| Cunningham’s Gap | |
|---|---|
| Cappoong[1] | |
 View fromKents Lagoon, 2015 | |
| Elevation | 787 metres |
| Traversed by | Allan Cunningham |
| Location | Tarome,South East Queensland, Queensland |
| Range | Main Range |
 Interactive map of Cunningham’s Gap | |
Cunningham's Gap is a pass over theGreat Dividing Range between theDarling Downs and theFassifern Valley inQueensland, Australia. The Gap is the major route over theMain Range along theGreat Dividing Range, betweenWarwick andBrisbane. TheCunningham Highway was built to provide road transport between the two regions.
It is situated inMain Range National Park, between the peaks ofMount Cordeaux andMount Mitchell. On a clear day the pass forms a distinct break in Main Range's profile as seen fromBrisbane. It is located inTregony in theSouthern Downs Region immediately beside the boundary toTarome in theScenic Rim Region local government area.
The highway itself is a scenic drive although steep with an eight degree grade on the descent.
The Indigenous name for the location isCappoong, though the meaning is unknown.[1] The localIndigenous people have a legend about the creation of the gap. In thedreamtime, theYuggera people rounded up all the kangaroos in the area and fenced them into the valley west of Minto Crags (Whinpullin) to prevent other tribes from catching them. However, an old woman set them free. As they stampeded across the Great Dividing Range they tore a gap betweenMount Mitchell (Coonyin-nirra) andMount Cordeaux (Niamboyoo).[2]
In 1827,Allan Cunningham set out from the upperHunter River, to explore west of the Dividing Range, exploring the Darling Downs; returning in 1828 from Brisbane to explore Cunninghams Gap.[3] He was aware of the economic benefits that a link between the coast and pastoral lands to the west would provide.[4] Cunningham travelled on the righthand side of the Gap whereas the highway today runs on the lefthand side fromAratula.
On 3 July 1909, Cunningham's Gap was declared anational park.[5] This new park, which originally consisted of 3,100 acres, was located on the western side of the range and included Gap Creek.[6] Walking tracks were constructed in the 1930s and 1950s.[5]
On 11 June 1927, the 100-year anniversary of Allan Cunningham's exploration of the Darling Downs, the new road through Cunningham's Gap was officially opened by the local Member of Parliament, SirLittleton Groom.[7] Although the road, which was built entirely by volunteers, was officially open, travelling along this new route was inadvisable, especially on the portion west ofAratula.[7] The road was plagued by problems during this early embryonic stage with theRoyal Automobile Club of Queensland announcing that the road was closed, less than one month after it was officially opened.[8] The new sealed road through the gap was eventually opened in November 1949.[9]
Cunningham's Gap is part of theCunningham Highway, a federally funded highway managed by theQueensland Department of Transport and Main Roads.[10] Between December 2010 and March 2011, the Gap experienced over two metres of rainfall and it sustained an enormous amount of damage.[10] The cost of repairing this seven kilometre stretch of road is projected to be $40 million.[10][11] Work is being undertaken by the Department of Transport and Main Roads in partnership with engineering firm Coffey.[11]
{{cite journal}}:|first1= has generic name (help)
Media related toCunninghams Gap at Wikimedia Commons
28°03′00″S152°23′06″E / 28.050°S 152.385°E /-28.050; 152.385