Length:

575 km

Termini:

Eastern: Bruce Hwy (A1), Fairy Bower

Western: Landsborough Hwy (A2), Barcaldine

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Fairy Bower (Rockhampton), Gracemere, Kabra, Stanwell, Bushley, Wycarbah, Westwood, Gogango, Duaringa, Dingo, Bluff, Blackwater, Comet, Emerald, Anakie, Alpha, Jerico and Barcaldine

Current: A4

Multiplexed with: A7

Former: 66 66

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

16A (Rockhampton to Duaringa)

16B (Duaringa to Emerald)

16C (Emerald to Alpha)

16D (Alpha to Barcaldine)

General Information:

Capricorn Highway is an important route in the Queensland highway system, linking farming and mining interests of Central Queensland with the coast and Bruce Highway at Rockhampton.

Tracing the Tropic of Capricorn and crossing the Great Dividing Range, the route is rural highway standard, consisting mostly of 1 lane in each direction, and services residential, rural and industrial areas.

A7 (Gregory Hwy), for 1.5 km, Emerald

13 March 1992: Gogango Range Reconstruction opened by then Minister for Transport David Hamill. ²

31 July 2001: Mount Hay Overtaking Lanes opened by then MP for Fitzroy Jim Pearce. ²

April 2007: Work began on a $5.5 million project to re-seal and widen a 13 kilometre section of the Capricorn highway, east of Emerald. ³

2010: Work on upgrading the junction of Capricorn Hwy and Comet River Rd at Comet. Work included several safety improvements. ⁴ A new set of traffic signals were switched on at the entrance to Gracemere on the Capricorn Highway. Signals were installed in Emerald at the Ruby Street (Capricorn Highway) and Egerton Street intersection. ⁵

June 2011: Work commenced on upgrading Capricorn Hwy between Emerald and Rockhampton. Work included reconstruction works to sealed pavements including repairs, pavement replacement, stabilisation and bitumen resurfacing. ⁶

February 2012: The installation of a set of traffic signals in Emerald at the intersection of Clermont Street (Gregory Highway) and Ruby Street (Capricorn Highway). ⁷

April 2012: Work started on five new overtaking lanes on the Capricorn Highway, between Rockhampton and Emerald. The overtaking lane sites are west of Kabra, with one in both directions, one east of Gogango, one west of Dingo and one at Bluff. Safety improvements made to the junction with O'Shannesy Street at Gracemere. ⁷

February 2019: Work commences on duplication of Capricorn Hwy between Rockhampton and Gracemere. ⁸

Barcaldine to Rockhampton

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Barcaldine, approaching Barcaldine-Aramac Rd (SR19), November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Barcaldine-Aramac Road:

Corner of Capricorn Hwy (A4) (Oak St) and Barcaldine-Aramac Rd (SR19) at Barcaldine, November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Capricorn Way:

Tourism based sign indicating A4 forms part of the Capricorn Way tourist route, Barcaldine, November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Old & Current Hazard Board:

Old faded hazard board and current version underneath, corner of Capricorn Hwy (A4), Jacaranda Rd and Lancewood Dr at Barcaldine, November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Barcaldine, November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Road Conditions Sign:

Road conditions sign at Barcaldine, November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Rockhampton to Barcaldine

Shakespeare Street:

Intersection directional signs and advance directional sign on Shakespeare St, Alpha, approaching Capricorn Hwy (A4) and Clermont-Alpha Rd (SR41), September 2018.

Image © Richard Wardle

Barcaldine-Aramac Road:

Corner of Capricorn Hwy (A4) (Oak St) and Barcaldine-Aramac Rd (SR19) at Barcaldine, November 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Capricorn Hwy (A4) approaching Landsborough Hwy (A2), November 2016. A4 ends at this junction.

Image © Paul Rands