Gatton–Clifton Road

Gatton–Clifton Road is a continuous 63.1 km road route in the Lockyer Valley and Toowoomba regions of Queensland, Australia. Most of the road is signed as State Route 80. Gatton–Clifton Road (number 313) is a state-controlled road, part regional and part district. The district part is rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS).

Route Description
The Gatton–Clifton Road commences at an intersection with Gatton–Helidon Road (State Route 80) in, just west of. The road runs south-west, following Ma Ma Creek (the watercourse) through to the locality of. It passes the exit to Mount Sylvia Road as it leaves Winwill. Land use along this section of the road is irrigated crops. From here it runs through and reaches the foothills of the Great Dividing Range.

The road follows a winding, scenic route as it climbs the range, passing through native forest. It runs through the localities of and  before reaching the top of the range in. In Hirstglen it passes the exit to Greenmount–Hirstvale Road. From the top of the range it enters open farming country, passing through and reaching the New England Highway. There State Route 80 ends, and Gatton–Clifton Road turns south on the highway. After 1.2 km it exits to the west with no route number. It enters as East Street, and crosses the railway line before reaching an intersection with King Street. The road ends here, with Felton–Clifton Road running north as King Street.

In Fordsdale the road crosses Heifer Creek, where there is a popular camping area. From there it follows the creek to Hirstglen, which is why it is unofficially known as Heifer Creek Road.

Road condition
Gatton–Clifton Road is fully sealed. It has about 5.6 km with an incline greater than 5%, about 3.2 km greater than 10%, and about 1.3 kmgreater than 15%. The height above sea level at the top of the range is 580 m.

Intersecting state-controlled roads
This road intersects with the following state-controlled roads:
 * Gatton–Helidon Road
 * Mount Sylvia Road
 * Greenmount–Hirstvale Road
 * Felton–Clifton Road

Gatton–Helidon Road
Gatton–Helidon Road is a state-controlled road (number 314), part regional and part district. The district part is rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). Part of it is part of State Route 80, and all of it is part of the Warrego Way. It is part of the former route of the Warrego Highway through Gatton.

A project to widen multiple high-speed sections of Gatton–Helidon Road, at a cost of $4.6 million, was expected to be completed in June 2022.

State Route 80
State Route 80 starts at an intersection with the Warrego Highway in the north-eastern corner of Gatton. It follows the former route of the highway through Gatton, which becomes Gatton-Helidon Road. It turns south-west onto Gatton–Clifton Road and follows it to the New England Highway at Clifton.

Warrego Way
Warrego Way is a State Strategic Touring Route from Brisbane to. It follows the Warrego Highway, with some diversions, from Brisbane to. It leaves the highway in the north-eastern corner of Gatton and follows the former route of the highway. This becomes Gatton–Helidon Road, which it follows to where it rejoins the highway.

Mount Sylvia Road
Mount Sylvia Road is a state-controlled district road (number 3131) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from Gatton–Clifton Road in to East Haldon Road in, a distance of 23.6 km. The road has no major intersections.

Greenmount–Hirstvale Road
Greenmount–Hirstvale Road is a state-controlled road (number 3102) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from the New England Highway in to Gatton–Clifton Road in, a distance of 12.3 km. This road has no major intersections.

Felton–Clifton Road
Felton–Clifton Road is a state-controlled district road (number 330) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from Toowoomba–Karara Road in to Gatton–Clifton Road in, a distance of 24.5 km. This road intersects with Clifton–Leyburn Road in Clifton and Nobby Connection Road.

History
Gatton was gazetted as a settlement in 1855, and the railway arrived in 1866. With the arrival of the railway the town expanded quickly as a commercial centre for the surrounding district. The Tenthill pastoral run was established in 1845, and settlement in the rich Ma Ma Creek valley occurred as land became available. Road construction occurred as settlement expanded towards the foot of the range.

The Clifton pastoral run was established about 1844, and the Pilton run, originally part of Clifton, was separately established in the 1840s. Headington Hill was a large freehold estate established in the 1840s. The first road was cut to service these properties. In 1877, 6000 acres were resumed from the Clifton pastoral run and offered for selection on 17 April 1877. Subsequent development of small farms to the north of Clifton led to road improvements.

The mountain section, including a 31.7 m deep cutting, was built in 1940. Many factors had led to its construction; among them was reduced travel time between Gatton and Clifton, and a less steep ascent / descent than on the Toowoomba range crossing.

Major intersections
All distances are from Google Maps.