Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Pacific Motorway, Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Gore Hill Freeway, Warringah Freeway, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Cahill Expressway, Eastern Distributor, Southern Cross Drive, General Holmes Drive, The Grand Parade, President Avenue, Princes Highway & Princes Motorway (M1 / A1)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

M1 A1

Pacific Motorway, Pacific Highway, New England Highway, John Renshaw Drive, Gore Hill Freeway, Warringah Freeway, Sydney Harbour Tunnel, Cahill Expressway, Eastern Distributor, Southern Cross Drive, General Holmes Drive, The Grand Parade, President Avenue, Princes Highway & Princes Motorway (M1 / A1) - Buladelah to Karuah

Statistics:

Length: 1354 km (Bulahdelah to Karuah: 51 km)
Northern Terminus: Queensland Border at Tweed Heads, continues as Pacific Motorway (M1)
Southern Terminus: Victorian Border at Timbillica, continues as Princes Highway (A1)
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route: Karuah, North Arm Cove, Tea Gardens, Nerong and Bulahdelah

Route Numbering:

Current: A1

Former:

Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 6003 (Wahroonga to Beresfield and Brunswick Heads to Queensland border)

General Information:

M1 / A1 is the principal coastal route through New South Wales, and forms part of the circumferential route around Australia.

The route varies greatly along its length and includes sections of rural highway, urban arterial road, divided rural highway and also motorway. The route also features several tunnels, located in the inner east, inner south and lower northern suburbs of Sydney and at Yelgun and Tweed Heads, at the northern end of the route in NSW. The route passes through forest, rural, residential, commercial and industrial areas.

Pacific Highway:

The Pacific Highway section of A1 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:

17 May 1929: The route was named as the Great Northern Highway.

May 1931: After pressure from the Queensland Government, the coastal highway linking Sydney and Brisbane was named Pacific Hwy.

1936: Burringbar Range deviation and O'Sullivan's Gap upgrade Bulahdelah.

1939: Two thirds of the Pacific Highway was bitumen. 2

1940s: Construction of bridge of Karuah River Booral (now a part of Bucketts Way)

January 1996: The NSW State Government and the Federal Government agreed to jointly fund the $2.2 billion Pacific Highway Upgrading Program over a period of 10 years. The NSW State Government was to provide $1.6 billion and the Federal Government $600 million.

19 September 2004: Karuah Bypass, 9.8 km in length, opened to traffic. The route features a total of 11 bridges with a 200m incrementally launched bridge over the wetland to Horse Island and a 600m bridge from Horse Island over the Karuah River, 12 kilometres of guardrail and wire rope safety fencing, 24 drainage culverts, 5 dedicated and 11 non-dedicated box shaped fauna underpasses and 25 kilometres of fauna and rural fencing. 24 Karuah to Bulahdelah Section 1, 11 km in length, opened to traffic.

2007: Work started on Karuah to Bulahdelah upgrade sections 2 & 3, with 23 km of separated dual carriageway. 3

August 2010: Work started on Bulahdelah Bypass. 4

June 2013: Completion of Bulahdelah Bypass. 4

Bulahdelah to Karuah		Karuah to Bulahdelah
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching The Lakes Way (TD6), October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign : Services sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	The Lakes Way: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and The Lakes Way (TD6) at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Bypassed Town Sign: Bypassed town sign approaching Tarean Rd at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Services sign at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign : Services sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Wootton Way: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Wootton Way at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Scotts Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Scotts Rd at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands		Mine Hill Trail : Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Mine Hill Trail at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands		Karuah River: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it crosses Karuah River at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Stuart Street: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it crosses Stuart St, Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Karuah River: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it crosses Karuah River at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Alum Mountain Trail: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Alum Mountain Trail at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Bombah Point Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Bombah Point Rd at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Myall River Bridge: Pacific Hwy (A1) crossing the Myall River at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands		Gooreengi Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Gooreengi Rd at North Arm Cove, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Buladelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at North Arm Cove approaching Gooreengi Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Burdekins Gap: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes through Burdekins Gap at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Gooreengi Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Gooreengi Rd at North Arm Cove, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Whimbrel Dr at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Gooreengi Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Gooreengi Rd at North Arm Cove, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Whimbrel Dr at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Tea Gardens, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Whimbrel Drive: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Whimbrel Dr at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Whimbrel Dr at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Waterholes Gap: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes through Waterholes Gap at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Whimbrel Dr at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Nerong Waterholes: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes through Nerong Waterholes at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Whimbrel Drive: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Whimbrel Dr at Nerong, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Tea Gardens approaching Myall Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Myall Way: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Myall Way at Tea Gardens, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Bypassed Town Sign: Bypassed town sign at Bulahdelah approaching Bulahdelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Gooreengi Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Gooreengi Rd at North Arm Cove, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Booral Rd at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Booral Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at North Arm Cove, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Booral Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Booral Rd at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at North Arm Cove approaching Gooreengi Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Gooreengi Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Gooreengi Rd at North Arm Cove, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign: Services sign at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign : Services sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Bypassed Town Sign: Bypassed town sign approaching Tarean Rd at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Karuah approaching Gooreengi Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Gooreengi Road: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Gooreengi Rd at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Myall River Bridge: Pacific Hwy (A1) crossing the Myall River at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Bombah Point Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Bombah Point Rd at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Buladelah Way, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands		Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Bulahdelah Way: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Bulahdelah Way interchange at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Bulahdelah Way is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands
	Karuah River: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it crosses Karuah River at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Wootton Way, October 2016. Wootton Way is the former Pacific Hwy alignment over O'Sullivans Gap Image © Paul Rands
	Mine Hill Trail : Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Mine Hill Trail at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching Wootton Way, October 2016. Wootton Way is the former Pacific Hwy alignment over O'Sullivans Gap Image © Paul Rands
	Scotts Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) as it passes under Scotts Rd at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Wootton Way: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and Wootton Way at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching The Lakes Way (TD6), October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Karuah approaching Tarean Rd, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching The Lakes Way (TD6), October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bulahdelah approaching The Lakes Way (TD6), October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Tarean Road: Pacific Hwy (A1) at the Tarean Rd interchange at Karuah, October 2016. Tarean Rd is a former Pacific Hwy alignment. Note the incorrect Swan Bay Rd reference. Image © Paul Rands		The Lakes Way: Corner of Pacific Hwy (A1) and The Lakes Way (TD6) at Bulahdelah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Warning Sign: Low flying military aircraft warning sign, Karuah, October 2016. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of A1 between Karuah and Beresfield Click here for the continuation of A1 between Nabiac and Bulahdelah

1 Roads & Maritime Services.
2 Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4.
3 Roads & Maritime Services, Karuah to Bulahdelah upgrade sections 2 & 3, Community Update, August 2007.
4 Roads & Maritime Services, Projects, Pacific Highway upgrade, Hexham to Port Macquarie, Bulahdelah upgrade.

Last updated: 09-May-2019 13:05

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