Peak Downs Highway  

The Peak Downs Highway is a important route that links the coalfields in central Queensland with Moranbah and the coastal city of Mackay. Starting at the Gregory Highway/Gregory Developmental Road junction, 10km north of Clermont, the Peak Downs Highway heads north-east across cattle farming districts to the north of the Peak Ranges National Park before entering the Denham Ranges where motorists can turn off the highway to reach the large coal-mining town of Moranbah. Continuing north-east, the highway passes Coppabella, through the small, historic town of Nebo before reaching the Great Dividing Range escarpment, where the Peak Downs Highway winds down into the Pioneer Valley. The scenery changes dramatically as the highway continues north-east through vast fields of sugar cane surrounded by tropical mountain ranges, passing through the towns of Eton and Walkerston before reaching the Bruce Highway at Mackay.

State: Queensland
Name Origin: The Peak Downs Highway is named after the cattle station "Peak Downs", which gains its name from the unusual mountain ranges which lie to the south of the highway between Clermont and Moranbah which feature various prominent peaks.
Start: Gregory Highway/Gregory Developmental Road (10km north of Clermont)
Principal Towns: Clermont, Moranbah *, Coppabella, Nebo, Eton, Walkerston, Mackay
Finish: Bruce Highway (Mackay)
Length: 259km
Road Standard: Bitumen
Road Quality: Variable. Clermont-Moranbah - highway is narrow at times with a bumpy surface. Moranbah-Mackay - quite good, occasional overtaking lanes. Traffic levels quite low from Clermont to Moranbah with a significant increase thereafter. The highway is generally flat, has many straight sections with only the ascent/descent across the Eton Range being a significant hazard.
Speed Limit (outside built up areas): 100km/hr
Road Continuation: Click here for the Gregory Highway. Click here for the Bruce Highway.
* - denotes towns/cities bypassed by the Peak Downs Highway 

Photos from the Peak Downs Highway (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):
 

	Heading north-east along the Gregory Hwy approaching the start of the Peak Downs Hwy (2004).
	First distance sign on the Peak Downs Hwy, heading north-east from the Gregory Hwy (2004).
	Unusual mountain peak, heading north-east along the Peak Downs Hwy (2004).
	Looking north-east along the Peak Downs Hwy between Clermont and Nebo (2004).
	Distance sign, heading south-west on the Peak Downs Hwy from the Dysart turnoff - unusual for St George to mentioned on this sign! (2004)
	Heading north-east along the Peak Downs Hwy approaching the Moranbah turnoff (2004).
	Distance sign, heading north-east along the Peak Downs Hwy from the Moranbah turnoff (2004).
	Looking south-west along the Peak Downs Hwy between Nebo and Moranbah (2004).
	Heading north-east along the Peak Downs Hwy as it approaches the Middlemount turnoff (2004).
	Looking south along the Peak Downs Hwy as it passes through Nebo (2004).
	Directional sign, looking south-west along the Peak Downs Hwy between Walkerston and Eton (2004).
	Heading east on the Peak Downs Hwy as it approaches the Eungella turnoff (2004).
	Heading east on the Eungella Road as it approaches the Peak Downs Hwy, Walkerston (2007).
	Distance sign on the Peak Downs Hwy between Walkerston and Mackay (2004).
	Looking north along the Bruce Hwy as it approaches the Peak Downs Hwy junction, Mackay (2004).