Springbrook Road
Springbrook Road is a heritage-listed road on the Springbrook–Mudgeeraba Road, Springbrook, in the Gold Coast area of Queensland, Australia. Built between 1925 and 1928, it is part of State Route 99 and is known also as Memorial Cairn, Springbrook–Mudgeeraba Road, and Toll Road. The road was added to the Queensland Heritage Register on 22 October 1999.
Two separate sections make up the route. From Mudgeeraba to the Pine Creek Road intersection in Springbrook, it is called Gold Coast–Springbrook Road (road number 104). From that intersection to the end, it is Springbrook Road (road number 2015). Both sections are considered local roads of regional significance.
Why it was built
The Springbrook Road Complex was created to encourage settlement and development in the Springbrook area in the mid-1920s. Early access to the plateau was difficult, limiting farm and community growth. The new road offered a more reliable, more direct route off the mountain and helped open up the area for people to live and work.
Key features from the construction era
- Two curved timber bridges: early examples of this type of bridge on a mountainous Queensland road. They still carry traffic today, but are narrow and not suitable for large vehicles.
- A timber water trough and a water fountain: built by the road workers and originally used to water horses. Today, they remain as historic and tourist attractions.
- A steep gradient: the road was among the first in Queensland to be successfully built on a very steep slope, with sections as steep as about 1 in 12 (and occasionally 1 in 10).
What happened during construction
Construction began in March 1925 and progressed in stages. The first section to Neranwood was completed by February 1926. The more challenging Neranwood to Wunburra section took until November 1928. The early work required difficult cutting and filling high on the mountainside, and crews lived in camps on the ridge during construction.
Toll road and community roles
When the road first opened in February 1928, a toll gate was placed at the base of the Wunburra Range to manage traffic up and down the mountain. Toll amounts varied over the years, and a local gatekeeper kept to a strict schedule to ensure safety on the narrow, one-way sections. The toll was removed on 30 November 1945.
Landmarks along the road
- Wunburra Lookout: a viewing area with a concrete and rock platform offering panoramic valley views.
- Hardy’s Lookout: near the Old School Road entrance, home to a Memorial Cairn listing local pioneers from 1906. A brass plaque records nineteen names, and a brass north-point disc shows directions.
Recent upgrades
In early 2019, plans and work to upgrade the Mudgeeraba Creek causeway were completed, improving drainage and road quality.
Today
The Springbrook Road Complex starts at the Austinville Road–Gold Coast–Springbrook Road intersection and runs about 22.5 kilometers (14 miles) to the south. The road is mostly bitumen and two-way, with four short sections that are not. It features two curved timber bridges, lookouts for scenic stops, and heritage elements like the trough, fountain, and the Pioneer Memorial Cairn at Hardy’s Lookout.
Why it matters
Springbrook Road demonstrates how Queensland expanded settlement and access to the Springbrook area. It shows the engineering challenges of building a steep mountain road in the 1920s, preserves rare early road features like the water trough and timber bridges, and remains a valued scenic and historical route for locals and visitors.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 10:47 (CET).