Suttor River Causeway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Suttor River Causeway |
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Suttor River Causeway
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| Location | St Anns Road, Mount Coolon, Whitsunday Region, Queensland, Australia |
| Design period | 1870s - 1890s (late 19th century) |
| Built | 1876 |
| Official name: Suttor River Causeway, Old Bowen Downs Road, St Anns Crossing | |
| Type | state heritage (built) |
| Designated | 18 September 2008 |
| Reference no. | 601777 |
| Significant period | 1870s |
| Significant components | causeway/ford |
| Builders | Queensland Department of Public Works |
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The Suttor River Causeway is a special old bridge that crosses the Suttor River in Queensland, Australia. It's located on what used to be called the Old Bowen Downs Road, near Mount Coolon. This causeway was built way back in 1876 by the Queensland Department of Public Works. It's also known as St Anns Crossing. Because of its history and how well it has lasted, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 18 September 2008.
Contents
History of the Old Bowen Downs Road
Building Early Roads in Queensland
The Old Bowen Downs Road was created in the early 1860s. It was a very important path for teamsters, who were people who drove teams of animals (like bullocks) pulling wagons. This road connected Port Denison (now Bowen) on the coast to Bowen Downs Station, a large property far inland.
The road was used regularly for many years, even into the late 1890s. It was a vital link for sending messages and supplies between the coast and the remote areas. Today, parts of the old road can still be seen, but the stone causeway built in 1876 over the Suttor River is still mostly in one piece. It's a great example of early stone engineering in northern Queensland.
Exploring and Settling the Region
Europeans first explored the area around the Suttor River in the mid-1840s. A famous explorer named Ludwig Leichhardt traveled through the upper Burdekin Valley. However, the area wasn't opened for settlement until 1861. By the end of that year, many pastoralists (people who raised livestock) had claimed land in the region.
These new farms and stations were very isolated. They depended on teamster routes like the Bowen Downs Road to get supplies and communicate with coastal towns. The Bowen Downs Road stretched about 500 kilometers (310 miles). It went through places like Eton Vale, Strathmore, and St Anns before reaching Bowen Downs Station.
Challenges with Early Road Building
In early Queensland, building and maintaining roads was difficult. There wasn't a central system for managing roads, and local areas didn't have much power to build them. Also, there was always a shortage of money. This meant that most roads were in poor condition.
The Kennedy district, where the Suttor River is, was known for its rich grazing land. The government knew that good roads were essential to help the economy grow as more people settled there. In 1863, Henry Taylor Plews, who was the Engineer of Roads for the Northern Division, said that many roads hadn't even been properly surveyed or marked out. He also noted that new roads were constantly needed.
Improving the Bowen Downs Road
Plews suggested that the existing track should be surveyed and cleared. He also wanted to make sure that creek crossings were safe for wagons. The government agreed and provided money for road development in the Kennedy district in 1863 and 1864.
By 1865, Frederick Byerley took over as the Engineer of Roads. His report showed that building a usable road from Bowen to the Suttor River was a top priority. It cost about £925, which was a lot of money back then.
Despite these efforts, local people in Bowen were still unhappy. They felt that Bowen was missing out on trade with the inland farms because of the poor roads. They even suggested building a new road, called the Port Denison Road, which was shown on maps by 1868.
The Suttor River Causeway is Built
Even with the new Port Denison Road, people continued to use the Old Bowen Downs Road. A mail service ran every two weeks between Bowen Downs Station and Bowen in 1875. By September 1876, the Engineer of Roads in Bowen reported that more people were using the Old Bowen Downs Road. This was partly because of the wool trade and also because gold had been discovered inland.
This increase in traffic meant that the road needed significant repairs. A major project was building a stone bridge over the Suttor River at St Anns, which had started earlier in 1876. The engineer noted that the work was expensive because the stones had to be blasted out. However, he stressed that finishing the bridge was very important for connecting the northern and southern goldfields.
The stone causeway at the Suttor River was one of the earliest large engineering projects built by the Queensland Government in North Queensland. After 1880, local boards took over most of the road building, and the Queensland Government didn't play a major role again until the 1920s.
The Road in Later Years
In 1896, the Old Bowen Downs Road was surveyed again. The plan from 1897 showed that the road was still being used and that some parts were in good condition, including a "good smooth rock crossing" over Strathmore Creek.
Today, parts of the Old Bowen Downs Road can still be found between Strathmore Station and Mount Douglas. In 1964, some Bowen residents explored the road and found old inns and evidence of another stone crossing. The stone bridge over the Suttor River, built in 1876, was still intact. People described it as a beautiful spot with tall trees and strong, well-placed stones that had survived many floods.
The Old Bowen Downs Road is no longer a main road and isn't used by many people. The stone causeway over the Suttor River is mostly used by local residents who take alternative routes.
What the Suttor River Causeway Looks Like
Most of the old work on the Old Bowen Downs Road has fallen apart over time. For example, the stone crossing over Percy Douglas Creek is hard to see now. However, the 1876 causeway over the Suttor River at St Anns is still mostly complete.
The Suttor River Causeway is built from local stone and is designed to handle floods. The river splits into two parts, so the causeway also has two sections. The southern part is longer and more complete than the northern part. Some of the stones have been moved by floods, especially on the northern section.
To make it easier for cars, two concrete tracks have been added over the stone surface of the southern section. There are also timber posts on the downstream side and one on the upstream west side. These posts might have helped guide people when the river was flooded. The causeway is surrounded by native trees like Melaleuca and Eucalyptus, which makes it look natural and beautiful in its bush setting.
Why the Causeway is Important
The Suttor River Causeway on the Old Bowen Downs Road is listed on the Queensland Heritage Register because it meets several important criteria.
Showing Queensland's History
The Old Bowen Downs Road was a crucial route from the early 1860s to the late 1890s. It connected the coast to inland areas, helping the region's economy grow in the 1800s. The causeway, built in 1876, is a great example of the engineering methods and materials used to build roads in rural Queensland as more people settled there.
A Rare Example of Engineering
The 1876 stone causeway is still mostly intact. This makes it a rare example of how roads were built in Queensland during that time. It's also one of the earliest major engineering projects built by the Queensland government in North Queensland, before local boards took over road building in 1880.
Demonstrating Key Features
The causeway clearly shows the main features of its type. These include being built from stone and designed to be submerged (covered by water) during floods.
Its Beautiful Setting
The 1876 stone causeway is surrounded by mature native trees, creating a very scenic spot. It's well-known in the region and has even been featured in books about the area's history.
