Toowoomba–Karara Road

Toowoomba–Karara Road is a continuous 82.5 km road route in the Toowoomba and Southern Downs regions of Queensland, Australia. Most of the route is signed as State Route 48. Toowoomba–Karara Road (number 331) is a state-controlled district road. As part of State Route 48 it provides an alternate route between and. It is also part of the shortest route from Toowoomba to.

Route Description
The Toowoomba–Karara Road commences as Old Wyreema Road at an intersection with the Toowoomba Athol Road in, a suburb of Toowoomba. It runs south-west, becoming Toowoomba-Karara Road as it runs between and. It passes through as Wyreema One Mile Road and Balgour Street before again becoming Toowoomba-Karara Road. This runs south to, following the Southern railway line. It passes through Cambooya as Railway Street, Quarry Street and Alfred Street before reaching an intersection with Cambooya Connection Road (State Route 48). Here it turns west on William Street as State Route 48, soon becoming Toowoomba-Karara Road again.

The road continues south-west through, , and before reaching. In Felton it passes exits to Felton-Clifton Road and Pittsworth-Felton Road. In Ellangowan it passes the exit to Clifton–Leyburn Road. As it enters Leyburn it passes exits to Leyburn-Cunningham Road (Tourist Drive 12) and Millmerran-Leyburn Road. It runs through Leyburn as Dove Street and turns south as Toowoomba-Karara Road. The road ends in Karara at an intersection with the Cunningham Highway.

Land uses along this road is primarily rural, including some areas of native vegetation.

State Route 48
State Route 48 starts as Cambooya Connection Road at an intersection with the New England Highway in Cambooya, 5.5 km east of Cambooya village. It joins Toowoomba-Karara Road in Cambooya and follows it to Karara.

Road condition
Toowoomba–Karara Road is fully sealed. It has no incline greater than about 4%.

History
Westbrook pastoral run was established in 1841, and Eton Vale pastoral run was established in 1840 in what is now Cambooya. Felton and Felton South were the site of an early pastoral run. Ellangowan pastoral run was established in 1842, and Leyburn was settled in the 1840s. The first roads were cut to provide access to the pastoral runs and new settlements for wheeled vehicles.

In 1877 land was resumed from many pastoral runs to establish smaller farms. These resumptions included Westbrook (11,500 acres), Eton Vale (6,500 acres), and Felton (7,800 acres). These resumptions soon led to closer settlement and a demand for better roads to enable the commercial success of the new farms.

Cambooya was connected by rail to Toowoomba in 1871, and quickly grew as a commercial centre. A post office had opened in 1869, and the first school opened in 1882. The development of new farms led to greater use of the road to Toowoomba.

The site for the town of Leyburn was surveyed in 1852. By 1861 the town had a post office and a police station, and the first school opened in 1862. Despite not having a railway connection the town grew quickly, with a hotel built in 1863, a court house in 1866 and a church in 1871. This placed great reliance on a road connection to Toowoomba. As settlement spread south from Leyburn it was inevitable that a road connection to the Cunningham Highway was established.

Intersecting state-controlled roads
This road intersects with the following state-controlled roads:
 * Cambooya Connection Road
 * Felton-Clifton Road
 * Pittsworth–Felton Road
 * Clifton–Leyburn Road
 * Leyburn–Cunningham Road
 * Millmerran–Leyburn Road

Cambooya Connection Road
Cambooya Connection Road is a state-controlled district road (number 3304) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It is part of State Route 48. It runs from the New England Highway in to Toowoomba–Karara Road in Cambooya, a distance of 5.5 km. This road has no major intersections.

Pittsworth–Felton Road
Pittsworth-Felton Road is a state-controlled district road (number 332) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from the Gore Highway in to Toowoomba–Karara Road in, a distance of 22.4 km. The road has no major intersections.

Clifton–Leyburn Road
Clifton–Leyburn Road is a state-controlled district road (number 336) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from Felton–Clifton Road in to Toowoomba–Karara Road in, a distance of 25.1 km. It intersects with Ryeford–Pratten Road in.

Leyburn–Cunningham Road
Leyburn-Cunningham Road is a state-controlled district road (number 3306) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It is part of Tourist Drive 12 and runs from Toowoomba–Karara Road in to the Cunningham Highway in, a distance of 52.8 km. It intersects with Ryeford–Pratten Road (see below) in.

Millmerran–Leyburn Road
Millmerran–Leyburn Road is a state-controlled district road (number 335) rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from the Gore Highway in to Toowoomba–Karara Road in, a distance of 36.1 km. This road has no major intersections.

Associated state-controlled road
The following state-controlled road intersects with Clifton–Leyburn Road and Leyburn–Cunningham Road:

Ryeford–Pratten Road
Ryeford–Pratten Road is a state-controlled district road (number 3363), rated as a local road of regional significance (LRRS). It runs from Clifton–Leyburn Road in to Leyburn–Cunningham Road in, a distance of 10.4 km.

Major intersections
All distances are from Google Maps.