Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
  New England Highway (National Highway 15) - Armidale to Guyra (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 Black Mountain area.
Click here for construction photos of the Devil's Pinch realignment in the Black Mountain area.

Armidale to Guyra   Guyra to Armidale
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Alphanumeric Distance Sign:
RD sign with alphanumeric route numbering at Tilbuster as you leave the Armidale area, September 2008. Click here for a photo from September 2007, of the sign this sign replaced.

Image © Michael Gill

  Southbound AD Sign:
Advance directional sign as you approach the intersection with Ollera Street, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Tourism Based Distance Sign:
Tourist style RD sign near Puddledock Road, at Tilbuster, September 2007. Click here for a photo from October 2004, of the sign this sign with old "Feel Free" slogan panel.

Image © Paul Rands

  ID Sign:
Directional sign facing traffic from Guyra's town centre on Ollera Street, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Fingerboard Sign Assembly:
Rural fingerboard sign taken on the corner of Puddledock Road and the New England Highway at Tilbuster, October 2004.

Image © Paul Rands

  Icy Conditions in Guyra:
Intersection directional sign on the junction with Ollera Street in Guyra, iced up in the middle of winter, July 2008.

Image © Michael Gill

Duval Creek:
Bridge over Duval Creek at Tilbuster. This bridge and associated approaches were built in 2005. Image take September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  Approaching New England Hwy Intersection:
Eastbound AD sign on Ollera Street Guyra, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Entering Black Mountain Area:
Entering the Black Mountain area as you approach the Devil's Pinch section of the New England Hwy, September 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

  Southbound at Guyra:
Fantastic Autumn view of the New England Hwy at Guyra, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Crossing Tilbuster Ponds:
Northbound at Tilbuster as you approach the area of highway known as Devil's Pinch. March 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

  RD Sign:
Distance sign facing southbound traffic leaving Guyra, May 2005.

Image © Rob Tilley

Devils Pinch:
New England Hwy as it passes through the Devil's Pinch area at Black Mountain, September 2007. Which was upgraded and straightened in 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Devils Pinch:
New England Hwy as it passes through the Devil's Pinch area at Black Mountain, September 2007. Which was upgraded and straightened in 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Devils Pinch:
New England Hwy as it passes through the Devil's Pinch area at Black Mountain, September 2007. Which was upgraded and straightened in 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Norden Road Intersection:
New England Hwy at Black Mountain as you approach Norden Road, the turnoff to Thunderbolt's Rock, September 2007. Click here to read more about the bushranger named Captain Thunderbolt.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Black Mountain:
Typical conditions north of the roadhouse on top of Black Mountain, March 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Rest Area Sign:
Services sign indicating times to rest areas, near Guyra, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Entering Guyra:
The New England Hwy as it enters the town of Guyra, which is 1330 metres above sea level, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Services Sign:
Services sign as you enter the town of Guyra. July 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Approaching Ollera Street Intersection:
Northbound through Guyra, this is the AD sign for Ollera Street, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

     
Black Directional Signage:
Old black ID sign with NH15 sheild on a coverplate facing West Ollera Street at Guyra, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

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

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

Last updated: 17-Dec-2019 0:55

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