Carol Kemp petitions Qld government to fix Kingaroy-Barkers Creek Rd

Calls are growing for a ‘dangerous’ key road linking Kingaroy to the Burnett Hwy to be upgraded following a string of crashes and fears more will happen.

Kingaroy Barkers Creek Rd petition, pictured: Chas and Carol Kemp, and Nanango MP Deb Frecklington.

A crash-riddled road linking Kingaroy to the Burnett Highway was “dangerous” and a ticking time bomb, the author of a petition table in state parliament said this week.

Wattle Camp resident Carol Kemp has petitioned the state government to pour money into Kingaroy Barker’s Creek Road, particularly three “dangerous” single-lane sections she said were “unsafe” for drivers.

Mrs Kemp said she had lived in the area for 23 years and the road had barely changed in that time.

“I don’t think we can stress enough how dangerous that road is, with trucks and caravans now using it.”

The road has a troubling history that includes multiple crashes and at least one recent fatality

Queensland government data shows since 2001 there have been 54 crashes along its 22km length.

One of these, in December 2020, claimed the life of a 76-year-old Wattle Camp man.

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Kingaroy Barkers Creek Rd petition

Another 21 crashes (more than a third) ended with people taken to hospital.

Mrs Kemp, who is being backed by her husband Chas and Nanango LNP MP Deb Frecklington, said it was after the fatality the stretch of the road near Kingaroy had its speed limit dropped to 80km/h.

The rest of the road, including the section of main concern in the petition, remained 100km/h.

There have been 54 crashes on Kingaroy Barkers Creek Rd since 2001, with more than a third requiring the patient be taken to hospital. Carol Kemp says residents fear more will happen with traffic increasing on the stretch, which is a popular short cut between Kingaroy and the Burnett Hwy east of the town. Photo Emma Galliott / South Burnett Times

She was not alone in her fears about the road.

“The more people I talk to about the road, the more horror stories I’m hearing,” Mrs Kemp said.

“It’s not good enough for a main road.

“I’m sick to death of the damage to my own car.”

Mrs Frecklington said it was “obvious the single-lane sections need to be widened to a two-lane standard”.

“The road is in a very poor condition, with rough, steep edges and it is unsafe for the increasing number of vehicles using this route,” she said.

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“Chas and Carol have been highlighting their concerns with me about the state of the road for several years and have shared stories about near misses and damage to their car’s tyres and windscreen.”

She said she had asked in 2021 when funding would be allocated to improve the road but “the request fell on deaf ears”.

Transport Minister Mark bailey’s office was contacted for comment.

The petition can be signed here.