View source for Balonne Highway

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2015}}
{{Use Australian English|date=September 2015}}
{{Infobox Australian road
| road_name    = Balonne Highway
| type         = highway
| state        = qld
| image        = Balonne Highway 1912.svg
| caption      = Balonne Highway (green on black)
| length       = 288
| direction_b  = West
| direction_a  = East
| end_b        = {{AUshield|QLD|A71}} [[Mitchell Highway]] <small>(State&nbsp;Highway&nbsp;A71), [[Cunnamulla, Queensland|Cunnamulla]]</small>
| end_a        = {{AUshield|QLD|A55}} [[Carnarvon Highway]] <small>(State&nbsp;Highway&nbsp;A55), [[St George, Queensland|St George]]</small>
| est          =
| through      = [[Bollon, Queensland|Bollon]], [[Nebine, Queensland|Nebine]], [[Linden, Queensland|Linden]]
| route        = {{AUshield|S|49}} State Route 49
| exits        = 
}}

The '''Balonne Highway''', a state [[highway]] of [[Queensland]], is the continuation westward of [[List of road routes in Queensland#49r|State Route 49]] ([[Moonie Highway]]) from the town of [[St George, Queensland|St George]] to its termination at [[Cunnamulla, Queensland|Cunnamulla]].<ref name=Qgov>{{Cite web |url=http://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Maps-and-guides/Queensland-state-controlled-roads-and-region-maps.aspx |title=Queensland Government - Department of Transport and Main Roads - Maps |access-date=14 April 2014 |archive-date=19 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180319070948/https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/Travel-and-transport/Maps-and-guides/Queensland-state-controlled-roads-and-region-maps.aspx |url-status=live }}</ref> There are no large settlements between St George and Cunnamulla.<ref>{{cite map |title=Australia Road and 4WD Atlas|last=Hema |first=Maps|year=2007 |publisher=Hema Maps|location=Eight Mile Plains Queensland|isbn=978-1-86500-456-3|pages=8/19}}</ref>

==Upgrades==
===Levee bank at Bollon===
A project to construct a levee bank across the highway on the western side of {{QLDcity|Bollon}}, at a cost of $1.8 million, was completed in June 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/balonne-highway-bollon-cunnamulla-bollon-west-flood-levee |title=Balonne Highway (Bollon - Cunnamulla) - Bollon West Flood Levee, improve drainage |publisher=Queensland Government |date=22 November 2021 |access-date=20 May 2022 |archive-date=20 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220520064458/https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/projects/balonne-highway-bollon-cunnamulla-bollon-west-flood-levee |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Roads of Strategic Importance upgrades==
The [[Roads of Strategic Importance]] initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the Balonne Highway.

===Corridor upgrade===
A lead project to upgrade the Townsville to Roma corridor, including sections of the [[Carnarvon Highway|Carnarvon]], [[Dawson Highway|Dawson]], [[Gregory Highway|Gregory]] and Balonne Highways and surrounding state and council roads, at an estimated cost of $125 million, commenced construction of some work projects in 2020. Planning continues for other projects.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=100534-18QLD-RSI |title=Townsville to Roma Corridor Upgrade |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=29 March 2022 |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-date=29 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429070635/https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=100534-18QLD-RSI |url-status=live }}</ref>

===St George breakdown pad===
A project to construct a breakdown pad on the Balonne Highway at St George at a cost of $2.4 million is planned to be completed by late 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=106723-19QLD-RSI |title=Balonne Highway - St George Breakdown Pad |publisher=Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications |date=12 April 2022 |access-date=6 May 2022 |archive-date=29 April 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220429070622/https://investment.infrastructure.gov.au/projects/ProjectDetails.aspx?Project_id=106723-19QLD-RSI |url-status=live }}</ref> This project is targeted for "early works" by the Queensland Government.<ref name=early>{{cite web |url=https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/_/media/projects/r/roads-stimulus-packages-queensland/road-stimulus-packages-jointly-funded-australian-government.pdf?sc_lang=en&hash=2CE432E465807F6B231DD64BEA34F9E4 |title=ROSI early works package |publisher=Queensland Government |date=29 April 2020 |access-date=7 May 2022 |archive-date=27 December 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211227102907/https://www.tmr.qld.gov.au/_/media/projects/r/roads-stimulus-packages-queensland/road-stimulus-packages-jointly-funded-australian-government.pdf?sc_lang=en&hash=2CE432E465807F6B231DD64BEA34F9E4 |url-status=live }}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Major intersections==
{{AUSinttop}} 
{{QLDint
|LGA=[[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]]
|LGAspan=
|location=St George
|lspan=
|type=
|km=0
|Mile=
|road={{AUshield|QLD|A55}} [[Carnarvon Highway]] (State Route A55) north – [[Roma, Queensland|Roma]] /<br />south – [[Nindigully, Queensland|Nindigully]]
|notes=Eastern end of Balonne Highway (State Route 49)
}}
{{Jctbridge
|river=[[Balonne River]]
|km=1.6
|bridge=[[Andrew Nixon Bridge]]
}}
{{QLDint
|LGA=[[Shire of Balonne|Balonne]]
|LGAspan=3
|location=St George
|lspan=
|type=
|km=5.2
|Mile=
|road=Mitchell–St George Road – north – [[Mitchell, Queensland|Mitchell]]
|notes=
}}
{{QLDint
|LGA=
|LGAspan=
|location=Bollon
|lspan=2
|type=
|km=102
|Mile=
|road=Bollon–Dirranbandi Road – south – [[Dirranbandi, Queensland|Dirranbandi]]
|notes=
}}
{{QLDint
|LGA=
|LGAspan=
|location=
|lspan=
|type=
|km=113
|Mile=
|road=Mitchell–Bollon Road – north – Mitchell
|notes=
}}
{{QLDint
|LGA=[[Shire of Paroo|Paroo]]
|LGAspan=2
|location=Nebine
|lspan=
|type=
|km=160
|Mile=
|road=Charleville–Bollon Road – north – [[Charleville, Queensland|Charleville]]
|notes=
}}
{{QLDint
|LGA=
|LGAspan=
|location=Cunnamulla
|lspan=
|type=
|km=288
|Mile=
|road={{AUshield|QLD|A71}} [[Mitchell Highway]] (State Route A71) north – [[Charleville, Queensland|Charleville]] /<br />south – [[Bourke, New South Wales|Bourke]]
|notes=Western end of Balonne Highway
}}
{{Jctbtm
}}

==See also==
{{portal-inline|Australian Roads}}
* [[Highways in Australia]]
* [[List of highways in Queensland]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Road infrastructure in Queensland}}

{{Attached KML|display=title}}

[[Category:Highways in Queensland]]