Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
New England Highway (National Highway 15) - Bendemeer to Armidale (Decommissioned)

Statistics:

Route Numbering:

General Information:

National Highway 15 is one the major routes in New South Wales and Queensland. It links the farming regions of NSW to the ports at Newcastle and also to other major roads to Sydney and it's also a link to Brisbane's metropolitan area.

The route consists of single carriageway 2-lane rural highway, through to multi-lane divided sections, and includes two multiplexes: National Route 34, the Oxley Highway, between Tamworth and Bendemeer, and also National Route 38, the Gwydir Highway at Glen Innes.

History:

The New England Highway originally formed part of the Great Northern Road from Sydney via Wiseman's Ferry to the Queensland border (near Mt Lindesay), taking shape as settlement spread northward from the lower Hunter Valley. By 1851 the Great Northern Road had reached the Gap, two miles beyond Murrurundi. In 1858 it was classified as one of three Main Roads in the colony (Great Western and Great Southern) and extended from Morpeth via Maitland, Singleton, Muswellbrook, Scone, Murrurundi and Tamworth, to Armidale, a distance of about 236 miles. Captain Martindale, Chief Railway Commissioner, who was also responsible for roads, stressed the need for bridges as in many cases long circuits had to be made to find a crossing over a stream. In 1860 arrangements were in progress for building 90 culverts and minor bridges and for forming new sections of road, including a new ascent to Murrurundi Gap, which was previously steep with sharp dangerous turns. In 1865 the section of road between Muswellbrook and Murrurundi was metalled and a deviation suggested between Blandford and Murrurundi to skirt the Page River, obviating two bridges, however, such a deviation was never constructed. With the construction of the Northern Railway line from Newcastle, commenced in the 1850s and reaching Murrurundi in 1872, attention was diverted away from roads and sections of the Great Northern Road were in poor condition. Despite the impact of the railway, roads developed steadily and considerable progress was made in the bridging of rivers and creeks. 2

Click here for the former alignment in the Uralla area.
Click here for the former alignment in the Kentucky area.
Click here for the former alignment in the Armidale area.

Bendemeer to Armidale   Armidale to Bendemeer
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Carlisles Gully:
Approaching Carlisles Gully near Kentucky, with the old highway alignment on the left of the carriageway. July 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  AD Sign:
Advance directional sign approaching Glen Innes Road, Duval (Armidale). May 2005. The SR78 shield shouldn't be on this sign.

Image © Rob Tilley

Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign assembly on the corner of Kentucky Rd in Kentucky. June 2007.

Image © Michael Gill

  Distance Sign:
Southbound RD sign after the Glen Innes Road roundabout at Duval. May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Approaching Uralla:
Sign indicating distance to the Uralla town centre, and also urging motorists to stop, revive, survive, July 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Queen Elizabeth Dr at West Armidale, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Entering Uralla:
Entering the town of Uralla, July 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  Intersection Directional Sign:
Southbound ID sign on the intersection with the link road to Queen Elizabeth Dr in West Armidale, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign:
Looking northwest on Hill Street / Thunderbolts Way in Uralla approaching New England Highway. September 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
Westbound AD sign on Uralla Road (SR78) approaching the New England Highway at Armidale West, March 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection directional Sign:
ID sign facing traffic on the corner of Hill St and New England Hwy in Uralla, September 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

  Alphanumeric Intersection Directional Sign:
Southbound ID sign on the roundabout with Urallla Rd, featuring an alphanumeric shield, March 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection directional Sign:
ID sign facing traffic on the corner of Hill St and New England Hwy in Uralla, September 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

  Distance Sign:
RD sign as you head southbound at Armidale West, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Intersection directional Sign:
ID sign facing traffic on the corner of Hill St and New England Hwy in Uralla, September 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

  Limited Access Road Sign:
Sign indicating stretch of road is classed as a limited access road, which means no connections such as driveways and roads can be connected to the route unless authorised by the state authority. Armidale, March 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

Uralla Town Centre:
Looking northeast along Bridge St (New England Hwy) in Uralla. September 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

  Approaching Uralla:
Sign indicating distance to the Uralla town centre, and also urging motorists to stop, revive, survive, July 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Approaching Saumarez Creek:
New England Hwy as it passes through Saumarez, south of Armidale, September 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

  Entering Uralla:
Southbound entering town of Uralla, September 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:
Diagrammatic AD sign approaching Uralla Road (former New England Hwy) at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign in Uralla approaching Hill St, December 2002.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Tourism / Services Sign:
Signage indicating access to the historic town of Armidale and the services available, September 2007

Image © Paul Rands

  AD Sign:
Southbound advance directional sign approaching Salisbury Street (Thunderbolts Way) in Uralla. September 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

AD Sign:
Advance directional sign approaching Uralla Road at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  Distance Sign:
Southbound RD sign as you leave the town of Uralla, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on the northbound leg of the Uralla Road roundabout at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Services Sign:
Services sign on the Armidale bypass, at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Distance Sign:
Distance sign after the Uralla Rd roundabout in Armidale West, September 2007

Image © Paul Rands

     
Armidale Bypass:
Typical conditions along the Armidale bypass at Armidale West, September 2007

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign for the Queen Elizabeth Drive intersection at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
AD Sign:
Advance directional sign approaching the Queen Elizabeth Dr junction in West Armidale, September 2007

Image © Paul Rands

     
Queen Elizabeth Drive intersection:
Looking northeast at Armidale West at the Queen Elizabeth Dr intersection and overpass, September 2007

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
Southbound AD sign on the Queen Elizabeth Dr link road at West Armidale, September 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Queen Elizabeth Dr link road at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Queen Elizabeth Drive Overpass:
New England Hwy as it goes under Queen Elizabeth Dr, Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Dumaresq Creek:
New England Hwy as it crosses Dumaresq Ck at Armidale West, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Glen Innes Road at Duval (Armidale), September 2007. The SR78 sheild should not be on this sign.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on the northbound leg out of the Glen Innes Rd roundabout at Duval, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Click here for the continuation of National Highway 15 between Armidale and Guyra
Click here for the continuation of National Highway 15 between Bendemeer and Tamworth

1 National Library of Australia
2 Roads and Traffic Authority
3 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government

Last updated: 18-Oct-2021 1:07

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