Continuing northwest through Lotus Creek it passes the exit to St Lawrence–Croydon Road to the northeast.

Turning north it passes through Oxford, crossing Funnel Creek as it enters Nebo.

Turning east it enters Sarina Range, where it passes the exit to Koumala–Bolingbroke Road to the southeast.

[6] A few years later a track through low-lying swampy country was established from St Lawrence to Sarina and Mackay.

Work continued until 1962, when the bitumen seal was completed, but much of it was only to a width of 3.6 metres (12 ft).

[7] In the mid 1950s the road was used for the Round Australia Reliability Trials, where many cars suffered damage, particularly on undeveloped, rocky, low level creek crossings.

On 29 October 1982 the upgraded coast road was opened as part of the National Highway.

[2][3] It runs from the Bruce Highway in St Lawrence to Marlborough–Sarina Road in Lotus Creek, a distance of 44.2 kilometres (27.5 mi).

[12] NOTE: Croydon Station is a beef cattle farm in the locality of Lotus Creek.

[2][3] It runs from the Peak Downs Highway in Strathfield to Marlborough–Sarina Road in Nebo, a distance of 27.5 kilometres (17.1 mi).

[14] NOTE: Oxford Downs Station is a beef cattle property in the locality of Nebo.

[2][3] It runs from the Bruce Highway in Koumala to Marlborough–Sarina Road in Sarina Range, a distance of 23.6 kilometres (14.7 mi).