Sarina–Eton–Hampden Road Sarina–Homebush Road Eton–Homebush Road Marian–Eton Road Marian–Hampden Road Queensland
General information
Type	Rural road
Length	62.7 km (39 mi)[1]
Route number(s)	State Route 5
Major junctions
Southeast end	Bruce Highway, Sarina
	Homebush Road Peak Downs Highway Mirani–Eton Road North Eton Road Mackay–Eungella Road
Northwest end	Bruce Highway, Hampden
Location(s)
Major settlements	Homebush, Eton, Marian

Sarina–Eton–Hampden Road is a non-continuous 62.7-kilometre (39.0 mi) road route in the Mackay local government area of Queensland, Australia. It has four official names, Sarina–Homebush Road, Eton–Homebush Road, Marian–Eton Road, and Marian–Hampden Road. The entire route is signed as State Route 5.^[1] The four roads are state-controlled, with the following characteristics:

• Sarina–Homebush, district, number 517, local road of regional significance (LRRS).
• Eton–Homebush, regional, number 518.
• Marian–Eton, regional, number 533, LRRS.
• Marian–Hampden, regional, number 535.^[2][3]

Route description

The road starts as Sarina–Homebush Road at an intersection with the Bruce Highway in Sarina. It runs west and southwest across Sarina as State Route 5, before turning northwest and passing between Sarina and Munbura. Next it runs between Munbura and Sunnyside before crossing Sunnyside and entering Oakenden. Crossing Oakenden it turns north into Homebush, where it then turns northwest before reaching Eton–Homebush Road and Homebush Road at a T-junction. Homebush Road exits to the northeast and the road continues southwest as Eton–Homebush Road.^[1][4]

Leaving Homebush the road turns west and enters the northern part of Oakenden. Crossing Oakenden it runs northwest, southwest, west and northwest again before it enters Eton, where it meets the Peak Downs Highway at a T-junction. The road turns northeast and runs concurrent with the highway until it reaches the exit to Marian–Eton Road. It continues northwest and then west as Marian–Eton Road before reaching the exit to Mirani–Eton Road to the west. Here it turns north before entering North Eton. Continuing north it passes the exit to North Eton Road to the east.^[1][4]

Next the road enters Marian where it turns northwest and then north again. In Marian it meets Mackay–Eungella Road at a T-junction. Here it turns east and runs concurrent with Mackay–Eungella Road until it reaches the exit to Marian–Hampden Road, where it turns north and crosses the Pioneer River. It then enters Hampden and continues north to the Bruce Highway, where it ends.^[1][4]

The road is fully sealed to at least a two lane standard.^[1][4]

History

Sarina was originally known as Plane Creek, but took its present name from the Sarina Inlet which was in turn named after Sarina, the Greek mythological enchantress, by William Charles Borlase Wilson, a surveyor, some time before 1882.^[5]

The name Homebush is taken from a pastoral run name used by John Walker in 1866.^[6] Homebush Sugar Mill opened in 1883 and closed in 1922.^[7]

Originally known as the Defiance, the North Eton Central Mill commenced crushing sugarcane in 1888.^[8] It was the first sugar mill sponsored by the Queensland Government. In 1989, a number of sugar mills in the district merged to Mackay Sugar Limited, resulting in the closure of the North Eton mill.^[9]

The town name Marian comes from the name of the (now closed) Marian railway station, which in turn reportedly derived its name from a local property called Mary Ann.^[10] Marian sugar mill was built in 1885, later closed, and replaced by a new mill in 1894. Mackay Sugar operates the mill where over 2 million tonnes of sugar is crushed every year, making it one of the largest sugar mills in Australia.^[11]

Intersecting state-controlled roads

This road intersects with the following state-controlled roads:

• Homebush Road
• Peak Downs Highway
• Mirani–Eton Road
• North Eton Road
• Mackay–Eungella Road

Major intersections

All distances are from Google Maps.^[1] The entire road is within the Mackay local government area.

Location	km	mi	Destinations	Notes
Sarina	0	0.0	Bruce Highway – north – Alligator Creek, Mackay – south – Koumala, Marlborough	Road starts as Sarina–Homebush Road. It runs west as State Route 5.
Homebush	26.3	16.3	Eton–Homebush Road – southwest – Oakenden Homebush Road – northeast – Rosella, Bruce Highway	Road turns southwest as Eton–Homebush Road
Eton	36.7	22.8	Peak Downs Highway – southwest – Hazeldean, Nebo – northeast – Victoria Plains, Walkerston	Road turns northeast concurrent with Peak Downs Highway
	37.4	23.2	Marian–Eton Road – northwest – Mirani–Eton Road	Road turns northwest as Marian–Eton Road
	38.8	24.1	Marian–Eton Road – north – North Eton, Marian Mirani–Eton Road – west – Brightly, Mirani	Road turns north as Marian–Eton Road
North Eton	42.5	26.4	North Eton Road – east – Eton	Road continues north as Marian–Eton Road
Marian	53.1	33.0	Mackay–Eungella Road – west – Mirani, Eungella east – Pleystowe, Mackay	Road turns east concurrent with Mackay–Eungella Road
	54.0	33.6	Marian–Hampden Road – north – Hampden, Bruce Highway	Road turns north as Marian–Hampden Road
Hampden	62.7	39.0	Bruce Highway – northwest – Mount Ossa, Proserpine – east – Farleigh, Mackay	Northern end of Marian–Hampden Road
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Route transition

See also

• List of numbered roads in Queensland

References