St Marys Pass
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|
St Marys Pass | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The St Marys Pass State Reserve Sign when going to Falmouth | |
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 6 km (3.7 mi) |
| Route number(s) |  A4St Marys - Falmouth |
| Former route number |  A3  State Route 3 |
| Major junctions | |
| East end | Tasman Highway |
| West end | Main Street (St Marys) |
| Location(s) | |
| Region | Break O'Day |
St Marys Pass is a 6 kilometre curvey road in Tasmania. The road has a hiking track when entering the pass. Convict labour built the trail built back in the 1840s. The road carries the Esk Highway, and serves traffic from St Marys to Falmouth and to the East Coast of Tasmania.[1]
History
[edit]St Marys Pass was built by convict labour between 1843 and 1846. The road was built to connect traffic from the Fingal Valley to the East Coast. Around 300 convicts were stationed near the Grassy Bottom for the project. It serves as a historic, scenic route through the mountain.
The road serves traffic from the Fingal Valley to the East Coast with gravel roads connecting to the road and gullies on the side of St Patrick's Head Mountain.
Before 1991 the Tasman Highway went through St Marys Pass and out of Elephant Pass Road since no coastal route connected between Chain of Lagoons to Falmouth. On 2 December 1991 the bypass for St Marys opened to traffic. Care was taken during construction to protect Aboriginal middens.[2]
Replacement
[edit]St Marys Pass experienced landslides and rockfalls.[3][4] In 2024, the Tasmanian Government announced seven new routes to replace the existing road.[5][6][7][8]
Planned routes
[edit]- Red Route - Upper Scamander
- Orange Route - Lower German Town Road Extension
- Blue Route - TasNetworks Powerline
- Yellow Route - Gillies Road Extension
- Green Route - Alternate Gillies Road Extension
- Purple Route - Maintain Existing Route plus Ten Year Upgrade
- Purple Route Two - Maintain Existing Route
Infrastructure
[edit]The Esk Highway A4 runs on St Marys pass from St Marys to the Tasman Highway near Falmouth.[9]
References
[edit]- ↑ "Google Maps". Google Maps. Retrieved 24 July 2026.
- ↑ "Link road finally a reality on coast". The Examiner. 3 December 1991.
- ↑ "St Marys Pass reopens after 'significant' repairs". www.examiner.com.au. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ Martin, Corey (29 May 2011). "St Marys Pass: a long, winding road of woe". www.examiner.com.au. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "St Marys Pass Options Assessment – Transport Services". www.transport.tas.gov.au. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "Time to back a safer route than the hazardous St Marys Pass". www.examiner.com.au. 11 September 2023. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "Break O'Day renews calls for St Marys Pass rerouting as election draws near". www.examiner.com.au. 24 June 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "New road could be built between St Marys and east coast after landslide". Pulse Tasmania. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 23 July 2026.
- ↑ "New road could be built between St Marys and East Coast following landslide". Pulse Tasmania. Retrieved 23 February 2026.