Quaid Road

Quaid Road is a 32km stretch of road in Far North Queensland. The road was given corridor approval and completed in early 1989 through rainforest that was later declared Wet Tropics World Heritage Area in late 1989 and links Wangetti on the coast just north of Cairns, to Southedge, just south of Mount Molloy.Route descriptionSouthedge Road links Wangetti on the coast just north of Cairns, to Southedge, just south of Mount Molloy, over a distance of 32km. The road is currently closed to public access and has a number of locked gates along its route.HistoryEver since its construction as a private road, the road has been a hot issue in Far North Queensland. For years after its construction, the road was suggested as an alternative route to the Atherton Tablelands for everyday traffic as well as evacuations during cyclones. However, in 1997, Transport and Main Roads Minister Vaughan Johnson announced that the state government was no longer considering gazetting Southedge Road as a State-controlled road because it would put additional pressure on the Captain Cook Highway and divert funding away from upgrades of other parts of State road network in Far North Queensland.