Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
A32   Great Western Highway, Mitchell Highway & Barrier Highway (A32) - Glenbrook to Katoomba

Statistics:

Route Numbering:

General Information:

National Route 32 is the main route linking the New South Wales state capital, Sydney, with the west of the state. The road varies from arterial road conditions, rural expressway and rural highway.

The highway is signposted as A32 from Glenbrook in Sydney's west, to its terminus at Bathurst. Great Western Hwy is signposted as A44 in the sydney area.

The Great Western Highway is regarded as one of the oldest roads in Australia. Starting as George Street in the Sydney CBD, and following Parramatta Road, it heads west across metropolitan Sydney to Penrith, where it crosses the Nepean River. It then crosses the Blue Mountains and the Great Dividing Range to Bathurst.

The road across the Blue Mountains was built by William Cox in the 1800s shortly after a viable route across the mountains was discovered. An obelisk at Macquarie Place in Sydney records the construction of the road during the rule of Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

In the 90s, the highway was terminated at Emu Plains with the closure of the Knapsack Gully Viaduct. An extension to the Western Mwy (M4) at Emu Plains was constructed, which rejoined with the highway at Glenbrook. The upper portion of the Great Western Highway from Russell Street is now only used by residents and cars coming from Blaxland via Mitchells Pass. Mitchells Pass is section of the former main road over the Blue Mountains.

History:

Click here for construction photos Woodford and Hazelbrook

Glenbrook to Katoomba   Katoomba to Glenbrook
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Start A32:
Western Mwy (M4) as it meets Great Western Hwy (A32) at Glenbrook, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

 

Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign on Great Western Hwy (A32) approaching Bathurst Rd at Katoomba, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:
Tourism based distance sign at Glenbrook, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Bathurst Road:
Corner of Great Western Hwy (A32) and Bathurst Rd, Katoomba, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Glenbrook, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign approaching Parke St, Katoomba, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Blaxland approaching Hope St and Layton Av, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Intersection Directional Sign :
ID sign on the Parke St junction, Katoomba, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Warrimoo approaching the Warrimoo shops service road, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign approaching Woodlands Rd, Katoomba, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Valley Heights approaching Macquarie Rd, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign with alphanumeric route number approaching Leura Mall interchange in Leura, September 2013. Click here for a photo of this sign with former TD5 route number from December 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Springwood approaching Macquarie Rd, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Leura Mall Interchange :
Great Western Hwy (A32) at the Leura Mall interchange, Leura, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Macquarie Road:
Corner of Great Western Hwy (A32) and Macquarie Rd at Springwood, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Leura Mall Interchange :
Great Western Hwy (A32) at the Leura Mall interchange, Leura, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Springwood, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Entering Bullaburra:
Great Western Hwy (A32) as it enters the town of Bullaburra, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Woodford approaching Station St, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Bullaburra:
Great Western Hwy (A32) as it through the town of Bullaburra, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

Station Street:
Corner of Great Western Hwy (A32) and Station St, Woodford, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign approaching Staples Cr, Lawson, October 2017

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Hazelbrook approaching Oaklands Rd, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Orient St, Lawson, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

Entering Bullaburra:
Great Western Hwy (A32) as it enters the town of Bullaburra, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Orient Street:
Corner of Great Western Hwy (A32) and Orient St, Lawson, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

Bullaburra:
Great Western Hwy (A32) as it through the town of Bullaburra, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign approaching George St, Springwood, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

AD Sign:
Advance directional sign at Leura approaching Leura Mall (TD5), July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

  George Street :
ID sign with incorrect name at the corner of Great Western Hwy (A32) and George St, Springwood, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

      Caption Title:
Caption, October 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

      Distance Sign :
Reassurance directional sign at Sun Valley, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

      Advance Directional Sign :
AD sign approaching Ross St, Glenbrook, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

      End A32 :
End of A32 and the beginning of M4 at Glenbrook, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Click here for the continuation of A32 between Katoomba and Cobar

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads), 25 February 2008
2 Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4
3 Roads & Traffic Authority, Projects, Great Western Highway, Completed projects.
4 Roads & Traffic Authority, News & Events, Great Western Highway upgrade at Lawson, 4 August 2008.
5 Roads & Traffic Authority, Projects, Great Western Highway, July 2011.

Last updated: 05-Jul-2020 12:33

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