The Queensland Government is replacing the Surat Bridge, which crosses the Balonne River on the Carnarvon Highway.
The existing Surat Bridge is a narrow steel girder bridge that was constructed in 1958, and not designed for modern freight loads and performance requirements. As a result, it is often closed for extended periods during flood events and these limitations and closures affect safety, freight movements, local access, and emergency response.
An options analysis completed in 2025 recommended constructing a new bridge with improved geometry and flood performance. The preferred option maintains the Carnarvon Highway as the main route through Surat, supporting local access and economic activity.
Investigations are progressing to inform preliminary design for the bridge replacement. This work includes geotechnical investigations, hydrologic and hydraulic modelling, and assessment of bridge and road alignment options. Environmental, cultural heritage, and land use considerations are also being examined.
The Carnarvon Highway is part of the 1185km Inland Freight Route, a nationally accredited freight corridor linking southern and northern Queensland.
Replacing the Surat Bridge will improve safety and reliability for all road users and support more resilient transport connections during extreme weather events.
The Carnarvon Highway (Surat – Roma), Balonne River Surat, replace bridge and approaches, planning is part of the $1 billion Inland Freight Route program.
The $1 billion Inland Freight Route program is a jointly committed initiative by the Australian Government ($800 million) and Queensland Government ($200 million), which will ultimately provide an alternative to the Bruce Highway by upgrading the Carnarvon Highway to allow for Type 2 road trains.
Investment ID: 3801040
Planning for the Surat Bridge Replacement Project is underway.
Last updated: 2 June 2026
The Carnarvon Highway (Injune - Rolleston), Baffle Creek bridge upgrade project will improve safety and network efficiency by widening the bridge approaches and the existing bridge structure.
The Queensland Government has improved safety and network efficiency by replacing the 3 major culverts with larger structures and widening the pavement to 10m approximately 6km north of Roma.
