2022 to mid-2024.{{cite web |url=https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/rockhampton-emu-park-road-upgrades-including-overtaking-lanes-and-other-improvements |title=Rockhampton - Emu Park Road, upgrades including overtaking lanes and other priority safety and capacity improvements |publisher=Queensland Government |date=10 December 2021 |access-date=25 July 2022}}

{{main|Rockhampton, Queensland#History|Emu Park, Queensland#History|Yeppoon, Queensland#History|North Rockhampton to Emu Park railway line#History}}

The Archer brothers established the Gracemere pastoral run in 1855, on land that included the present site of Rockhampton. They made use of the Fitzroy River for shipping supplies and produce, and built a woolshed on the river bank. They also played a role in coining the name "Rockhampton" for their riverside worksite.McDonald, L: "Rockhampton – A History of City & District", page 19. Rockhampton City Council, 1976 Permanent settlement at the town site began in 1856, and the town was proclaimed and surveyed in 1858.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article71948250 |title=ROCKHAMPTON IN THE EARLY DAYS. |newspaper=The Capricornian |volume=29 |issue=23 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=6 June 1903 |access-date=6 October 2017 |page=9 |via=National Library of Australia}} The region expanded quickly due to good available land and water. Land to the north of the river was opened for settlement in the late 1850s, and became the location of both large holdings and small farms.

A large pastoral run was established along the length of the Capricorn Coast in 1865, extending from the {{QLDcity|Yeppoon}} area south towards what is now Emu Park.

European settlement in the Emu Park district began in the 1860s when John Jardine established a cattle grazing property to the south, at Zilzie.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article56934025 |title=HISTORY IN PLACE NAMES. |newspaper=The Morning Bulletin |location=Rockhampton, Qld. |date=20 February 1950 |access-date=28 December 2015 |page=5 |via=National Library of Australia |archive-date=17 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210917053916/https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/56934025 |url-status=live }} Emu Park township was established in the 1870s when several Rockhampton families built seaside holiday houses on the hills overlooking the two beaches that are a feature of the town. The first road to the district was established at this time, and small farms were set up along it. This road was the only access to the district until 1888, when the railway arrived.{{cite news|date=24 December 1888|title=THE EMU PARK RAILWAY.|volume=XLI|page=5|newspaper=Morning Bulletin|issue=7859|location=Queensland, Australia|url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article52274107|via=National Library of Australia|accessdate=18 November 2021}}

The first bridge across the Fitzroy River was opened in 1881, replacing a steam ferry and increasing road usage to Emu Park.{{cite news |url=http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article919358 |title=The Fitzroy Bridge. |newspaper=The Brisbane Courier |volume=XXXV |issue=4,257 |location=Queensland, Australia |date=12 January 1881 |page=5}}

The first {{convert|10.2|km|mi}} from Berserker is used by road trains carrying cattle to the Rockhampton abattoirs. In conjunction with Rockhampton-Yeppoon Road and the Scenic Highway, it is a popular tourist drive.

{{Infobox road small

|country=AUS

|state=QLD

|type=

|route=

|name=Keppel Sands Road

|location=Rockhampton–Emu Park Road, Tungamull to Schofield Parade, Keppel Sands

|length_km=14.1

|formed=

|}}

Keppel Sands Road is a state-controlled district road (number 193) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from Rockhampton–Emu Park Road in {{QLDcity|Tungamull}} to Schofield Parade in {{QLDcity|Keppel Sands}}, a distance of {{convert|14.1|km|mi}}. This road has no major intersections.{{Google maps |url=https://www.google.com.au/maps/dir/Tungamull+QLD+4702/-23.3263321,150.7922391/@-23.3304091,150.6532165,12z/data=!4m9!4m8!1m5!1m1!1s0x6bc2fbdb19fdc331:0x400eef17f209270!2m2!1d150.6873869!2d-23.3134591!1m0!3e0?entry=tts |access-date=5 August 2023 |title=Keppel Sands Road}}

{{clear}}

All distances are from Google Maps.

{{AUSinttop}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=Rockhampton

|LGAspan=

|location=Berserker

|lspan=

|type=

|km=0

|Mile=

|road={{AUshield|S|4}} {{AUshield|T|10}} Rockhampton–Yeppoon Road (Queen Elizabeth Drive) – north-east – {{QLDcity|Park Avenue|Norman Gardens}}
Toft Street – south-west – {{QLDcity|Rockhampton}} CBD
Glenmore Road – north-west – Park Avenue

|notes=South-western end of Rockhampton–Emu Park Road. Road runs south-east as Bridge Street.

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=Livingstone

|LGAspan=4

|location=Tungamull

|lspan=controlled

|type=

|km=24.9

|km2=25.0

|Mile=

|road=Keppel Sands Road – south-east – {{QLDcity|Keppel Sands}}
Cawarral Road – north – {{QLDcity|Cawarral}}

|notes=Road continues north-east.

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=Coorooman

|lspan=

|type=

|km=33.6

|Mile=

|road= Coorooman Creek Road – north-west – Cawarral

|notes=Road continues north-east.

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location_special=Coorooman / {{QLDcity|Tanby}} midpoint

|lspan=

|type=

|km=35.9

|Mile=

|road=Tanby Road – north – Tanby

|notes= Road turns south-east.

}}

{{QLDint

|LGA=

|LGAspan=

|location=Emu Park

|lspan=

|type=

|km=44.1

|Mile=

|road={{AUshield|S|4}} {{AUshield|T|10}} Scenic Highway – north-west – {{QLDcity|Kinka Beach|Yeppoon}}
Hill Street – north-east – Emu Park jetty
Pattison Street – south-east – Emu Park main beach

|notes=North-eastern end of Rockhampton–Emu Park Road.

}}

{{Jctbtm

|keys=

}}

{{portal|Australian Roads|Queensland}}

• List of road routes in Queensland
• List of numbered roads in Queensland
• List of tourist drives in Queensland

{{reflist}}

{{Road infrastructure in Queensland}}

Category:Roads in Queensland

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rockhampton-Emu Park Road}}