Road Description
The Kirrima Range Road passes through what was the Cardwell State Forest and is now the Kirrama National Park, a landscape comprising rugged mountain scenery, lush tropical rainforest, waterfalls and open eucalyptus forest. The road traverses the World heritage-listed national park (Murray Upper National Park and Girringun National Park). It begins on the coastal plain at Kennedy Creek in the township of Kennedy near Cardwell and continues westward over the range of the Southern Tablelands of the Herbert River district. Kirrama Range Road covers 18.8km from the outskirts of Kennedy. The first 1.5 km passes through coastal cane fields. The significant section of road covers 17.3 km and passes through mountainous tropical rainforest terrain.
The road maintains an even grade of 1 in 19 throughout its length. The road, which was originally 4.9 m wide, now averages 6 m and is up to 10 in a few locations. The road surface is either decomposed granite gravel for approximately 14 km or a bitumen seal for approximately 4.9 km. The section with bitumen seal commences 1.5 km from the coastal end of the road, which is the start of the heritage boundary. A condition assessment by Connell Wagner (2007) found that 35% of the road is driveable by conventional two wheel drive vehicle.
The Macadam layers in the road base remain largely extant, although there are some areas that are more deteriorated than others due to weather and previous repairs. Although it is not feasible to reinstate the damaged sections of Macadam, future maintenance and upgrading should take into consideration preservation of the Macadam base where possible. The best sections of original bitumen over Macadam are 200-460 m from the beginning of the heritage boundary, 700-980 m from the beginning of the heritage boundary, and between bridges 6 and 7.
Bridge Details:
Bridge 1
Kms from start: 2.3km
Span: 5m
Lane width: 4.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 8
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~1 m high concrete abutments with round drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete
Bridge 2
Kms from start: 2.4km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 4.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 10
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~1 m high concrete abutments with round drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete
Bridge 3
Kms from start: 2.5km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 4.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 10
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~2 m high concrete abutments with sm. round drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete
Bridge 4
Kms from start: 3.1km
Span: 10.3m
Lane width: 3.7m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 8
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~3.5 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and 6 m long wing walls.
Bridge 5
Kms from start: 3.4km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 3.9m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 9
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars.
Abutments & associated feature: ~1 m high concrete abutments with square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 6
Kms from start: 4.6km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 5.0m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 12
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 2 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~3 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and 8 m long wing walls of stone set in concrete. A 1.8 m high dry stone wall extends 12 m north along the east side of the road from the wing wall
Bridge 7
Kms from start: 4.8km
Span: 10m
Lane width: 5.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 11
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs with no concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~4.5 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and 8 m long wing walls of stone set in concrete. A ~4 m high dry stone wall extends 12 m west along the south side of the road from the wing wall.
Bridge 8
Kms from start: 4.9km
Span: 12.5m
Lane width: 4.4m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 9
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs with 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~4.5 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 9
Kms from start: 8.1km
Span: 10.5m
Lane width: 5.0m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 10
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs with 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~8 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 10 or Bunba (fig trees are there) Bridge
Kms from start: 15km
Span: 10m
Lane width: 5.2m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 7
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: timber decking is now sound, a few decking planks have been replaced, 4 concrete pillars and timber kerbs Abutments & associated feature: ~3 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 11
Kms from start: 16.6km
Span: 12m
Lane width: 5.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 5
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: timber plywood decking, covered with asphalt, 2 concrete pillars and timber kerbs Abutments & associated feature: ~2 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete. While the bridge abutments and wing walls remain unchanged on all bridges, the decking and possibly the timber girders have changed. Bridge 10 is the only one that remains in the same configuration as originally constructed; timber deck on longitudinal timber girders. Other significant features that tell the story of the road and complement the lush rainforest vegetation, view to the coast and the water falls include:
Three Mile Camp Site
The camp site is located approximately 10 m east of the creek which is crossed by bridge B8. Rocks have been cleared to form a track that leads south from the road to the camp site. The camp site covers an area approximately 15 m by 15 m and is defined by 3 lines of large rocks, which border and run away from a levelled area, and some piled up rocks that appeared to have been removed from the levelled area. A couple of jars and a rusting metal dish or bucket were found at the site.
Juberin Waterfall.
This twin Juberin falls, which are significant for the Girramai Aboriginal people, cascade down a steep rock face onto the road where the road surface is a concrete pad 15m long and 8 m wide to take the water across the road to where it continues to cascade down the steep rock face below the road.
George William Tucker Monument and Lookout.
This is the first of three monuments of similar design located along the road. It is on the east side and two metre from the road and is dedicated to the surveyor of the road. The monument has been sited next to a point on the road which offers panoramic views across the coastal plain to Hinchinbrook Island and Chanel. The monument is rectangular pyramid 2 m long by 1 m wide at its base tapering to an overall dimension of 1.5 m long by 1 m wide at the top. It is 1.9 m high. The front and rear are rubble stone set in concrete, the corners are top are rendered concrete and the sides are very rough cast concrete. A pink and green terrazzo shield 0.95 by 0.8 m has been set into the front of the monument. A brass plaque with the inscription "Erected by the citizens of the Shire of Cardwell to commemorate the memory of the late George William Tucker, surveyor, 1941" has recently been bolted to the terrazzo shield.
Dry stone batter retaining wall
In the battered face on the western side of the road approximately 200m past the Tucker Monument is a panel of random rubble un-coursed dry stone wall approximately 8 m high by between 5 m and 3 m wide. This wall has been constructed to stabilise the batter of the side cut which was made to make the road at this point.
Gap Camp Site
The camp site at the Gap is an open grassed area approximately 100 m by 100 m on the southern side of the road. It is the only area along the road that is devoid of trees and is the site of a camp for the men who worked on the road. The site is covered with 1 m high thick grass and is likely to have archaeological potential
Brice Henry Monument and Murray Valley Lookout
This second monument to the Chairman of the Cardwell Shire Council in 1941 is the same design, materials and dimensions as the Tucker Monument. It is sited on the northern side of the road and adjacent to the Murray Valley Lookout. Similar to the Tucker Monument a more recent brass plaque with the commemoration to Brice Henry is bolted to the pink and green Terrazzo shield.
Percy Pease Monument
The monument to the Minister for Lands and member for Herbert, Percy Pease, is similar in elevation to the other two free standing monuments. However unlike the other two monuments this one is set into a rock face which was exposed where the road cuts through a rocky ridge line. The monument is on the northern side of the road. The face of the monument is rough cast concrete with smooth cement render strips along the top, sides and centre of the monument. A pink and green terrazzo shield is set into the centre of the monument. A rectangular piece of white marble is set within the terrazzo shield, and bears the commemoration "Erected by the citizens of the Shire of Cardwell to commemorate the memory of the late Hon Percy Pease MLA Minister for Lands and Deputy Premier of Queensland." Below the marble tablet in black in the green terrazzo is the date 1941.
Walnut ‘Gunaway’ Tree
This large tree 1 m in diameter and at least 30 m high has been retained on the edge of the road formation. It is important for the local Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal name for the tree is Gunaway.
The road maintains an even grade of 1 in 19 throughout its length. The road, which was originally 4.9 m wide, now averages 6 m and is up to 10 in a few locations. The road surface is either decomposed granite gravel for approximately 14 km or a bitumen seal for approximately 4.9 km. The section with bitumen seal commences 1.5 km from the coastal end of the road, which is the start of the heritage boundary. A condition assessment by Connell Wagner (2007) found that 35% of the road is driveable by conventional two wheel drive vehicle.
The Macadam layers in the road base remain largely extant, although there are some areas that are more deteriorated than others due to weather and previous repairs. Although it is not feasible to reinstate the damaged sections of Macadam, future maintenance and upgrading should take into consideration preservation of the Macadam base where possible. The best sections of original bitumen over Macadam are 200-460 m from the beginning of the heritage boundary, 700-980 m from the beginning of the heritage boundary, and between bridges 6 and 7.
Bridge Details:
Bridge 1
Kms from start: 2.3km
Span: 5m
Lane width: 4.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 8
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~1 m high concrete abutments with round drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete
Bridge 2
Kms from start: 2.4km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 4.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 10
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~1 m high concrete abutments with round drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete
Bridge 3
Kms from start: 2.5km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 4.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 10
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~2 m high concrete abutments with sm. round drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete
Bridge 4
Kms from start: 3.1km
Span: 10.3m
Lane width: 3.7m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 8
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~3.5 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and 6 m long wing walls.
Bridge 5
Kms from start: 3.4km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 3.9m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 9
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 4 concrete pillars.
Abutments & associated feature: ~1 m high concrete abutments with square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 6
Kms from start: 4.6km
Span: 6m
Lane width: 5.0m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 12
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs and 2 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~3 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and 8 m long wing walls of stone set in concrete. A 1.8 m high dry stone wall extends 12 m north along the east side of the road from the wing wall
Bridge 7
Kms from start: 4.8km
Span: 10m
Lane width: 5.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 11
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs with no concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~4.5 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and 8 m long wing walls of stone set in concrete. A ~4 m high dry stone wall extends 12 m west along the south side of the road from the wing wall.
Bridge 8
Kms from start: 4.9km
Span: 12.5m
Lane width: 4.4m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 9
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs with 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~4.5 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 9
Kms from start: 8.1km
Span: 10.5m
Lane width: 5.0m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 10
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: concrete deck and kerbs with 4 concrete pillars
Abutments & associated feature: ~8 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 10 or Bunba (fig trees are there) Bridge
Kms from start: 15km
Span: 10m
Lane width: 5.2m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 7
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: timber decking is now sound, a few decking planks have been replaced, 4 concrete pillars and timber kerbs Abutments & associated feature: ~3 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete.
Bridge 11
Kms from start: 16.6km
Span: 12m
Lane width: 5.1m
No. of timber beams supporting deck: 5
Deck, kerb, corner pillar details: timber plywood decking, covered with asphalt, 2 concrete pillars and timber kerbs Abutments & associated feature: ~2 m high concrete abutments with round and square drainage holes and wing walls of stone set in concrete. While the bridge abutments and wing walls remain unchanged on all bridges, the decking and possibly the timber girders have changed. Bridge 10 is the only one that remains in the same configuration as originally constructed; timber deck on longitudinal timber girders. Other significant features that tell the story of the road and complement the lush rainforest vegetation, view to the coast and the water falls include:
Three Mile Camp Site
The camp site is located approximately 10 m east of the creek which is crossed by bridge B8. Rocks have been cleared to form a track that leads south from the road to the camp site. The camp site covers an area approximately 15 m by 15 m and is defined by 3 lines of large rocks, which border and run away from a levelled area, and some piled up rocks that appeared to have been removed from the levelled area. A couple of jars and a rusting metal dish or bucket were found at the site.
Juberin Waterfall.
This twin Juberin falls, which are significant for the Girramai Aboriginal people, cascade down a steep rock face onto the road where the road surface is a concrete pad 15m long and 8 m wide to take the water across the road to where it continues to cascade down the steep rock face below the road.
George William Tucker Monument and Lookout.
This is the first of three monuments of similar design located along the road. It is on the east side and two metre from the road and is dedicated to the surveyor of the road. The monument has been sited next to a point on the road which offers panoramic views across the coastal plain to Hinchinbrook Island and Chanel. The monument is rectangular pyramid 2 m long by 1 m wide at its base tapering to an overall dimension of 1.5 m long by 1 m wide at the top. It is 1.9 m high. The front and rear are rubble stone set in concrete, the corners are top are rendered concrete and the sides are very rough cast concrete. A pink and green terrazzo shield 0.95 by 0.8 m has been set into the front of the monument. A brass plaque with the inscription "Erected by the citizens of the Shire of Cardwell to commemorate the memory of the late George William Tucker, surveyor, 1941" has recently been bolted to the terrazzo shield.
Dry stone batter retaining wall
In the battered face on the western side of the road approximately 200m past the Tucker Monument is a panel of random rubble un-coursed dry stone wall approximately 8 m high by between 5 m and 3 m wide. This wall has been constructed to stabilise the batter of the side cut which was made to make the road at this point.
Gap Camp Site
The camp site at the Gap is an open grassed area approximately 100 m by 100 m on the southern side of the road. It is the only area along the road that is devoid of trees and is the site of a camp for the men who worked on the road. The site is covered with 1 m high thick grass and is likely to have archaeological potential
Brice Henry Monument and Murray Valley Lookout
This second monument to the Chairman of the Cardwell Shire Council in 1941 is the same design, materials and dimensions as the Tucker Monument. It is sited on the northern side of the road and adjacent to the Murray Valley Lookout. Similar to the Tucker Monument a more recent brass plaque with the commemoration to Brice Henry is bolted to the pink and green Terrazzo shield.
Percy Pease Monument
The monument to the Minister for Lands and member for Herbert, Percy Pease, is similar in elevation to the other two free standing monuments. However unlike the other two monuments this one is set into a rock face which was exposed where the road cuts through a rocky ridge line. The monument is on the northern side of the road. The face of the monument is rough cast concrete with smooth cement render strips along the top, sides and centre of the monument. A pink and green terrazzo shield is set into the centre of the monument. A rectangular piece of white marble is set within the terrazzo shield, and bears the commemoration "Erected by the citizens of the Shire of Cardwell to commemorate the memory of the late Hon Percy Pease MLA Minister for Lands and Deputy Premier of Queensland." Below the marble tablet in black in the green terrazzo is the date 1941.
Walnut ‘Gunaway’ Tree
This large tree 1 m in diameter and at least 30 m high has been retained on the edge of the road formation. It is important for the local Aboriginal people. The Aboriginal name for the tree is Gunaway.