Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Gwydir Highway (National Route 38) - Glen Innes to Jackadgery (Decommissioned)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Gwydir Highway (National Route 38) - Glen Innes to Jackadgery

Statistics:

Length: 565 km
Eastern Terminus: Pacific Hwy (NR1) at South Grafton
Western Terminus: Castlereagh Hwy (NR55) at Walgett
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Glen Elgin, Shannon Vale and Glen Innes

Route Numbering:

Former:
Multiplexes:
Road Authority Internal Classification: HW12 1
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

National Route 38 is a rural highway in northern New South Wales, which connects the north coast with outback NSW. For the most part it's undivided, except in a handful of spots.

It runs parallel with the Gwydir River, and is named after Lord Gwydir by Alan Cunningham who crossed the river at Gravesend in 1827.

Multiplexes along the route include:

National Highway 15, for 150 m at Glen Innes

History:

1895: Most of the route, between Moree and Grafton was marked on a map of Railway and Coaching Routes. 2
July 1928: The route was proclaimed the Gwydir Highway. 2
1930s: A comprehensive improvement program was undertaken by the Department of Main Roads (DMR) with resources directed towards the newly classified State Highways. Improvements to the Gwydir Highway included re-routing of the road across the mountainous country between Glen Innes and Grafton. 2
9 December 1960: Official opening of the deviation between Grafton and Glen Innes by Robert James Heffron, who was an Australian Labor Party premier of NSW from 23 October 1959 to 30 April 1964.

Glen Innes to Jackadgery		Jackadgery to Glen Innes
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) approaching New England Hwy (NH15) at Glen Innes, July 2007. NR38 turns right at this junction, the NH15 duplex starts here too. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) at Bald Nob approaching Bald Nob-Dundee Rd, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	New England Highway: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and New England Hwy (NH15) at Glen Innes, July 2007. NR38 turns right at this junction, the NH15 duplex starts here too. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) approaching New England Hwy (NH15) at Glen Innes. NR38 turns right at this junction, the NH15 duplex starts here too. May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance directional Sign: AD sign on the NR38 / NH15 duplex approaching Meade St and also Gwydir Hwy (NH38) at Glen Innes, July 2007. NR38 turns left at this junction Image © Paul Rands		Advance directional Sign: AD sign on New England Hwy (NH15) duplex approaching Meade St and also Gwydir Hwy (NH38) at Glen Innes, January 2006. The NH15 duplex starts at this junction. Image © Paul Rands
	Glen Innes: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) heads east at Glen Innes, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Meade Street & New England Highway: Roundabout with New England Hwy (NH15), Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Meade St in Glen Innes, January 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Tourism based RD sign leaving Glen Innes, December 2002. Image © Michael Greenslade		Advance directional Sign: AD sign on the NR38 / NH15 duplex approaching Ferguson St (Gwydir Hwy (NH38)) at Glen Innes. NR38 turns left at this junction, January 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Beardy Waters: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it crosses Beardy Waters near Glen Innes, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Advance directional Sign: AD sign on the NR38 / NH15 duplex at the junction with Ferguson St (Gwydir Hwy (NH38)) at Glen Innes, July 2007. NR38 turns left at this junction Image © Paul Rands
	Shannonville: Gwydir Hwy as it passes through the Shannonville area, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Meade Street: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it passes through the northern end of the Glen Innes town centre, January 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Unusual services sign at Shannonville for a rubbish bin, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) approaching Coronation Av (TD11), January 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Rocky River: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it crosses Rocky River at Bald Nob, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Coronation Avenue: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Coronation Av (TD11) at Glen Innes, January 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Old Grafton Road: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Old Grafton Rd at Bald Nob, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: Reassurance directional sign as Gwydir Hwy (NR38) leaves Glen Innes, January 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) at Glen Elgin approaching Wades Rd, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Wades Road: ID sign at the corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Wades Rd in the Gibraltar Range National Park at Glen Elgin, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Glen Elgin approaching Raspberry Rd, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Raspberry Road: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Raspberry Rd at Glen Elgin, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign in the Gibraltar Range National Park on the Gwydir Hwy (NR38), approaching Dandahra Trail, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Dandahra Creek: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it crosses Dandahra Ck (North Arm), with the junction with Dandahra Trail in the distance, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Washpool Forest Way in the Gibraltar Range National Park, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Washpool Forest Way: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Washpool Forest Way in the Gibraltar Range National Park, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Steep Descent: Warning sign for steep descent, as the Gwydir Hwy (NR38) descends the Great Dividing Range, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	14km Winding Road: Warning sign for winding road, as the Gwydir Hwy (NR38) descends the Great Dividing Range, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) approaching Heffrons Lookout in the Gibraltar Range National Park, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Heffrons Lookout: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) at Heffrons Lookout. The plaque in the shot commemorates the opening of the current alignment between Glen Innes and Grafton, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Commemorative Plaque: The plaque commemorates the opening of the current alignment between Glen Innes and Grafton. Gwydir Hwy (NR38) at Heffrons Lookout, May 2005. Image © Rob Tilley
	Steep Descent: The Gwydir Hwy (NR38) continues its steep descent of the Great Dividing Range inside the Gibraltar Range National Park, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Gwydir Hwy (NR38) approaching Hills Lookout in the Gibraltar Range National Park, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Steep Descent: The Gwydir Hwy (NR38) continues its steep descent of the Great Dividing Range at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Tourism based RD sign at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Camp Creek: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) crossing Camp Creek via the Peter Elks Bridge, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Cattle Camp Creek: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it crosses Cattle Camp Ck at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Timber Safety Fencing: Obselete timber safety fencing from prior to the late 1960s in the Cangai area, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Middle Creek: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it crosses Middle Ck at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Coombadjha Road: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Coombadjha Rd at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Dandahra Creek: Gwydir Highway as it crosses Dandahra Creek again, this time at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Cangai Bridge Road: Corner of Gwydir Hwy (NR38) and Cangai Bridge Rd at Cangai, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Hills Creek: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) as it crosses Hills Ck at Cangai, July 2007. Note more timber and wire safety fencing. Image © Paul Rands
	Mulligans Bluff: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) at Mulligans Bluff, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Mulligans Bluff: Gwydir Hwy (NR38) at Mulligans Bluff, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	End Of Falling Stones Area: Unusual sign indicating end of falling stones area, July 2007. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of NR38 between Jackadgery and Grafton Click here for the continuation of NR38 between Warialda and Glen Innes

1 Roads & Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, January 2011
2 Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4
3 National Library of Australia, Catalogue, Construction of Jackadgery Bridge, New South Wales, 1959 / Thiess Bros. Pty Ltd.
4 Roads & Traffic Authority, Road activity update, Northern NSW, May 2003

Last updated: 19-Oct-2021 0:54

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