Road Photos & Information: Queensland
Fruit Run (Tourist Drive 3)
Statistics:
- Length:
- 12 km
- Termini:
- Northern: New England Hwy (A15), Dalveen
- Southern: New England Hwy (A15), The Summit
- Miscellaneous:
- Route Includes: Granite Belt Drive
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- The Summit, Thulimbah, Cottonvale and Dalveen
Route Numbering:
- Current: 3
- Former: 15 15
- XX
General Information:
Tourist Drive 3 is located just north of Stanthorpe in Queensland's Southern Downs region. The route takes in fruit orchards, wineries, cafes and tourist attractions, plus several small villages. The route passes by The Summit railway station, recorded as the highest railway station in Australia, and Tourist Drive 3 is also home to one of many of Australia's large novelty architectural structures, the Big Apple at Thulimbah, which is a steel and fibreglass apple standing 4 metres tall and 4.5 metres wide. 1
Tourist Drive 3 is a former alignment of the New England Highway and entirely parellels the current route. The old alignment consists of a single lane in each direction, and offers a slower pace compared to the highway with less traffic.
History:
- July 1978: Government map released showing towns along the route bypassed by the current New England Highway alignment. 2
Dalveen to The Summit
NEW Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign assembly on the corner of Granite Belt Dr (TD3) and McCosker Dr, Dalveen, June 2025.
Image © Rob Tilley
NEW Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the corner of Granite Belt Dr (TD3) and Amiens Rd (TD5), Thulimbah, June 2025.
Image © Rob Tilley
NEW Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign with incorrect NR15 shield, corner of Granite Belt Dr (TD3) and Matthews Ln, The Summit, June 2025.
Image © Rob Tilley
NEW New England Highway:
ID sign with incorrect NR15 shield and text (which should be mixed case using E-modified variant) at the corner of Granite Belt Dr (TD3) and New England Hwy (A15), The Summit, June 2025. This is the southern terminus of TD3.
Image © Rob Tilley
NEW New England Highway:
ID sign at the corner of Granite Belt Dr (TD3) and New England Hwy (A15), The Summit, June 2025. This is the southern terminus of TD3.
Image © Rob Tilley
2 QLD Government, Department of Mapping and Survey, Cadastral Map 9240-11, The Summit, Queensland, 1:25 000, Provsional Edition.