New England Highway

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This article is about the New England Highway in Australia. For the system of numbered highways in New England, United States, from 1922 to 1927, see New England road marking system.
New England Highway
Queensland – New South Wales
Location New England Hwy.svg
General information
Type Highway
Length 880 km (547 mi)[2]
Gazetted August 1928 (NSW, as Main Road 9)[1]
Route number(s) <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • A3 (2005–present)
    (Yarraman–Warwick)
  • A15 (2005/2013–present)
    (Warwick–Branxton)
  • x20px A43 (2014–present)
    (Branxton–Beresfield)
  • Concurrencies:
  • State Route 85 (1980s–present)
    (Hampton–Toowoomba)
  • x20px A1 (2013–present)
    (Beresfield–Hexham)
Former
route number		 <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
  • State Route 61 (1990s–2005)
    (Yarraman–Hampton)
  • National Route 42 (1974–2005)
    (Toowoomba–Warwick)
  • National Highway 15 (1974–2005/2013)
    (Warwick–Beresfield)
  • National Route 15 (1955–1974)
    (Warwick–Hexham)
  • x20px A15 (2013–2014)
    (Branxton–Beresfield)
Major junctions
North end D'Aguilar Highway
Yarraman, Queensland
  <templatestyles src="Plainlist/styles.css"/>
South end x20pxx20px Pacific Highway
Hexham, New South Wales
Location(s)
Major settlements Crows Nest, Toowoomba, Warwick, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Armidale, Tamworth, Muswellbrook, Maitland
Highway system
Highways in Australia
National Highway • Freeways in Australia
Highways in Queensland
Highways in New South Wales

New England Highway is an 883-kilometre (549 mi) long[2] highway in Australia running from Yarraman, north of Toowoomba, Queensland at its northern end to Hexham at Newcastle, New South Wales at its southern end. It is part of Australia's National Highway system, and forms part of the inland route between Brisbane and Sydney.[3]

Route

At its northern end New England Highway connects to D'Aguilar Highway, and at its southern end it connects to Pacific Highway. It traverses the Darling Downs, New England, and Hunter Valley regions.

During the winter months, some parts of the New England Highway are subject to frost and snowfall,[4][5] with the 350 km section from the Moonbi Ranges to Stanthorpe located at high altitudes.

Traffic volume

In 2013–14, the New England and Cunningham Highways combined (known as the Sydney-Brisbane inland route) had an average annual daily traffic count of just over 13,000 vehicles, which is approximately half that seen on the coastal route (i.e., the Pacific Highway and Pacific Motorway).[3] Heavy vehicles account for approximately 13% of the traffic seen on the route.[3]

Speed cameras

As of November 2018, fixed speed cameras were located at Ben Lomond (between Ross Road and Ben Lomond Road), Blandford (between Hayles Street and Mills Street) and Tenterfield (between Duncan Street and George Street).[6] Average speed enforcement (point-to-point) cameras target heavy vehicles between Singleton and Muswellbrook.[7][8]

From Brisbane, National Highway 15 (green) follows the Cunningham Highway until Warwick where it then follows southwards, the New England Highway ...
File:Pacific.hwy.sth.jpg
... through Armidale, Tamworth, Maitland and Hexham where it joins the Pacific Highway

History

New England Highway has its origins in the track which developed north from Newcastle to reach the prime wool growing areas of the New England region which Europeans settled following expeditions by NSW Surveyor-General John Oxley in 1818 and botanist Allan Cunningham in 1827 and 1829.[citation needed] The rough track, navigable only by horse or bullock dray, crossed the Liverpool Range, went through Tamworth and ended at Tenterfield.[9] The track became known as the Great Northern Road.[10] During the 1860s, several robberies occurred along the road,[11][12] with infamous bushranger Captain Thunderbolt known to be active in the area.[13]

The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924[14] 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). Great Northern Highway was declared (as Main Road No. 9) on 8 August 1928, replacing the Great Northern Road and running from North Sydney via Hornsby, Peat's Ferry, Gosford, Swansea, Newcastle, Maitland, Singleton, Tamworth, Armidale, Glen Innes, Tenterfield and Woodenbong to the border with Queensland;[1] with the passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929[15] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this was amended to State Highway 9 on 8 April 1929.

The section of Great Northern Highway between Sydney and Hexham was subsumed into Pacific Highway on 26 May 1931;[16] the southern end of Great Northern Highway was truncated at the intersection with Pacific Highway at Hexham as a result. The remaining portion from Hexham to Brisbane was later renamed New England Highway, through Queensland on 14 February 1933,[17] and a month later through New South Wales on 14 March 1933.[18][19] In 1936 the road was described by contemporary observers as being in good condition, with spectacular scenery and excellent accommodation en route.[20][21]

The Department of Main Roads, which had succeeded the New South Wales MRB in 1932, declared Main Road 374 on 16 March 1938, from the intersection with Tenterfield-Yetman Road (later Bruxner Highway) just north of Tenterfield to the state border with Queensland at Wallangarra;[22] this was replaced with the declaration of State Highway 24 along the same route on 11 January 1950.[23]

New England Highway was re-routed through Warwick along the route that was then known in Queensland as the Lockyer-Darling Downs Highway on 11 August 1954, with the new alignment of State Highway 9 subsuming State Highway 24 in New South Wales.[24][25] Against the wishes of the Beaudesert Shire Council and the Woodenbong Chamber of Commerce,[26] the former alignment of New England Highway through Beaudesert was renamed Mount Lindesay Highway,[24][25] and the New South Wales section was re-declared as State Highway 24[24] (this was eventually revoked on 23 December 1981 and re-declared as Main Road 622[27]).

In the 1970s, the Queensland Main Roads Department rerouted the designation of the New England Highway north of Warwick to follow the former Lockyer-Darling Downs Highway (national route 17) so that it terminated in Toowoomba.[citation needed] The section of the highway between Brisbane and Warwick was renamed as part of Cunningham Highway, which until that time had extended only westward from Warwick to Goondiwindi.[citation needed]

The passing of the Roads Act of 1993[28] through the Parliament of New South Wales updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, New England Highway today retains its declaration as Highway 9, from Hexham to the state border with Queensland.[29]

New England Highway was signed National Route 15 from Warwick to Hexham in 1955. The Whitlam Government introduced the federal National Roads Act 1974,[30] 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.[30]:S7 As an important interstate link between the capitals of Queensland and New South Wales, New England Highway was declared a National Highway in 1974 and was consequently re-signed as National Highway 15. National Route 42 was extended north along New England Highway from Warwick to Toowoomba; State Route 85 was allocated sometime during the 1980s between Toowoomba and Hampton, and State Route 61 allocated sometime during the 1990s between Hampton and its northern terminus at Yarraman. National Highway 15 was later truncated at its southern end from Hexham to Beresfield in 1988, as the Mandalong-Freemans Waterhole stage of Sydney-Newcastle Freeway opened and National Highway 1 was rerouted via existing arterial routes to Beresfield, then along New England Highway to Hexham, before resuming its original route north along Pacific Highway.

With Queensland's conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in 2005, National Route 42 and State Route 61 were removed and replaced by route A3 between Yarraman and Warwick, now running concurrent with State Route 85 between Hampton and Toowoomba, and National Highway 15 was updated to route A15 between Warwick and the state border with New South Wales. New South Wales' conversion to the newer alphanumeric system occurred later in 2013, with National Highway 15 also updated to route A15 from the state border with Queensland to Hexham.[31] With Hunter Expressway opening a year later in 2014, route A15 was modified to route M15 and rerouted along it east of Branxton, and route A43 was extended westwards from Hexham along New England Highway to replace it, retaining a concurrency with route A1 between Beresfield and Hexham.

File:NewEnglandAndGoldenHighwaySigns.JPG
Intersection of New England Highway and Golden Highway between Branxton and Singleton
File:Thunderbolts Rocks.JPG
Thunderbolts Rocks, New England Highway (south of Uralla), where Thunderbolt conducted some of his robberies.
Statue of Captain Thunderbolt at the intersection of New England Highway and Thunderbolts Way, Uralla, NSW
Statue of Captain Thunderbolt at the intersection of New England Highway and Thunderbolts Way, Uralla, NSW

Highway improvements

As of July 2021, completed, current or proposed improvements on the New England Highway include:[32]

  • Belford to the Golden Highway. Construction contract for this $97 million project awarded June 2021.
  • Bolivia Hill
  • Bridge barrier improvements to four bridges between Ravensworth and Liddell. Work commenced July 2021.
  • Fitzgerald Bridge at Aberdeen
  • Maitland roundabout improvements. $4.9 million project nearing completion.
  • Muswellbrook bypass. Community feedback on the preferred option is to be sought in 2021.
  • New England Highway draft corridor strategy
  • New England Highway and Wyndella Road intersection, Lochinvar
  • Safety improvements Whittingham. Work commenced April 2021.
  • Safety upgrade Willow Tree To Uralla. Work commenced at Kootingal January 2021.
  • Scone bypass. See below.
  • Singleton rail underpass. See below.
  • Singleton bypass. In April 2021 community feedback was incorporated into this $700 million project.
  • Tenterfield heavy vehicle bypass

Scone bypass

The Scone Bypass was opened in March 2020. In addition to bypassing the town centre, it also replaces the last railway level crossing on the New England Highway.[33]

Singleton rail underpass

The New England Highway upgrade and rail bridge replacement at Singleton (known as Gowrie Gates) was opened in July 2019. This upgrade is not part of the proposed Singleton bypass.[34]

Roads of Strategic Importance upgrades

The Roads of Strategic Importance initiative, last updated in March 2022, includes the following projects for the New England Highway in Queensland.

Road upgrades

A project to upgrade the New England Highway at Cabarlah, at an estimated cost of $5 million, was in planning at March 2022.[35]

Emu Swamp Dam supporting infrastructure

A project to develop supporting road infrastructure for the Emu Swamp Dam, adjacent to the New England Highway at Stanthorpe, at a cost of $6.3 million is planned to be completed by mid-2023.[36]

Other upgrades in Queensland

Intersection upgrade

A project to upgrade the intersection with the Cunningham Highway east of Warwick, at a cost of $25 million, was due for completion in August 2022.[37]

Improvement planning

Two projects to develop business cases for improvements to the highway south of Toowoomba, at a cost of $650,000, were to be completed by March 2022.[38]

Safety improvements

A project to improve safety between Stanthorpe and Ballandean, at a cost of $19.4 million, was ongoing in July 2022.[39]

Turning lanes at Cabarlah

A project to construct turning lanes at Cabarlah, at a cost of $600,000, was in the planning stage in July 2022.[40]

Upgrade planning Warwick to Stanthorpe

A project to plan for upgrades between Warwick and Stanthorpe, at a coat of $450,000, was completed in October 2021.[41]

Pavement widening near Cooyar

A project to deliver widened pavement near Cooyar, at a cost of $24.576 million, was to finish by July 2022.[42]

Former route allocations

New England Highway has had many former route allocations including former National Route 15. Where and when the former route numbers were implemented are stated below.

Yarraman – Hampton:

  • State Route 61 (1990s?–2005)
  • A3 (2005-present)

Hampton – Toowoomba:

  • State Route 85 (1980s?–present)
  • A3 (2005-present)

Toowoomba – Warwick:

  • National Route 42 (1974–2005)
  • A3 (2005-present)

Warwick – QLD/NSW border:

  • National Route 15 (1955–1974)
  • National Highway 15 (1974-2005)
  • A15 (2005-present)

QLD/NSW border – Branxton:

  • National Route 15 (1955–1974)
  • National Highway 15 (1974-2013)
  • x20px A15 (2013-present)

Branxton – Beresfield:

  • National Route 15 (1955–1974)
  • National Highway 15 (1974-2013)
  • x20px A15 (2013-2014)
  • x20px A43 (2014-present)

Beresfield – Hexham:

  • National Route 15 (1955–1974)
  • National Highway 15 (1974-1988)
  • National Highway 1 (1988-2013)
  • x20px A1 (2013-present)
  • x20px A43 (2014-present)

Major junctions

State LGA Location km[2] mi Destinations Notes
Queensland Toowoomba Yarraman 0 0 D'Aguilar Highway (A3 north, A17 southeast) – Rockhampton, Nanango, Caboolture, Ipswich Northern terminus of highway at T intersection, route A3 continues north along D'Aguilar Highway
Wutul 33 21 Oakey-Cooyar Road (State Route 68) – Oakey T intersection
Crows Nest Creek 74 46 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Toowoomba Hampton 86 53 Esk-Hampton Road (State Route 85 east) – Esk Four-way intersection; northern concurrency terminus with State Route 85
Harlaxton 113 70 Griffiths Street – Cranley, to Warrego Highway (A2) – Dalby, Gatton, Ipswich T intersection
Toowoomba 118 73 Toowoomba Connection Road (A21 east) – Gatton, Ipswich Four-way intersection; eastern concurrency terminus with route A21
119 74 Toowoomba Connection Road (A21, State Route 85 west) – Dalby, Goondiwindi Four-way intersection; western concurrency terminus with route A21 and State Route 85
Cambooya 133 83 Drayton Connection Road – Drayton, Toowoomba Y intersection
137 85 Cambooya Connection Road (State Route 48) – Karara T intersection
Clifton 162 101 Gatton-Clifton Road (State Route 80) – Gatton T intersection
Southern Downs Glengallan 188 117 Cunningham Highway (A15 east) – Ipswich, Warwick Northern concurrency terminus with route A15/National Route 42, New England/Cunningham Highways at directional T interchange
Northern terminus of National Route 42, southern terminus of route A3
Condamine River 199 124 O.O. Madsen Bridge
Southern Downs Warwick 202 126 Cunningham Highway (National Route 42 west) – Goondiwindi Southern concurrency terminus with route A15/National Route 42, New England/Cunningham Highways at 4-way intersection
National Route 42 continues west as Cunningham Highway
Stanthorpe 258 160 High Street – Stanthorpe, to Texas Road (State Route 89) – Texas T intersection
State border 299 186 Queensland – New South Wales state border
New South Wales Tenterfield Tenterfield 313 194 Bruxner Way – Yetman, Boggabilla
318 198 x20px Bruxner Highway (B60) – Casino, Lismore, Ballina
Deepwater River 370 230 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Glen Innes Severn Glen Innes 409 254 x20px Gwydir Highway (B76) – Inverell, Warialda, Moree, Grafton Uncontrolled 4-way intersection
Armidale Armidale 511 318 x20px Waterfall Way (B78) – Ebor, Raleigh Roundabout
Bendemeer 576 358 x20px Oxley Highway (B56 east) – Walcha, Wauchope, Port Macquarie Concurrency with route B56
Tamworth Tamworth 616 383 x20px Oxley Highway (B56 west) – Gunnedah, Coonabarabran, to x20px Manilla Road (B95) – Manilla, Warialda
Peel River 616 383 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Liverpool Plains Willow Tree 687 427 x20px Kamilaroi Highway (B51) – Gunnedah, Narrabri, Walgett, Bourke Directional T interchange
Pages River 707 439 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Pages River 710 440 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Pages River 714 444 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Hunter River 759 472 Fitzgerald[43] Bridge
Muswellbrook Muswellbrook 773 480 Denman Road – Denman T intersection
Hunter River 819 509 Bridge over the river (no known name)
Singleton Singleton 820 510 Campbell Street, to Putty Road – Putty, Windsor Four-way intersection
Whittingham 831 516 x20px Golden Highway (B84) – Denman, Merriwa, Dunedoo, Dubbo T intersection
Belford 839 521 x20px Hunter Expressway (M15) – West Wallsend, Newcastle Route transition: A15 west, M15 southeast along Hunter Expressway, unallocated east
Incomplete access to/from New England Highway east
Branxton 842 523 x20px Clift Street, to x20px Wine Country Drive (B82) – Rothbury, Pokolbin, Cessnock T intersection
844 524 x20px Wine Country Drive (A43 south), to x20px Hunter Expressway (M15) – Singleton, Newcastle Route transition: unallocated west, A43 east
Maitland Maitland 866 538 Cessnock Road – Kurri Kurri, Cessnock Roundabout
Newcastle Beresfield 878 546 x20px John Renshaw Drive (A1) – Raymond Terrace, Taree, Coffs Harbour, Brisbane Directional T interchange; no right turn westwards into John Renshaw Drive
Western terminus of concurrency terminus with route A1
Hexham 883 549 x20pxx20px Pacific Highway (A1 east, A43 south) – Newcastle, Raymond Terrace, Taree, Coffs Harbour, Brisbane Southern terminus of highway, route A43 continues south along Pacific Highway
Eastern terminus of concurrency terminus with route A1
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Cities and towns

From its junction with Pacific Highway at Hexham, 12 km (7 mi) inland from Newcastle, New England Highway connects the following cities and towns:

New South Wales

Queensland

See also

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References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  10. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.[self-published source]
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ 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 Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
  15. ↑ 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. Archived 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  18. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  19. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  20. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  21. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  22. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  23. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  24. ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  26. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  27. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  28. ↑ 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. Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
  29. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  30. ↑ 30.0 30.1 National Roads Act 1974 (Cth)
  31. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  32. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  33. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  34. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  35. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  36. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  37. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  38. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  41. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  42. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  43. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

External links

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