Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
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Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Southern Freeway, Mount Ousley Road & Princes Highway (National Route 1) (Decommissioned) - Historic Photos: Johns River to Nabiac |
Statistics:
- Length: 1149 km (Johns River and Nabiac: 57 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: Moorland, Coopernook, Jones Island, Mottram, Ghinni Ghinni, Cundletown, Pampoolah, Glenthorne, Possum Brush, Failford and Nabiac
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.
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
- 1932 Construction begins on large steel and concrete bridges over the Lansdowne River at Coopernook and over the Dawson River at Cundletown. Construction of timber bridge over Holey Flat Creek at Moorland. 3
- 1933: Completion of the Dawson River bridge at Cundletown. 4
- 1939: By this time, two thirds of the Pacific Highway was bitumen paved. 5
- 1946: Reconstruction of the Pacific Highway from Ghinni Ghinni Creek in a northerly direction commenced totalling of 1.5 miles. 6
- 1953: Widening of Pacific Highway between Bulahdelah and Nabiac. Work began on the construction of a deviation between Holey Flat Creek and Pipe Clay Creek at Moorland. Realignment of Pacific Hwy between Holey Flat Creek and Stewarts River Bridge at Moorland, totalling 4.75 miles. Widening and resurfacing of Pacific Hwy between Stewarts River and Stoney Creek Bridge, totalling 3.25 miles. 7
- 1956: Commencement of construction of a 19.5 mile length of Pacific Hwy from Wang Wauk River to Taree. Work started on Coopernook Deviation. Work commenced on a 4 span reinforced concrete bridge over Cureeki Creek, 30 miles south of Taree. Construction started on steel and reinforced concrete bridge over the Wallaniba River at Nabiac. Length 668 ft. 543 miles out of 574 miles of Pacific now with a bitumen surface. 8
- 1957: Work began on a four span reinforced concrete bridge over Cureeki Creek at Coolongolook. Length 160 feet. Work began on the steel and concrete bridge over the Wallamba River at Nabiac. Length 668 feet. 9
- 1958: The bitumen surfacing of the Pacific Highway (576 miles in length) was completed. Construction between the Wang Wauk River and Bungwahl Creek was completed with bitumen surfacing, with the exception of the immediate approaches to a new bridge over the Wallamba River at Nabiac. In addition, a section from Bungwahl Creek to one mile south of Purfleet was completed with bitumen surfacing. The total length between Wang Wauk River and the northern end of the work is 19.6 miles. Completion of a reinforced concrete bridge over Cureeki Creek at Coolongolook. Length 160 feet. Replaced an old timber structure. 10
- 1959: Completion of a steel and concrete bridge over Wallamba River at Nabiac, comprising of 9 spans with a total length of 668 feet. It is a high level bridge and replaces a low level causeway. Work started on a four-span reinforced concrete bridge over Coolongolook River at Wootton. It replaced an old timber beam structure. The length of the bridge is 120 feet. 11
- 1960: Completion of a four-span reinforced concrete bridge 100 feet long over Coolongolook River at Wooton was completed. A three-span 75 feet long reinforced concrete bridge over Bungwahl Creek, 5.6 miles north of Nabiac was completed. Completion of a three-span reinforced concrete bridge 75 feet long over Koorainghat Creek, 8 miles north of Nabiac. 12
- 1962: Construction started on a five-span steel and reinforced concrete bridge 252 feet long over Ghinni Ghinni Creek 8 miles from Taree. The bridge replaced an old timber beam bridge. 13
- 1963: Advisory speed signs placed on approaches to curves along Pacific Highway between Gosford to Kempsey. 14
- 24 December 1963: The new route of the Pacific Highway between Twelve Mile Creek and Taree was completed with the opening to traffic of the section between Karuah and Bulahdelah. The section was designed for speeds of 50 miles per hour. The pavement width is 24 feet and featured a dustless surface. The new route allowed traffic to travel from Newcastle to Taree in about 2 hours 30 minutes compared with 3 hours 10 minutes on the old route (now Bucketts Way). 15
- 1965: Reconstruction of the Pacific Highway between Chatham Overbridge and Oxley Street, Taree. This work involved dual carriageway construction and channelisation of two intersections with Council streets. 16
- 1966: A length of the highway, 1.2 miles long, at Coolongolook was reconstructed and widened. Reconstruction of the highway with divided carriageways between Chatham Overbridge and Oxley Street, Taree, was completed. Reconstruction and strengthening of the highway through Cundletown completed. Channelisation of Pacific Highway and Oxley Street junction, Taree. 17
- 1967: Construction of approaches to the new railway overbridge at Moorland, north of Taree. Completion of the construction of a median strip between Pulteney Street and Manning Street, Taree. The work involved relocation of public utilities and a War Memorial Clock. Work started on the channelisation of the intersection of the highway with the Kempsey-Armidale Road and on the construction of a median strip along Smith Street (Pacific Highway) between Forth and Belgrave Streets, Kempsey. Bellimbopinni, the Department reconstructed and widened the pavement to a width of 24 feet. 18
- 1977: The reconstruction and widening of distressed pavement was commenced at Nabiac. Completion of the reconstruction of a short length of highway between the new bridges over Browns Creek and the Chatham Railway overbridge. Construction was completed of a deviation on the approaches to a new bridge at Two Mile Creek. Work was commenced on the establishment of a rest area near Moorland. 19
- December 1997: The 14.5 kilometre construction of a dual carriageway bypass of Taree partially opened to traffic. 20
- 1998: The 7.5 kilometre dual carriageway upgrade of the Pacific Highway at Taree to Coopernook opened to traffic. 21
- July 2005: Lakes Way Interchange opened to traffic. 22
- July 2010: The 33 kilometre dual carriageway upgrade from Coopernook to Herons Creek opened to traffic. It generally followed the existing highway and included a western bypass of Moorland, Johns River and a eastern bypass of Kew. 23
This page concentrates on historic photos of Pacific Highway between Johns River and Nabiac
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Stratford To Gloucester:
New bituminous surface between Stratford and Gloucester (now Bucketts Way), 1950.
Image © Department of Main Roads
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Moorland:
Pacific Hwy at Moorland after reconstruction and bitumen surfacing, 1953.
Image © Department of Main Roads
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South of Taree:
Spraying last gap in bitumen surface on Pacific Hwy, 11 miles from Taree (Possum Brush), 1958.
Image © Department of Main Roads
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Wallamba River:
Steel and concrete bridge over the Wallamba River at Nabiac, 1959.
Image © Department of Main Roads
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Ghinni Ghinni Creek:
Steel and concrete bridge over Ghinni Ghinni Creek, 8 miles north of Taree, 1963.
Image © Department of Main Roads
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Railway Overbridge:
The railway overbridge at Moorland, 16 miles north of Taree, which eliminated the railway level crossing at this location, 1967.
Image © Department of Main Roads
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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 Main Roads Board Annual Report, 1932
4 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1932-33
5 RTA Thematic History, 2nd Edition, 2006
6 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1946-47
7 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1953-54
8 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1955-56
9 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1956-57
10 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1957-58
11 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1958-59
12 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1959-60
13 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1961-62
14 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1962-63
15 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1963-64
16 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1964-65
17 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1965-66
18 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1966-67
19 Department of Main Roads, Annual Report, 1977-78
20 Roads and Maritime Services, Projects, Pacific Highway Upgrade, Hexham to Port Macquarie, Completed Projects, Taree Bypass
21 Roads and Maritime Services, Projects, Pacific Highway Upgrade, Hexham to Port Macquarie, Completed Projects, Taree to Coopernook
22 Roads and Maritime Services, Projects, Pacific Highway Upgrade, Hexham to Port Macquarie, Completed Projects, The Lakes Way Interchange
23 Roads and Maritime Services, Projects, Pacific Highway Upgrade, Hexham to Port Macquarie, Completed Projects, Coopernook to Herons Creek
Last updated: 24-Dec-2017 11:45
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