Warrego Way confusion result of a lack of consultation

In 2014 the Warrego Highway was branded Warrego Way by the Queensland Government.

CONFUSION: Lockyer Valley Regional Councillor Janice Holstein said the Warrego Way signs were confusing for tourists coming into the region. Picture: Dominic Elsome

NEW SIGNAGE attached to a major tourist drive route running through Gatton is confusing to tourists and residents alike, a local councillor says.

In 2014 the Warrego Highway (the road between Charleville and Brisbane) was branded Warrego Way by the Queensland Government and expanded to include Birdsville.

It was one of 10 major tourist drive routes set up ahead of this year's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.

More than 260 signs worth $1.3m were erected, including large green signs recently put up in Gatton and Helidon on Warrego Highway.

Lockyer Valley Regional Council Roads and Drainage portfolio spokeswoman Janice Holstein said the signs were confusing because it was unclear they related to a suggested tourist drive route and not to actual road names.

"It's going to be extremely confusing for travellers,” Cr Holstein said.

"We're confused as to how it's meant to work - and we live here.”

The naming of the Warrego Way drive route was the result of a lack of consultation by the State Government, Cr Holstein said.

"If it's a tourist route it should be discussed with our regions,” she said.

"We've got a lot of international people visiting here. There's going to be a heck of a lot of confused people.”

The Warrego Way is a 1544km route that includes Warrego Highway, Diamantina Development Road and Birdsville Development Road.

A statement from the state Department of Transport and Main Roads said the Warrego Way had been created in 2014 "after consultation” and the program was overseen by an inter-departmental committee including Tourism and Events Queensland representatives.

The commitment to revitalise tourism signs along Queensland's 10 State Strategic Touring Routes resulted in a five-year program rolled out, which concluded at the end of June.

"The word highway was removed to create consistency across the strategic touring route network,” the statement said. "In some cases, the route crosses several highways, not just the one it is named after.”

Cr Holstein believed the route and signage was "rolled out of Brisbane” without the involvement of regionally-based DTMR officers responsible for the local region.

However, Southern Queensland Country Tourism CEO Mary-Clare Power said the Department had "consulted very widely” on the drive strategy, and had based the wording of signs on "research that's sound”.

"It's trying to get some commonality of terms for the drive visitor - both domestic and international,” Mrs Power said.

"Research shows that 'Way' is a more universal terminology.”

Originally published as Warrego Way confusion result of a lack of consultation