Heading to Toowoomba from Brisbane requires you to climb the Great Dividing Range, Australia’s longest mountain chain, stretching over 3,500 kilometres from Cape York Peninsula in Queensland to Western Victoria. The Toowoomba Connection Road rises quickly from the Lockyer Valley to the Toowoomba Plateau.
The Toowoomba Range Crossing is not unique, with several towards the west of Brisbane itself, however some crossings have greater challenges than others with varying terrain obstacles. The Toowoomba Range Crossing is considered an engineering and infrastructure icon, included in the Q150 iconic locations as part of Queensland’s 150th anniversary in 2009.
The crossing was part of the Warrego Highway before a new crossing was created in 2019, the Toowoomba Bypass. Before then, the Toowoomba Connection Road was the main freight corridor linking Brisbane to western Queensland. It was created in the 1850s as a rough track for bullock teams and settlers to reach the Darling Downs.
It was formally built as a road for horse-drawn carriages and early freight vehicles in the 1860s with grading, drainage, and basic surfacing, with upgrades in 1867. Stone retaining walls and culverts continued to improve the vital transport corridor during the late 1800s. The 1930s, the range road became sealed, particularly the steep sections.
Cunningham’s Gap was discovered earlier, in 1827, however, road construction didn’t begin until 100 years later in 1927. Cunningham’s Gap provided an alternative route towards Warwick, while the Toowoomba crossing still facilitated the direct access towards the west. The newer Toowoomba bypass crossing for Warrego Highway provides a more modern and safer crossing for heavy vehicles and through traffic.
Another earlier crossing was Gorman’s Gap, just south of Toowoomba. Gorman’s Gap was first used in 1840 and is the first official crossing as a gazetted road. It was also a well-known route by Aboriginal people, such as when travelling to the Bunya Gatherings, occurring every two to three years.