Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Southern Freeway, Mount Ousley Road & Princes Highway (National Route 1) (Decommissioned)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Southern Freeway, Mount Ousley Road & Princes Highway (National Route 1) (Decommissioned) - Port Macquarie to Johns River

Statistics:

Length: 1149 km
- Northern section: 668 km (Port Macquarie to Johns River: 35 km)
Northern Terminus:
- Northern section: Gold Coast Highway (SR2) and Tugun Bypass (M1) at Tweed Heads West
Southern Terminus:
- Northern section: John Renshaw Drive (NH1) and New England Highway (NH15) at Beresfield
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route:
- Northern section: Lake Innes, Kew, Rossglen and John's River

Route Numbering:

Former:
Road Authority Internal Classification: SH10 (Tweed Heads West to Hexham) 1
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

National Route 1 forms part of the main coastal route between Victoria and Queensland. The route features a mix of rural highway, arterial and freeway design standards. The route forms part of what is collectively known as Highway 1. It is Australia's coastal highway joining all mainland's state capitals and coastal towns circumnavigating the entire Australian continent. It is also the longest numbered highway in the world, covering more than 14 500 km.

In New South Wales, National Route 1 was truncated by National Highway 1 between Beresfield and Wahroonga, by Metroad 1 between Wahroonga and Waterfall and by M1 at Tweed Heads West.

Northern Section:

The northern section of National Route 1 took in a small section of New England Highway and the rest was made up by the Pacific Highway. The route varies from dual carriageway arterial and highway standard, to motorway standard and the rest is generally undivided rural highway conditions. The Pacific Highway is very well trafficked, and as a result notorious for a large amount of road trauma within the state. These crashes have resulted in more than 50% of the route being divided since the late 1980s.

Pacific Highway:

The Pacific Highway section of NR1 runs between Brunswick Heads and Hexham, and also between Wahroonga and the Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon. The northern section between Brunswick Heads and Hexham is a mix of dual carriageway, rural highway and urban arterial roadway. The southern section between Wahroonga and Artarmon is urban arterial standard and passes through one of Sydney's more affluent areas.

The highway traces its origins back to an early settler, George Peat, who owned the land between the Hawkesbury River and Mooney Mooney Creek. To provide access to his property, Peat began a ferry service across the Hawkesbury River in 1844 and surveyed, then constructed a road between Hornsby and Kariong in 1854. After his death in 1870, the ferry service was abandoned and the road fell into disrepair, finally closing to all traffic in 1899, following the completion of the Sydney-Newcastle railway.

Demand for a route between Sydney and Newcastle dates back to the early 20th century. When the only access was via the sea or via a long route through the town of Wiseman's Ferry. In the 1920s, the then Main Roads Board undertook a series of surveys to form an easier and more reliable route north from Sydney. In 1928 construction began on upgrading the old road and converting it to a modern standard, plus creating a new route north, utilising some of the abandoned Peat's Ferry Rd, while improving the horizontal and vertical alignments. In May 1930 the ferry service across the Hawkesbury River was re-established to service the new road until such times that a bridge became necessary. June 1930 marked the completion of the concrete surfacing.

During the time of the Hornsby to Gosford contruction, improvements were made to roads between Gosford to Newcastle as part of the link. On May 17 in 1929, the route was named as the Great Northern Highway. The work from Hornsby to Gosford cost almost £1 million, however it was money well spent, reducing the trip from Sydney to Newcastle from 9 hours to 4 ½ hours.

History:

Pacific Highway:

1931: Great Northern Highway and the North Coast Highway were grouped together and renamed the Pacific Highway. 2
1938: The reconstruction of the Pacific Highway over a length of approximately 5 miles between Stewart's River Bridge near John's River and Rossglen was completed. A commencement was also made with the reconstruction northerly from Rossglen to Heron's Creek, a distance of approximately 7 miles. Construction begins on a new bridge over the Camden Haven River at Rossglen. 3
1939: By this time, two thirds of the Pacific Highway was bitumen paved. 4
1953: Widening and resurfacing of Pacific Hwy between Stewarts River and Stoney Creek Bridge, totalling 3.25 miles. 5
1956: 543 miles out of 574 miles of Pacific now with a bitumen surface. 6
1958: The bitumen surfacing of the Pacific Highway (576 miles in length) was completed. 7
December 1990: Opening of Stage 1 of the Herons Creek Deviation to traffic. Stage 1 runs from Ryans Road to the Oxley Highway. 8
November 1993: Opening of Stage 2 of the Herons Creek Deviation to traffic. Stage 2 runs from Stills Road to Houston Mitchell Drive. 8

Click here for historic photos of Pacific Highway between Port Macquarie and Johns River

Port Macquarie to Johns River		Johns River to Port Macquarie
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Lake Innes, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance directional Sign: AD sign at Johns River, approaching Johns River Rest Area, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Tourism based distance sign at Lake Innes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Johns River, approaching Stewarts River Rd, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Safety Camera: Average speed safety camera zone at Lake Innes, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance directional Sign: AD sign at Johns River, approaching Johns River Rest Area, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Lake Innes approaching Houston Mitchell Dr, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Stewarts River Road: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Stewarts River Rd interchange at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lake Innes approaching Houston Mitchell Dr, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Stewarts River Road: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Stewarts River Rd interchange at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Houston Mitchell Drive: Corner of Pacific Hwy (NR1) and Houston Mitchell Dr at Lake Innes, July 2013. Click here for a photo by Rob Tilley of this location from November 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Stewarts River: Pacific Hwy (NR1) as it crosses Stewarts River at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Lake Innes, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Ocean Dr (TD10) at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Rossglen, approaching Middle Brother Rd at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Safety Camera: Average speed safety camera zone at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Middle Brother Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (NR1) and Middle Brother Rd at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Ocean Dr (TD10) at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Rossglen, approaching Ross Glen Rd, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Services sign: Services sign approaching Ocean Dr (TD10) at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Ross Glen Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (NR1) and Ross Glen Rd at Rossglen, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign approaching Ocean Dr (TD10) at Kew, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Rossglen approaching Nancy Bird Walton Dr (TD10), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Ocean Drive: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Ocean Dr (TD10) interchange at Kew, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		North Coast Railway: Pacific Hwy (NR1) as it crosses the North Coast Railway at Rossglen, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign Ocean Dr (TD10) off ramp at Kew, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Kew approaching Nancy Bird Walton Dr (TD10), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Ocean Drive: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Ocean Dr (TD10) interchange at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign: Services sign at Kew, approaching Nancy Bird Walton Dr (TD10), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Kew, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Kew approaching Nancy Bird Walton Dr (TD10), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Rossglen, approaching Ross Glen Rd, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Nancy Bird Walton Drive: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Nancy Bird Walton (TD10) interchange at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Ross Glen Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (NR1) and Ross Glen Rd at Rossglen, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Nancy Bird Walton Drive: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Nancy Bird Walton (TD10) interchange at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance directional Sign: AD sign at Johns River, approaching Johns River Rest Area, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Kew, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Middle Brother Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (NR1) and Middle Brother Rd at Johns River, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Average Speed Camera Zone: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at Kew at the safety camera zone, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Johns River, approaching Johns River Rd, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Herons Creek approaching Bago Rd, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Stewarts River: Pacific Hwy (NR1) as it crosses Stewarts River at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Herons Creek approaching Barrawan Rest Area, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Stewarts River: Pacific Hwy (NR1) as it crosses Stewarts River at Johns River, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Reassurance Directional Sign Rest area distance sign at Herons Ck, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Johns River Road: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Johns River Rd interchange at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lake Innes approaching Houston Mitchell Dr, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Johns River Road: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the Johns River Rd interchange at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign Rest area distance sign at Lake Innes, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Johns River, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley		Reassurance Directional Sign Distance sign at Lake Innes, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Rest area distance sign at Johns River, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands		Average Speed Camera Zone: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at Lake Innes at the safety camera zone, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Lake Innes approaching Oxley Hwy (B56), July 2013. At this point in time, NSW was transitioning to alphanumeric route numbering, and the B56 route numbers are on coverplates over NR34. Image © Paul Rands
			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Lake Innes approaching Oxley Hwy (B56), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Lake Innes approaching Oxley Hwy (B56), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Oxley Highway: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the interchange with Oxley Hwy (B56) at Sancrox, July 2013. At this point in time, NSW was transitioning to alphanumeric route numbering, and the B56 route number is on a coverplate over NR34. Image © Paul Rands
			Oxley Highway: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at the interchange with Oxley Hwy (B56) at Sancrox, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			End Divided Road: Pacific Hwy (NR1) approaching the end of divided highway conditions at Sancrox, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Sancrox, approaching Sancrox Rd & Fernbank Rd, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Fernbank Creek approaching Hastings River Dr (TD10), July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Hastings River Drive: Corner of Pacific Hwy (NR1) and Hastings River Dr (TD10) at Fernbank Ck, July 2013. Hastings River Dr is a former Pacific Hwy alignment Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Fernbank Creek, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
			Hastings River: Pacific Hwy (NR1) as it crosses Hastings River via Dennis Bridge at Fernbank Creek, July 2013. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of National Route 1 between Johns River and Nabiac Click here for the continuation of National Route 1 between Clybucca and Port Macquarie

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, 31 January 2011
2 Main Roads Board, Annual Report, 1930-31
3 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1937-38
4 RTA Thematic History, 2nd Edition, 2006
5 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1956-57
6 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1955-56
7 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1957-58
8 Roads and Maritime Services, Projects, Pacific Highway Upgrade, Hexham to Port Macquarie, Completed Projects, Herons Creek Deviation Duplication

Last updated: 10-Nov-2017 6:08

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