Inland Freight Route (Mungindi to Charters Towers) Upgrades

The Inland Freight Route (Mungindi to Charters Towers) Upgrades is a $1 billion jointly committed initiative by the Australian and Queensland governments. The Australian Government has committed $800 million and the Queensland Government has committed $200 million towards this program of works. Investment ID 2586600.

The Inland Freight Route is a 1185-kilometre nationally accredited north-south key freight route from Mungindi on the New South Wales border, to Charters Towers in Queensland's north.

The route provides an alternative north-south route to the Bruce Highway and North Coast rail line, particularly during extreme weather events. This route consists of:

• Carnarvon Highway, from the New South Wales border to Rolleston.
• Dawson Highway, from Rolleston to Springsure.
• Gregory Highway, from Springsure to Clermont.
• Gregory Developmental Road, from Clermont to Charters Towers.
• Short sections of the Warrego Highway in Roma and the Capricorn Highway in Emerald.

The Inland Freight Route Program will aim to ultimately provide an efficient and consistent alternative to the Bruce Highway by upgrading the Carnarvon Highway, Dawson Highway, Gregory Highway and Gregory Developmental Road to allow for Type 2 road trains (multi-trailer heavy vehicle combinations).

In 2023-24, construction commenced on priority upgrades along the critical freight route including:

• upgrades to the Dawson River bridge and the Baffle Creek bridge on the Carnarvon Highway
• pavement strengthening and widening on the Gregory Developmental Road
• major culvert upgrades on the Carnarvon Highway
• future planning activities for the route.

Works to upgrade more priority locations are continuing.