Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Snowy Mountains Highway (National Route 18)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Snowy Mountains Highway (National Route 18) - Nimmitabel to Bega (Decommissioned)

Statistics:

Length: 332 km (Nimmitabel to Bega: 59 km)
Eastern Terminus: Princes Hwy (NR1) at Stony Creek, north of Bega
Southern Terminus: Hume Hwy (NH31) at Mundarlo, northwest of Adelong
Miscellaneous: Route is co-signed with Monaro Hwy (NR23) between Steeple Flat near Nimmitabel and Cooma
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Steeple Flat, Brown Mountain, Bemboka, Morans Crossing, Numbugga and Stony Creek

Route Numbering:

Former:
Road Authority Internal Classification: HW4 (Stony Creek near Bega to Nimmitabel and Cooma to Mundarlo near Adelong) 1
Decommissioned: 2013

General Information:

Snowy Mountains Highway is a route that connects the Southern Tablelands of New South Wales with the far south coast via the Great Dividing Range and Snowy Mountains. It's mostly a 2-lane undivided rural highway, passing through farmland, residential and commercial regions. Large tracts of the route pass through national parks and traverse very hilly and steep terrain.

The route links the Princes Hwy (NR1), Monaro Hwy (NR23) and Hume Hwy (NH31). The highest town along the highway is Kiandra, at a height of 1400 metres. 2

History:

1936: Work commences on the bridge over Bemboka River at Morans Crossing. 3
1960: Current alignment of Snowy Mountains Highway in the Stony Creek area near Bega opened to traffic. 4
2003: Replacement of the bridges over Butlers Creek, 18 km west of Bega. 5

Click here for photos of the former alignment between Nimmitabel and Bega

Nimmitabel to Bega		Bega to Nimmitabel
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Maclaughlan River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) / Monaro Hwy (NR23) as they cross the Maclaughlan River at Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the corner Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Princes Hwy at Stony Ck, near Bega, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Steeple Flat approaching Monaro Hwy (NR23), November 2011. Click here for a photo of this sign from October 2009 by Paul Rands showing the alphanumeric route number Monaro Hwy. Image © Rob Tilley		Fuel Sign: Sign indicating distance to the next service station, Stony Creek, February 2011. Image © Paul Rands
	Monaro Highway: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Monaro Hwy (NR23). The NR23 duplex ends at this junction, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		RD Sign: Reassurance directional sign on Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) at Stony Creek, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign on Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) after the Monaro Hwy (NR23) junction at Steeple Flat, November 2011. Image © Rob Tilley		Entering Numbugga: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it enters the locality of Numbugga, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Bombala River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Bombala River near Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Hanscombe Creek: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Hanscombe Ck in Numbugga. The creek is named after a local family, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Steeple Flat Road: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Steeple Flat Rd near Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Narrow Bridge: Sign warning of narrow bridge at Morans Crossing, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Tourism based RD sign welcoming visitors to the NSW South Coast, between Steeple Flat and Brown Mountain, November 2011. Image © Rob Tilley		Bemboka River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Bemboka River at Morans Crossing, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Brown Mountain for Pipers Lookout, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		West Kameruka Road: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and West Kameruka Rd at Morans Crossing, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Brown Mountain: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it begins the descent of Brown Mountain, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Bemboka approaching Mogilla Rd, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Winding Road Next 10km: Sign on Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) indicating the length of winding road down Brown Mountain, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Mogilla Road: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Mogilla Rd at Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Steep Decent Sign: Sign indicating the distance of steep road down Brown Mountain, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Entering Bemboka: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it enters the town of Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) for Pipers Lookout, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Bemboka Town Centre: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it passes through Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Steep Descent: Large warning for the steep descent down Brown Mountain, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Adams Street: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Adams Street in Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Typical Conditions: Typical highway conditions along the Brown Mountain stretch of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign as Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) leaves the Bemboka town centre, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Typical Conditions: Typical highway conditions along the Brown Mountain stretch of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Nunnock River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Nunnock River at Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Typical Conditions: Typical highway conditions along the Brown Mountain stretch of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Brown Mountain: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it begins the climb up Brown Mountain, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	End Low Gear Area: Sign marking the end of the low gear usage area for trucks and buses, Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Steep Climb: Steep climb next 10 km, Brown Mtn, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Nunnock River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Nunnock River at Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Typical Conditions: Typical highway conditions along the Brown Mountain stretch of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Bemboka: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it enters the town of Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Typical Conditions: Typical highway conditions along the Brown Mountain stretch of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Bemboka Town Centre: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it passes through the Bemboka town centre, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Brown Mountain for Pipers Lookout, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Bemboka Town Centre: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it passes through the Bemboka town centre, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Brown Mountain for Pipers Lookout, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign on the outskirts of Bemboka, November 2011. Image © Rob Tilley		Snow and Ice Sign: Sign indicating possible snow and ice on road, Brown Mtn, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) approaching Mogilla Rd, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Steeple Flat Road: Junction with Steeple Flat Rd near Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Mogilla Road: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Mogilla Rd in Bemboka, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Bombala River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Bombala River near Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	West Kameruka Road: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and West Kameruka Rd in Morans Crossing, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Monaro Hwy (NR23), October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Narrow Bridge: Warning sign for the narrow bridge over Bemboka River at Morans Crossing, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Monaro Highway: Corner of Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) and Monaro Hwy (NR23) at Steeple Flat. The NR23 duplex begins here, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Bemboka River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses the Bemboka River at Morans Crossing, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign after the Monaro Hwy (NR23) junction at Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Numbugga: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it enters the locality of Numbugga, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Maclaughlan River: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) / Monaro Hwy (NR23) crossing Maclaughlan River at Steeple Flat, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Hanscombe Creek: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it crosses Hanscombe Creek at Numbugga, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Typical Conditions: Typical highway conditions between Steeple Flat and Nimmitabel, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Princes Highway: Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it approaches Princes Hwy (NR1) at Stony Creek near Bega, October 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Snowy Mtns Hwy (NR18) as it approaches Princes Hwy (NR1) at Stony Creek near Bega, November 2011. Image ©Rob Tilley
	End National Route 18: The eastern terminus of NR18, the junction with Princes Hwy (NR1) at Stony Creek near Bega, November 2011. Image © Rob Tilley
Click here for the continuation of NR18 between Adaminaby and Nimmitabel

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads), 20 February 2009
2 Department of Main Roads, Main Roads of New South Wales, undated brochure
3 State Library of NSW, Manuscripts, Oral History & Pictures, Bridge construction over Bemboka River at Morans Crossing
4 Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN0 7240 0439 4, page 218
5 Roads & Traffic Authority, Road activity update - Southern NSW, May 2003

Last updated: 18-Dec-2019 12:59

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