Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Newell Highway (National Highway 39)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Newell Highway (National Highway 39) - Forbes to Dubbo (Decommissioned)

Statistics:

Length: 1059 km (Forbes to Dubbo: 151 km)
Northern Terminus: Queensland Border at Boggabilla
Southern Terminus: Victorian Border at Tocumwal
Miscellaneous: Continues as Cunningham Highway (NH39) in Queensland and as Goulburn Valley Highway (A39) in Victoria
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Daroobalgie, Tichborne, Parkes, Alectown, Trewilga, Peak Hill, Tomingley and Yarrabar

Route Numbering:

Former:
Road Authority Internal Classification: HW17 1
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

The Newell Highway is the longest highway in NSW, stretching from the Victorian border at Tocumwal to the Queensland border. It's the economic backbone for freight and livestock transporters, tourism operators, caravanners and holiday makers, emergency services, government, media and business owners. 2

The majority of the route is undivided roadway, with various overtaking sections where required.

The Newell Highway is named after HH Newell. He was the first commissioner for Main Roads in New South Wales. He passed away in 1941. 3 Prior to his appointment to the newly formed Main Roads Board on March 9, 1925, he was the District Engineer at the Wollongong branch of the Department of Public Works. 4

History:

1930s: Aerial investigations carried out to establish the route of the Newell Hwy. 4
1938: Route of Newell Highway proclaimed. The route chosen generally followed exisitng roads, but 2 sections between Narrandera and Wyalong, and also between Coonabarabran and Narrabri required fresh construction. 4
1950s: Bitumous sealing completed between Finley and Narrandera, plus a deviation near Jerilderie to bypass 2 railway crossings and 2 deviations were constructed between Jerilderie and Narranderra to avoid flood prone areas. Bitumous sealing also occured on improved alignments between Narrandera and Forbes, between Forbes and Dubbo and also north of Dubbo. 4
1969: Work begins to complete bitumous sealing along highway length. 4
August 1973: Sealed surface completed along entire Newell Highway. The last section to be done was between Moree and Boggabilla. 4
1 December 2009: Reduction of Newell Hwy speed limit from 110 km/h outside urban areas to 100 km/h. 5

Click here for the former alignment between Forbes and Dubbo

Forbes to Dubbo		Dubbo to Forbes
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Back Yamma Road: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Daroobalgie at the junction with Back Yamma Rd, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Gundong Rd, Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Trailblazer: NH39 trailblazer at Tichborne, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign assembly at Gundong Rd, Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Services sign near Grey Dove Ln for the Billabong Creek Rest Area at Tichborne, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Services Sign: Services sign encouraging motorists to stop in Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Parkes: Newell Hwy (NH39) as it enters the town of Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Safe-T-Cam Sign: Sign for the Safe-T-Cam heavy vehicle monitoring system, Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign in Parkes used to help motorists to negotiate a fairly complicated urban area, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance directional Sign: AD sign at Tomingley approaching Tomingley-Narromine Rd, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Hartigan Av in Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Entering Tomingley: Newell Hwy (NH39) as it enters the town of Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Hartigan Avenue: Intersection directional signs at the junction with Hartigan Av in Parkes, October 2011. NH39 turns right at this junction. Image © Paul Rands		Tomingley-Narromine Road: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Tomingley-Narromine Rd, Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Welcome Street: Newel Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Welcome St in Parks, October 2011. NH39 turns left at this junction. Image © Paul Rands		Tomingley: Newell Hwy (NH39) passing through Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Grenfell St in Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign at Tomingley, October 2011. Click here for a photo from May 2005 by Rob Tilley of the previous sign. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Grenfell St in Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Safe-T-Cam Sign: Sign for the Safe-T-Cam heavy vehicle monitoring system, Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Grenfell St in Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands		Safe-T-Cam: The Safe-T-Cam heavy vehicle monitoring system gantry at Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Dalton St in Parkes,October 2011. Image © Paul Rands		Rest Area Distance Sign: Distance sign for rest areas, Tomingley, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Dalton Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Dalton St in Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Entering Peak Hill: Newell Hwy (NH39) entering the town of Peak Hill, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Mitchell Street: Intersection directional sign at the junction with Mitchell St in Parkes, November 2010. NH39 turns right at this junction. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Peak Hill approaching Peak Hill Rd, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Mitchell Street & Clarinda Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Mitchell St & Clarinda St in Parkes, November 2010. NH39 turns left at this junction. Image © Rob Tilley		Peak Hill Road: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Peak Hill at the junction with Peak Hill Rd, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign as the Newell Hwy (NH39) leaves Parkes, November 2010. Click here for a photo from April 2005 of the old version of this sign. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Mingello St, Peak Hill, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Cobleys Lane: Intersection directional sign assembly at the junction with Cobleys Ln at Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Mingello Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Mingello St in Peak Hill, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Telescope Rd at Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Mingello Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Mingello St in Peak Hill, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Telescope Road: Newell Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Telescope Rd at Parkes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Distance Sign: RD sign at Tomingley, October 2011. Click here for a photo from May 2005 by Rob Tilley of the previous sign Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Baldry-Peak Hill Rd at Trewilga, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Entering Trewilga: Newell Hwy (NH39) entering the village of Trewilga, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Baldry-Peak Hill Road: Intersection directional sign at the Baldry-Peak Hill Rd junction at Trewilga, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Baldry-Peak Hill Rd at Trewilga, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Trewilga after the Baldry-Peak Hill Rd junction, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Baldry-Peak Hill Road: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Baldry-Peak Hill Rd in Trewilga, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign in Peak Hill approaching Mingelo St, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Alectown: Newell Hwy (NH39) entering the town of Alectown, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Mingelo Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Mingelo St in Peak Hill, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Mamre Road: ID sign assembly at Mamre Rd, Alectown, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Mingelo Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Mingelo St in Peak Hill, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Alectown: Newell Hwy (NH39) passing through Alectown, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Peak Hill approaching Peak Hill Rd, April 2005. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Telescope Rd, Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance directional Sign: AD sign at Tomingley approaching Tomingley-Narromine Rd, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Trailblazer: NH39 trailblazer at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Tomingley after Tomingley-Narromine Rd, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Line Marking Trial: Sign for trial line markings along Newell Hwy (NH39) at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Line Marking Trial: Sign for trial line markings along Newell Hwy (NH39) at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Line Marking Trial: Sign for trial line markings along Newell Hwy (NH39) at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Line Marking Trial: Sign for trial line markings along Newell Hwy (NH39) at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Entering Parkes: Newell Hwy (NH39) entering the town of Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Bogan Road: Newell Hwy (NH39) at Bogan Rd, Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Welcome Sign: Council welcome sign at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching the tourist information centre, Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the entrance to the tourist information centre, Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign to guide motorists through the complex road layout in Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Mitchell Street & Clarinda Street: Newell Hwy (NH39) at the junction with Mitchell St & Clarinda St in Parkes, October 2011. NH39 turns right at this junction. Click here for a photo from May 2005 by Rob Tilley of the previous sign Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Mitchell St and Clarinda St in Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the junction with Mitchell St in Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Dalton St (former SR90) at Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Grenfell St, Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Grenfell Street: ID sign at Grenfell St in Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at Welcome St, Parkes, October 2011. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Hartigan Av in Parkes, October 2011. Click here for a photo from May 2005 by Rob Tilley of the previous sign Image © Paul Rands
			Hartigan Avenue: Intersection directional signs at the junction with Hartigan Av in Parkes, October 2011. Click here for a photo from May 2005 by Rob Tilley of the previous sign. NH39 turns left at this junction. Image © Paul Rands
			Distance Sign: RD sign as the Newell Hwy (NH39) leaves Parkes, October 2011. Click here for a photo from May 2005 by Rob Tilley of the previous sign Image © Paul Rands
			Railway Line: Flashing warning sign approaching the railway on the southern outskirts of Parkes, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
Click here for the continuation of National Highway 39 between Dubbo and Gilgandra Click here for the continuation of National Highway 39 between Wyalong and Forbes

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, 31 January 2011
2 Roads and Traffic Authority, Road Projects, Western Region, Newell Highway
3 Department of Main Roads, Main Roads of New South Wales brochure
4 Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN0 7240 0439 4
5 Roads & Traffic Authority, Rules & Regulations, Newell Highway Reduced Speed Limit

Last updated: 17-Dec-2019 0:55

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