Road Photos & Information: Queensland
Route Number   Lindsay Street, Bridge Street, New England Highway, Murphys Creek Road, Postmans Ridge Road, Warrego Highway, Gatton-Helidon Road, Western Drive, Railway Street, Eastern Drive, Gatton-Laidley Road, Rosewood-Laidley Road, Karrabin-Rosewood Road, Dixon Street, J. Hansons Road, Toongarra Road, Old Toowoomba Road, Brisbane Street, Limestone Street, Burnett Street, East Street, Pine Street, The Terrace, Downs Street, Delacy Street, Tantivy Road & Mt Crosby Road (Cobb & Co Tourist Drive)

Statistics:

Route Numbering:

General Information:

The Cobb and Co Tourist Drive forms one of the original routes between Ipswich and Toowoomba. It passes through several small towns, and consists almost two-lane undivided rural road, suburban arterial road and divided highway standards.

The route, in part, traces the steps of the famous Cobb and Co coaches, which were awarded the first ever mail route in Queensland.

The first Cobb & Co mail service in Queensland operated from Brisbane to Ipswich. Passengers and mail heading further west were taken from Ipswich to Grandchester by train and then by another Cobb & Co coach for the rest of the journey to Toowoomba.

After the railway line from Brisbane to the Darling Downs was completed in 1875, Cobb & Co operated from the western railheads, carrying passengers and mail to many outback towns and settlements.

Up to 40 horses and 6 staff were needed for an average day’s journey of about 80 kilometres. Teams of horses were changed at depots spaced every 25 to 40 kilometres along the routes. At its peak Cobb & Co owned thousands of horses and numerous coaches, workshops, offices and stables and employed hundreds of drivers, grooms, coach builders and office staff.

Cobb & Co completed its last coach run on August 14 1924, from Surat to Yuleba in south-west Queensland. The company was wound up in 1929.

Multiplexes along the route include:

History:

Route Map

North Tivoli to Toowoomba   Toowoomba to North Tivoli
Preview: Description:   Preview: Description:
Trailblazer:
Trailblazer on Limetsone St Ipswich, as the route becomes Burnett St, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign facing the Warrego Hwy (A2) off ramp in Helidon at the Turner St junction, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Ipswich approaching Burnett St (unnumbered) and Brisbane St (SR62), March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at the Warrego Hwy (A2) off ramp in Helidon, April 2011.

Image © Rob Tilley

Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign with incorrect NR shield at the corner of Burnett St and Brisbane St (SR62) in Ipswich, March 2013. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns left at this junction.

Image © Paul Rands

  Distance Sign:
RD sign as Cobb & Co Tourist Drive leaves Helidon, April 2011.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Brisbane St at West Ipswich, approaching Hooper St, Moffatt St and Lobb St, March 2013. Cobb & Co Tourist Drive continues straight and becomes Old Toowoomba Rd.

Image © Paul Rands

  Entering Grantham:
Cobb & Co Tourist Drive as it enters the small town of Grantham, April 2011.

Image © Rob Tilley

Lobb Street :
Old Toowoomba Rd at the ramp to Lobb St at West Ipswich, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Intersection Directional Sign:
AD sign at the junction with Gatton-Clifton Rd (SR80) at Grantham, April 2011. The SR80 duplex begins at this junction.

Image © Rob Tilley

Bremer River :
Crossing Bremer River via One Mile Birdge at West Ipswich, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Western Drive) approaching Spencer and Railway Streets in Gatton, April 2011.

Image © Rob Tilley

Trailblazer:
Cobb & Co Tourist Drive trailblazer on Old Toowoomba Rd, Leichhardt, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Western Drive) at the junction with Spencer and Railway Streets in Gatton, April 2011.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign on approaching Shine St, the unnumbered section of Old Toowoomba Rd and Toongarra Rd (SR62) at Leichhardt, March 2013. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive follows SR62 at this junction.

Image © Paul Rands

  Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Eastern Drive) at Gatton approaching Gatton-Laidley Road, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.

Image © Rob Tilley

Old Toowoomba Road & Shine Street :
ID sign on the roundabout with Old Toowoomba Rd and Shine St, Leichhardt, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Eastern Drive) at Gatton approaching Gatton-Laidley Road, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.

Image © Rob Tilley

Old Toowoomba Road & Shine Street :
ID sign on the roundabout with Old Toowoomba Rd and Shine St, Leichhardt, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on Cobb & Co Tourist Drive (Eastern Drive) at Gatton at the junction with Gatton-Laidley Road, April 2011. The Cobb & Co Tourist Drive turns right at this junction.

Image © Rob Tilley

Reassurance Directional Sign :
Distance sign at Leichhardt, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Laidley, June 2009.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Reassurance Sign :
Reassurance sign on Toongarra Rd at Leichhardt, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on John St at Rosewood, approaching Rosewood-Laidley Rd & Karrabin-Rosewood Rd, June 2009.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Intersection Directional Sign :
ID sign at the corner of Karrabin-Rosewood Rd and Sherman Rd at Karrabin, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Reassurance Sign :
Reassurance sign on Karrabin-Rosewood Rd approaching Wulkuraka Connection Rd at Karrabin, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Entering Walloon :
Karrabin-Roswood Rd as it enters the town of Walloon, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign at Walloon, approaching Haigslea-Amberley Rd (SR93), March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Intersection Directional Sign :
ID sign on the roundabout with Haigslea-Amberley Rd (SR93) in Walloon, March 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

     

1 Transport and Main Roads, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, Metropolitan Region: east
2  Transport and Main Roads, Queensland state-controlled roads and region maps, Metropolitan Region: west
3 Lockyer Valley Council Cobb & Co Tourist Drive Brochure
4 Queensland State Archives, Little Liverpool Main Road Board
5 Queensland Government, Environment & Resource Management, Queensland Heritage Register, Heiner Road Railway Overpass
6 University of Southern Queensland, Library, The construction of the southern Ipswich bypass from Saunders Street to Deebing Creek thesis by Elton John Walker
7 Lachlan Sims
8 Ipswich City Council, Media Releases, Traffic lights to make it safer at Leichhardt intersection, 21 May 2010

Last updated: 29-Mar-2019 21:24

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