Length:

2031 km (Toowoomba to Chinchilla: 166 km)

Termini:

Eastern: Pacific Motorway (M1 / M3) and Gateway Motorway (M1), Eight Mile Plains

Western: NT-QLD Border, Camooweal

Miscellaneous:

Continues as Barkly Highway (NH66) in Northern Territory

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Postmans Ridge, Harlaxton, Mount Kynoch, Cranley, Cotswold Hills, Gowrie Junction, Charlton, Gowrie Mountain, Kingsthorpe, Oakey, Jondaryan, Dalby, Yaralla, Baining, Apunyal, Macalister, Warra, Brigalow, Boonarga and Chinchilla

Current: A2

Multiplexed with: 49 82

Former: A2 54

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

18B (Toowoomba to Dalby (except Toowoomba Second Range Crossing))

18C (Warrego Highway (Dalby to Miles))

319 (Toowoomba Second Range Crossing)

General Information:

M2 / A2 is the main link from Brisbane to the Northern Territory. It varies from motorway standard in the Brisbane metropolitan area, to dual carriageway rural highway standard between Brisbane and Toowoomba, and rural highway standard beyond Toowoomba. The route is the only sealed link between Flinders Highway and Capricorn Highway apart from Gregory Development Road between Emerald and Charters Towers.

The Landsborough Highway runs through vast tracts of land that was once occupied by William Landsborough, an Australian explorer of the 19th century. The Barkly Highway is the only major route connecting Queensland and the Northern Territory.

State Route 49, for 400 m, Dalby

State Route 82, for 4 km, Dalby

1849: Surveyor J.C. Burnett found a better route to the north to replace the road from Brisbane over the Toowoomba Range (via Gormans Gap, south of the city). This new route was to later become Toll Bar Road. ²

1853: A gang of twelve workers cleared and constructed a better road along the route of what would become Toll Bar Road. ²

January 1855: Toll Bar Road opens. A simple gatehouse was erected at the top of the range, near the current intersection of Ipswich and Curtis Streets in Toowoomba. A bar crossing the road and a fence either side stopped traffic and enabled toll collection of approximately two pence. Toll Bar Road consisted of a rough stone pavement on very steep grades. As the road was unsealed and very steep, with grades as much as 14%, it was subject to severe scouring during heavy rains. ²

13 December 1921: Brisbane-Toowoomba Road was declared a Main Road under the Main Roads Act, 1920. ²

24 September 1932: The Main Roads Commission proclaimed the Toll Bar Road a State Highway when it became part of the Lockyer-Darling Downs Highway. ²

1938: A major upgrade of the range road took place. The most significant change was to the uppermost section, with the new route reaching the top of the range further north. ²

December 1939: Work to upgrade the range road completed. ²

29 January 1940: A two-lane bitumen Toowoomba range road was formally opened by the Honourable H.A. Bruce, Minister for Public Works, MLA. The new range road was a vast improvement on the old Toll Bar Road as it provided a 6.1 m wide bitumen surfaced pavement over a length of 3.7 km and climbed a total height of 350 m. The average rate of climb was nearly 9%, although the actual grades varied between 7.5% and 10.5% with the exception of a short flattening in the vicinity of a saddle which had become known as "Essex Evans" due to the fact that the poet George Essex Evans (1863-1909) once resided at this location. ²

1964: The Main Roads Department commenced the duplication of the road at an estimated cost of £185 000. By 1964 the traffic volume had reached 2300 vehicles per day, of which approximately 500 were heavy trucks and semi-trailers. The alignment of the upgrading project was along the existing road from the foot of the range proper to the saddle at Essex Evans. However, an entirely new up-lane from Essex Evans to the top was constructed on the southern side of the existing road. The new up-lane was slightly longer, with improved horizontal and vertical alignment and an increased width of 7.3 m. The basic route used up until 2019, has remained unaltered since 1940. ²

4 April 1997: Opening of the Oakey Bypass. ⁴

2004: Warrego Highway renumbered to A2 under the QMR Strategic Tourism Routes plan. ³

April 2016: Construction begins on Toowoomba Range Second Crossing.

8 September 2019: Toowoomba Range Second Crossing completely open to traffic.

Click or tap here for the former alignment between Toowoomba and Chinchilla

Toowoomba to Chinchilla

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign after the Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) interchange, Postmans Ridge, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Welcome Sign:

Welcome sign on the Toowoomba Bypass section of Warrego Hwy (A2), Postmans Ridge, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Postmans Ridge:

One of the interesting rock cuttings in the Postmans Ridge area, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Tolling Sign:

Sign indicating distance to electronic toll point, and alternative ways to pay tolls, Ballard, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Ballard, approaching Mort St interchange, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Ballard, approaching Mort St interchange, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Tolling Sign:

Sign indicating alternative ways to pay toll, near the electronic tolling point, Harlaxton, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Electronic Toll Point:

Warrego Hwy (A2) as it passes through the electronic tolling point gantry, Harlaxton, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplementary AD sign at Harlaxton, approaching Mort St interchange, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign at Cranley at the Mort St interchange on the Toowoomba Bypass, December 2020. The bypass opened fully to traffic in September 2019. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Dean Sherry from January 2019.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Cranley on the Mort St interchange on the Toowoomba Bypass, January 2019. The bypass opened fully to traffic in September 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Cranley on the Mort St off-ramp, January 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on the Mort St interchange at Cranley, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Toowoomba Bypass, which opened to traffic in September 2019, approaching Boundary St interchange at Cranley, December 2020. Click or tap here for a photo by Dean Sherry from December 2018.

Image © Rob Tilley

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Cranley, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Cranley approaching Boundary St, December 2020. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Dean Sherry from February 2019.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Cranley, approaching Boundary St, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Boundary Street:

Warrego Hwy (A2) at the Boundary St interchange, Cranley, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Gowrie Junction approaching Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39), December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

End Motorway 2 km:

Sign indicating distance to end of the motorway, Gowrie Junction, approaching the Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39) interchange, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Gowrie Junction approaching Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39), December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Gowrie Junction approaching Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39), December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Gowrie Junction approaching Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39), December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

End Motorway 1 km:

Sign indicating distance to end of the motorway, Gowrie Junction, approaching the Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39) interchange, December 2020.

Image © Rob Tilley

Gore Highway & Toowoomba Connection Road:

Warrego Hwy (A2) at the interchange with Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21) and Gore Hwy (A39), December 2020. A2 exits here, and the mainline continues as Gore Hwy (A39).

Image © Rob Tilley

End Motorway / Start A39:

Start of Gore Hwy (A39) at Charlton, December 2020, at the interchange with Warrego Hwy (A2) and Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21).

Image © Rob Tilley

Entering Darling Downs:

Sign at Torrington on Warrego Hwy (A2) as it enters the Darling Downs region, February 2017.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Torrington approaching Troys Rd, February 2017.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Troys Road:

Warrego Hwy (A2) at the Troys Rd interchange at Torrington, February 2017.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Oakey-Pittsworth Rd at Oakey approaching Warrego Hwy (A2), January 2014.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Entering Dalby:

Warrego Hwy (A2) (Dayton St) as it enters the Dalby town centre, near Charles Drew Bridge over Myall Ck, January 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Dalby approaching Bunya Hwy (SR49) and Condamine St, December 2003. The SR49 multiplex begins at this junction.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Moonie Hwy (SR49) approaching Warrego Hwy (A2 / SR49 / SR82) at Dalby, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Dalby, April 2004.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign on the outskirts of Dalby, January 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Chinchilla approaching Wondai Rd & Colamba St, April 2004.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Chinchilla to Toowoomba

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Warrego Hwy (A2 / SR82) approaching Bunya Hwy (SR49) and Condamine St at Dalby, January 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign near Cunningham St, Dalby, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Chinchilla, April 2004.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Trailblazer:

A2 trailblazer bolted over NH54 trailblazer at Chinchilla, April 2004.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Dalby approaching Dalby-Cecil Plains Rd (SR82), October 2015.

Image © Dean Sherry

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Dalby, January 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Start A2:

End A39 / Start A2 trailblazer at Charlton on the interchange with Gore Hwy (A39) and Toowoomba Connection Rd (A21), February 2019. This sign is on the mainline where A39 ends and continues as A2.

Image © Dean Sherry

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Charlton, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Cranley approaching Mort St, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Cranley approaching Mort St, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Cranley approaching Mort St, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Mort Street Interchange:

Warrego Hwy (A2) at the Mort St interchange at Cranley, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on the off-ramp to Mort St in Cranley, February 2019.

Image © Dean Sherry