Newell Highway
Newell Highway is a national highway in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It provides the major road link between southeastern Queensland and Victoria via central NSW and as such carries large amounts of freight. At 1,058 kilometres (657 mi) in length, the Newell is the longest highway in NSW,[2][3] and passes through fifteen local government areas.[4] The highway is part of Australian national route 39 and was signposted accordingly until 2013. Since then it has been signposted as NSW route A39.
Newell Highway | |
|---|---|
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 1,043 km (648 mi)[1] |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Former route number |
|
| Major junctions | |
| North end | Cunningham Highway Goondiwindi, Queensland |
| South end | Goulburn Valley Highway NSW/VIC border |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Moree, Narrabri, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Dubbo, West Wyalong, Narrandera, Finley, Tocumwal |
| Highway system | |
Traffic volumes along Newell Highway vary from around 1,200 to 4,000 vehicles per day in rural areas. In Dubbo, the largest urban centre through which the highway passes, average daily traffic volumes are in the order of 20,000 vehicles a day. Many heavy vehicles use the Newell Highway – between 26 per cent and 52 per cent of all traffic, depending on the point along the highway.[4] At one point in the Riverina region of NSW, the highway carries approximately 1,900 vehicles daily, of which about 32 per cent is heavy vehicles;[5] while at another point in the north of the state, which carries the largest number of heavy vehicles, on average a truck passes every 60 seconds, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.[6]
The highway is named in honour of H. H. Newell, the first Commissioner for Main Roads in New South Wales (1932–1941).[7] It carries NSW route A39 signage for its entire length.
Other than short four-lane lengths within some of the urban areas through which it passes, Newell Highway is a single carriageway, two-lane road, although there are many overtaking lanes, with further overtaking lanes under construction up until 2021 (see Newell Highway Alliance Program" www.rms.nsw.gov.au/projects/newell-highway/program-alliance/index.html)
The speed limit on most rural sections of the highway is 110 km/h (68 mph).[8]
Route
The terrain that the highway traverses is generally flat to gently undulating, with long, straight sections joined by the occasional curved section. However, passing through the Warrumbungle Range, there are steeper grades and tighter curves than on the rest of the highway.[4]
The highway runs generally north–south, parallel to the coast of NSW, about 400 kilometres (250 mi) inland, and is the most direct road link from Victoria to southeastern Queensland, bypassing the more urbanised and congested coastal areas of the state, and in doing so avoiding the difficult coastal topography traversed by the Pacific Highway.
From its northern terminus at Goondiwindi on the Queensland-NSW border, where it meets the Cunningham and Leichhardt Highways, and forms the southward extension of Cunningham Highway from Warwick and Brisbane, Newell runs south across the Queensland-New South Wales border through Boggabilla, Moree, Narrabri, Coonabarabran, Gilgandra, Dubbo, Parkes, Forbes, West Wyalong, Narrandera, Jerilderie, and Finley. Its southern terminus is where it crosses the Murray River (part of the border between New South Wales and Victoria) at Tocumwal and becomes Goulburn Valley Highway in Victoria,[8] forming the next section of National Route 39 south towards Melbourne via Shepparton and Seymour, where it joins Hume Highway.
The Newell intersects the following highways:
Bruxner (at Boggabilla), Carnarvon and Gwydir (at Moree), Kamilaroi (at Narrabri), Oxley (east) (north of Coonabarabran), Castlereagh and Oxley (west) (at Gilgandra), Golden and Mitchell (at Dubbo), Mid-Western (east) at Marsden), Mid-Western (west) at West Wyalong), Sturt (at Gillenbah) and Riverina (at Finley).
Newell Highway is located entirely west of the Great Dividing Range, running largely along the foot of the western slopes of the range, and as such crosses nine major rivers, all west-flowing from the Great Dividing Range. From north to south these rivers are the Macintyre (at Goondiwindi), the Gwydir (10 km north of Moree), the Mehi (at Moree), the Namoi (near Narrabri), the Castlereagh (at Coonabarabran and again at Gilgandra), the Macquarie (at Dubbo), the Lachlan (at Forbes), the Murrumbidgee (at Narrandera), and the Murray (at Tocumwal). Some sections of the Newell Highway are subject to periodic flooding from these rivers,[3] particularly north of Moree,[9] at Dubbo,[10] and south of Narrandera.[11][12]
History
Before its declaration, Newell Highway existed as a collection of unrelated roads, many gazetted as separate entities. The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924[13] through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (later the Department of Main Roads, and eventually Transport for NSW). Main Road No. 6 was declared as part of Mid-Western Highway from West Wyalong and Marsden,[14] Main Road No. 11 was declared as part of Oxley Highway from Gilgandra to Coonabarabran,[14] Main Road No. 56 was declared from Gilgandra, Dubbo, Parkes and Forbes (and continuing northwards via Coonamble eventually to Walgett, and southwards via Cowra, Yass and Canberra eventually to the intersection with Queanbeyan-Braidwood Road, today Kings Highway, at Queanbeyan),[14] Main Road No. 63 was declared from Boggabilla to the state border with Queensland at Goondiwindi (and continuing southwards via Yetman to Warialda and Bingara to the intersection with Great Northern Highway, today New England Highway, at Tamworth),[14] Main Road No. 126 was declared from Boggabilla via Moree and Bellata to Narrabri (and continuing southeast via Boggabri and Gunnedah to Qurindi),[14] Main Road No. 229 was declared from Wagga-Hay Road (today Sturt Highway) in Narrandera, via Jerilderie and Finley to the state border with Victoria at Tocumwal,[14] Main Road No. 235 was declared from Forbes to Marsden (and continuing southwards via Morangarell and Stockinbingal to Cootamundra),[14] and Main Road No. 243 was declared from Narranderra to Grong Grong (and continuing eastwards via Coolamon, Cootamundra and Harden to Bowning).[14] With the passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929[15] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, these were amended to State Highways 6 and 11, Trunk Roads 56 and 63 and Main Roads 126 and 229 and 235 and 243 on 8 April 1929.
The Department of Main Roads, which had succeeded the MRB in 1932, later declared Trunk Road 72 from the intersection with State Highway 12 (Gwydir Highway) in Moree via Bellata to Narrabri (and continuing southeast via Boggabri to Gunnedah) and Main Road 338 from Moree to Boggabilla, on 18 July 1933;[16] the northern end of Main Road 126 was truncated to meet State Highway 11 (Oxley Highway) at Gunnedah. State Highway 17 was declared on 16 March 1938, from the intersection with State Highway 16 (later known as Bruxner Highway) at Boggabilla (which subsumed Trunk Road 63, declared on the same day[17]) to the intersection with Gwydir Highway at Moree (subsuming Main Road 338), then from Moree via Narrabri to the intersection with Oxley Highway near Coonabarabran, then from Gilgandra via Dubbo, Parks and Forbes to the intersection with Mid-Western Highway at Marsden, then from West Wyalong via Ardlethan to the intersection with Sturt Highway at Narrendera, then from Narrandera, Jerilderie and Finley to the state border with Victoria at Tocumwal, subsuming Main Road 229;[18] the northern ends of Trunk Roads 56 and 72 were truncated to meet State Highway 17 at Forbes and Narrabri respectively, Main Road 235 was truncated to meet State Highway 17 at Marsden, and Main Road 243 was truncated to meet State Highway 17 at Grong Grong, as a result.[18] State Highway 17 was named Newell Highway on 2 July 1941,[19] in honour of H. H. Newell, Commissioner for Main Roads 1932-41, following his death in office.[8][7]
At the time of the gazettal of State Highway 17, it followed existing roads as far as possible, but between Coonabarabran and Narrabri and between Narrandera and West Wyalong[2] no road existed. The section through the Pilliga Scrub between Coonabarabran and Narrabri was constructed during 1941-42 as a wartime defence project, and the section between Narrandera and West Wyalong was constructed in 1946–49. In 1952 the ultimate gazetted route of the highway between Narrandera and West Wyalong was altered from its original 1938 gazetted route.
Some sections of Newell Highway run concurrent along other highways. From north to south these are the Gwydir at Moree, the Kamilaroi at Narrabri, the Oxley (from 10 km north of Coonabarabran to Gilgandra), the Castlereagh through Gilgandra, the Mid-Western between Marsden and West Wyalong, and the Riverina (185 m through Finley). Previously, the declaration of Newell Highway was discontinuous, breaking where it shared concurrencies with these highways. As a consequence of its declaration as a National Highway in 1992, to simplify funding and administrative purposes, it was redeclared to form one continuous highway on 15 January 1993, breaking other highway declarations it shares concurrencies with.[20]
The passing of the Roads Act of 1993[21] through the Parliament of New South Wales updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Newell Highway today retains its declaration as Highway 17, from the state border with Queensland at Goondiwindi to the state border Victoria at Tocumwall.[22]
Newell Highway was signed National Route 39 across its entire length in 1965. The Whitlam Government introduced the federal National Roads Act 1974,[23] where roads declared as a National Highway were still the responsibility of the states for road construction and maintenance, but were fully compensated by the Federal government for money spent on approved projects.[23]: S7 As an important interstate link between the capitals of Queensland and Victoria, Newell Highway was declared a National Highway in 1992, and was consequently re-allocated National Highway 39. With both states' conversion to the newer alphanumeric system between 2005 and 2013, its route number was updated to route A39 for the highway within Queensland in 2005, and eventually within New South Wales in 2013.[24]
Completion of the sealing of the full length of the highway occurred in 1972.
Town centre bypasses have been provided in Moree, Dubbo, Parkes and West Wyalong (heavy vehicle route). A town bypass at Ardlethan has also been constructed.
Major intersections
| State | LGA | Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Queensland | Goondiwindi | Goondiwindi | 0 | 0.0 | Cunningham Highway (National Highway A39 north) – Warwick, Brisbane to Leichhardt Highway (National Highway A39, A5) – Toowoomba, Miles, Rockhampton | Northern terminus of highway at roundabout, National Highway A39 continues north along Cunningham Highway |
| Marshall Street (west), to Barwon Highway (State Route 85) – Goondiwindi, St George Kildonan Road (Tourist Route 3 east) – Yelarbon, Border Rivers Tourist Drive | ||||||
| 1 | 0.62 | Newell Highway (National Highway A39) | Southern terminus of National Highway A39 | |||
| State border | Queensland – New South Wales state border | |||||
| New South Wales | Macintyre River | Bridge over river | ||||
| Moree Plains | Boggabilla | Newell Highway (A39) | Northern terminus of route A39 | |||
| 8 | 5.0 | Bruxner Way – Yetman, Tenterfield, Northern Rivers coast | ||||
| Gwydir River | 122 | 76 | Bridge over river | |||
| Moree Plains | Moree | 131 | 81 | Boggabilla Road (Gwydir Highway) (B76 west) – Collarenebri | Route B76 western concurrency terminus | |
| Mehi River | 133 | 83 | Bridge over river | |||
| Moree Plains | Moree | 133 | 83 | Alice Street (Gwydir Highway) (B76 east) – Warialda | Route B76 eastern concurrency terminus | |
| Narrabri | Narrabri | 232 | 144 | Kamilaroi Highway – Wee Waa, Walgett | ||
| Namoi River | 235 | 146 | Bridge over river | |||
| Narrabri | Narrabri | 236 | 147 | Kamilaroi Highway (B51 east) – Boggabri, Gunnedah | Roundabout | |
| Warrumbungle | Coonabarabran | 348 | 216 | Oxley Highway (B56 east) – Gunnedah | ||
| Gilgandra | Tooraweenah | 407 | 253 | Tooraweenah–Mendooran Road – Tooraweenah | ||
| Gilgandra | 441 | 274 | Castlereagh Highway (B55 east) – Mendooran, Dunedoo | Route B55 eastern concurrency terminus | ||
| Castlereagh River | 442 | 275 | Jack Renshaw Bridge | |||
| Gilgandra | Gilgandra | 442 | 275 | Castlereagh Highway (B55 west), to Oxley Highway (west) – Coonamble, Warren | Route B55 western concurrency terminus | |
| Talbragar River | 501 | 311 | Bridge over river | |||
| Dubbo | Dubbo | 506 | 314 | Erskine Street, to Golden Highway (B84) – Dunedoo, Muswellbrook | T-intersection | |
| Macquarie River | 507 | 315 | Emile Serisier Bridge | |||
| Dubbo | Dubbo | 508 | 316 | Mitchell Highway (A32) – Wellington, Narromine | ||
| Narromine | Tomingley | 559 | 347 | Tomingley-Narromine Road – Narromine | ||
| Parkes | Parkes | 626 | 389 | Dalton Street (Henry Parkes Way) (west) – Condobolin | ||
| 627 | 390 | Grenfell Street (Henry Parkes Way) (east) – Orange | ||||
| Forbes | Forbes | 659 | 409 | Camp Street, to Lachlan Valley Way (east) – Cowra, and to Henry Lawson Way – Grenfell) | Lachlan Valley Way northern concurrency terminus | |
| Lake Forbes | 660 | 410 | Oxley Bridge | |||
| Lachlan River | 661 | 411 | Bridge over river | |||
| Forbes | Bundaburrah | 665 | 413 | Lachlan Valley Way (west) – Condobolin | Lachlan Valley Way southern concurrency terminus | |
| Bland | Marsden | 726 | 451 | Mid-Western Highway (B64 east) – Grenfell | Route B64 eastern concurrency terminus | |
| Wyalong | 758 | 471 | Barmedman Road (Goldfields Way) (B85) – Temora | |||
| West Wyalong | 763 | 474 | Mid-Western Highway (B64 west) – Hay | Route B64 western concurrency terminus | ||
| Coolamon | Mirrool Junction | 813 | 505 | Burley Griffin Way (B94 east) – Temora | Concurrency with route B94 | |
| Ardlethan | 831 | 516 | Burley Griffin Way (B94 west) – Griffith | |||
| Narrandera | Grong Grong | 876 | 544 | Ganmain Road – Coolamon | ||
| Narrandera | 898 | 558 | Irrigation Way – Griffith | |||
| Irrigation Canal | 898 | 558 | Bridge over the canal | |||
| Murrumbidgee River | 899 | 559 | Narrandera Bridge | |||
| Narrandera | Gillenbah | 900 | 560 | Sturt Highway (A20 southeast) – Wagga Wagga | Concurrency with route A20 | |
| 901 | 560 | Sturt Highway (A20 northwest) – Darlington Point, Hay, Mildura | ||||
| Jerilderie | Jerilderie Junction | 991 | 616 | Kidman Way – Griffith | ||
| Billabong Creek | 1,005 | 624 | Bridge over creek | |||
| Jerilderie | Jerilderie | 1,007 | 626 | Conargo Road – Conargo | ||
| Berrigan | Finley | 1,042 | 647 | Tuppal Street (Riverina Highway) (B58 west) – Deniliquin | Concurrency with route B58 | |
| 1,042.5 | 647.8 | Berrigan Road (Riverina Highway) (B58 east) – Berrigan, Albury | ||||
| Tocumwal | 1,057 | 657 | Newell Highway (A39) | Southern terminus of Newell Highway | ||
| Murray River | Edward Hillson Bridge | |||||
| State border | 1,058 | 657 | New South Wales – Victoria state border | |||
| Victoria | Moira | Koonoomoo | Goulburn Valley Highway (A39) – Shepparton, Seymour | Northern terminus of Gouldburn Valley Highway, route A39 continues south | ||
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
| ||||||
Gallery
Oxley Highway looking towards the Junction of Newell and Oxley Highways, just east of Coonabarabran, looking south-west.
National Route 39, the Newell Highway, in New South Wales, just south of West Wyalong, looking south.
See also
References
- ^ a b Google (22 August 2022). "Newell Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Newell Highway: History and Development". OzRoads. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ a b "Roads Minister says duplicating Newell Highway is on state government's agenda". ABC News. Australia. 7 May 2014. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ^ a b c "Draft Newell Highway Corridor Strategy" (PDF) (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services, Government of New South Wales. April 2014. pp. 8–9, 11. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ "Improvements to the Newell Highway at Grong Grong". Projects: South West NSW. Roads & Maritime Services, Government of New South Wales. 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ Brown, Emma (8 May 2014). "Draft Newell Highway Strategy released". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 23 March 2014.
- ^ a b "The Newell Highway – Named after a pioneer road man". Main Roads. OzRoads. 43 (2). December 1977.
- ^ a b c "Newell Highway: State Highway No. 17". OzRoads. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
- ^ "Heavy rain closes roads in NSW north-west". The Sydney Morning Herald. Australian Associated Press. 28 November 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ Howe, Marc (12 May 2014). "NSW's Newell Highway Slated for Upgrade". Sourceable. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ "Travelling? Check road closures here". The Land. 19 March 2012. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ "Highway flood plan (video)". Prime 7. 31 May 2011. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
- ^ a b c d e f g h "Main Roads Act, 1924-1927". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 110. National Library of Australia. 17 August 1928. pp. 3814–20. from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
- ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the Main Roads Board; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
- ^ "Main Roads Act, 1924-1931". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 119. National Library of Australia. 4 August 1933. p. 2882. from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 17 October 2022.
- ^ "Main Roads Act, 1924-1937". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 46. National Library of Australia. 25 March 1938. pp. 1222–3. from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ a b "Main Roads Act, 1924-1937". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 58. National Library of Australia. 14 April 1938. pp. 1525–6. from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ "Main Roads Act, 1924-1939". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 89. National Library of Australia. 11 July 1941. p. 2483. from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ "State Roads Act 1986". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 5. National Library of Australia. 15 January 1993. p. 125. from the original on 29 August 2022. Retrieved 29 August 2022.
- ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes. 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
- ^ Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
- ^ a b National Roads Act 1974 (Cth)
- ^ (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services. Government of New South Wales. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
External links
- "Draft Newell Highway Corridor Strategy" (PDF) (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services, Government of New South Wales. April 2014.