Road Photos & Information: Western Australia: Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, South Coast Highway, Chester Pass Road, South Western Highway, Robertson Drive, Forrest Highway, Old Coast Road, Mandurah Road, Ennis Avenue, Patterson Road, Rockingham Road, Stock Road, Leach Highway, Kwinana Freeway, Canning Highway, Great Eastern Highway, Great Eastern Highway Bypass, Roe Highway, Great Northern Highway, Brand Highway & North West Coastal Highway (National Route 1)

Road Photos & Information: Western Australia

Coolgardie-Esperance Highway, South Coast Highway, Chester Pass Road, South Western Highway, Robertson Drive, Forrest Highway, Old Coast Road, Mandurah Road, Ennis Avenue, Patterson Road, Rockingham Road, Stock Road, Leach Highway, Kwinana Freeway, Canning Highway, Great Eastern Highway, Great Eastern Highway Bypass, Roe Highway, Great Northern Highway, Brand Highway & North West Coastal Highway (National Route 1) - Dongara to Geraldton

Statistics:

Length: 2904 km (Dongara to Geraldton: 64 km)
Northern Terminus: Corner of North Western Coastal Hwy (NH1) and Great Northern Hwy (NH95), 30 km southwest of Port Hedland
Southern Terminus: Corner of Coolgardie-Esperance Hwy (NH94) and Eyre Hwy (NH1) at Norseman
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route: Bookara, South Greenough, Greenough, Rudds Gully, Wandina, Tarcoola Beach, Mt Tarcoola and Geraldton

Route Numbering:

Current:
Road Authority Internal Classification: H4 (Brand Hwy) and H7 (North West Coastal Highway) 1

General Information:

National Route 1 is a major route in WA.

The route varies in form from multi-laned arterial road, suburban road, to single carriageway rural highway. It passes through commercial, industrial, residential and agricultural land, and also through state forest and conservation areas. The route forms the main road between Geraldton and Perth and has a vast mix of traffic including road trains.

Brand Highway:

The Brand Highway replaced the old alignment from Dongara to Perth (The Midlands Road) and was named in honour of former premier Sir David Brand. It runs from Muchea to the North Western Highway interchange in Geraldton.

North West Coastal Highway:

The North West Coastal Highway links Geraldton with the north of Western Australia, and is mostly a rural highway route, which generally follows the coastline, though for the most part, it is several kilometres inland from the coast.

History:

Brand Highway & North West Coastal Highway:

1953: Construction of bridge on Brand Hwy over Greenough River at Greenough, bypassing the convict built Maley bridge. 2
1975: The Brand Highway was completed. 3
1976: Brand Highway opened by Premier Charles Court. 3
February 1996: Work commences on new bridge over Chapman River at Geraldton. 4
7 March 1997: An 8km realignment of North West Coastal Highway between Green Street and the Drummond Cove Road and incorporating the new Chapman River Bridge at Geraldton was officially opened by the then Transport Minister Eric Charlton. Work included a new bridge over Chapman River. 4
22 December 2004: Brand Highway and North West Coastal Highway interchange opened to all traffic. This work replaced the roundabout at the intersection of Brand Highway, North West Coastal Highway, Cathedral Avenue and Portway on the south entrance to the City of Geraldton. 1
2006: Installation of 53km of audible edge lines between Dongara and Geraldton. 5
April 2006: Completion of a new passing lane 15km north of Dongara. 5
June 2006: Construction of a passing lane on Brand Highway at Mt Horner, near the Matsen Road intersection and improvements to the intersection of McCartney Road and Brand Highway at Greenough. 6
2007: Work starts on a new alignment of North West Coastal Highway through Geraldton as part of the Southern Transport Corridor project. 7
2014: Construction of new bridge over the Greenough River. The bridge is made of steel and concrete bridge and is around 90 metres long, 10 metres wide and around three metres higher than the previous 1953 bridge. 8
2 October 2014: The new bridge over Greenough River officially opened to traffic, however it was opened to vehicles in August 2014. 9
23 April 2018: Construction started on a roundabout at the junction of North West Coastal Highway and Hosken St, Bluff Point, in Geraldton. 10
October 2018: Completion of new roundabout at the corner of North West Coastal Highway and Hosken St, Bluff Point. 10

Click here for photos of the former alignment between Dongara and Geraldton.

Geraldton To Dongara		Dongara to Geraldton
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Chapman Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Chapman Rd at Glenfield, April 2016. Chapman Rd is a former NR1 alignment through the Geraldton area. Image © Paul Rands		Greenough River: Brand Hwy (NR1) as it crosses Greenough River at South Greenough, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Glenfield, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Hammersley Road: Corner of Brand Hwy (NR1) and Hammersley Rd at Greenough, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Oklahoma Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Oklahoma Rd at Glenfield, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Greenough River Road: Corner of Brand Hwy (NR1) and Greenough River Rd at Greenough, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Roundabout Ahead Sign: Roundabout ahead sign approaching Chapman Valley Rd at Waggrakine, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Rudds Gully Road: Corner of Brand Hwy (NR1) and Rudds Gully Rd at Rudds Gully, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Chapman Valley Rd, Waggrakine, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Limited Water Sign: Sign at Wandiana warning of limited access to water past Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Intersection Directional Sign: Black ID sign on the Chapman Valley Rd roundabout, Waggrakine, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Geraldton approaching the interchange with North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Advance Directional Sign: Black AD sign on Chapman Valley Rd at Waggrakine, approaching North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Brand Hwy (NR1) at Geraldton approaching the interchange with North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Waggrakine, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Geraldton approaching the North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av & John Willcock Link interchange, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Phelps St at Wonthella, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the interchange with North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Phelps Street: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Phelps St, Wonthella, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on John Willcock Link approaching the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Cathedral Av at Geraldton , April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Geraldton-Mt Magnet Rd (SR123) at Rangeway, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on John Willcock Link approaching the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Cathedral Av at Geraldton , April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road: North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) approaching Geraldton-Mt Magnet Rd (SR123) at Rangeway, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the ramp from John Willcock Link to Brand Hwy (NR1) and Cathedral Av at Geraldton , April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Geraldton-Mt Magnet Rd (SR123) at Rangeway, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) approaching Brand Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link at Mt Tarcoola, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Northwest Coastal Hwy (NR1) approaching the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link at Mt Tarcoola, April 2016. Click here for a photo of this location by Terry Siva from July 2014. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Cathedral Av at Geraldton, approaching the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and John Willcock Link, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the ramp to Brand Hwy (NR1) and Cathedral Av at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Cathedral Av at Geraldton, approaching the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and John Willcock Link, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Cathedral Avenue & Brand Highway: North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) at the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1) and Cathedral Av at Geraldton, April 2016. NR1 turns left here and becomes Brand Hwy. Image © Paul Rands		Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the interchange with Brand Hwy (NR1), North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), Cathedral Av and John Willcock Link at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Mahomets Flats, April 2016. Click here for a photo of this location by Terry Siva from July 2014. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Geraldton-Mt Magnet Rd (SR123) at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Rudds Gully Rd at Rudds Gully, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Approaching Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road: North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) approaching Geraldton-Mt Magnet Rd (SR123) at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching McCartney Rd at Greenough, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Geraldton-Mt Magnet Rd (SR123) at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing Hammersley Rd at South Greenough, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Mt Tarcoola, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
	Black fingerboard: Black fingerboard assembly facing Bookara Rd East at Bookara, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands		Jensen Street: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Jensen St at Geraldton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Phelps St at Wonthella approaching North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Place Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Place Rd at Webberton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Webberton Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Webberton Rd at Webberton, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Black Advance Directional Sign: Black AD sign on Hosken St at Bluff Point, approaching North West Coastal Hwy (NR1), April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign at Bluff Point, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Chapman River: North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) as it crosses Chapman River at Spalding, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Sunset Beach, approaching Chapman Valley Rd, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the roundabout with Chapman Valley Rd at Sunset Beach, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Chapman Valley Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Chapman Valley Rd at Sunset Beach, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Black Advance Directional Sign: Black AD sign on Chapman Valley Rd approaching North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) at Sunset Beach, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign on the roundabout of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Chapman Valley Rd at Sunset Beach, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Reassurance Directional Sign: Distance sign on Northwest Coastal Hwy (NR1) at Sunset Beach, April 2016. Click here for a photo of this location by Terry Siva from July 2014. Image © Paul Rands
			Oklahoma Road: Corner of North West Coastal Hwy (NR1) and Oklahoma Rd at Glenfield, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Services Sign: Services sign at Glenfield, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
			Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at Glenfield facing Chapman Rd, April 2016. Chapman Rd is part of the former NR1 alignment through Geraldton. Image © Paul Rands
			Distance Sign: RD sign at Glenfield, April 2016. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of NR1 between Geraldton and Carnarvon Click here for the continuation of NR1 between Eneabba and Dongara

1 Main Roads Western Australia
2 Heritage Council of Western Australia
3 State Records Office of Western Australia
4 Government of Western Australia, Media Statements, Official opening of 8km realignment of NW Coastal Hwy at Geraldton, 7 March 1997
5 Government of Western Australia, Media Statements, Two new passing lanes for Perth to Geraldton highway, 31 May 2006
6 Government of Western Australia, Media Statements, Highway safety works in the Mid-West to be delivered this year, 6 January 2006
7 Government of Western Australia, Media Statements, Premier inspects Southern Transport Corridor, 12 August 2005
8 Government of Western Australia, New $8.1m bridge for Greenough River, 4 February 2014
9 Government of Western Australia, Media Releases, New bridge a boost for regional highway safety, 2 October 2014
10 Main Roads Western Australia, Completed Projects, North West Coastal Highway and Hosken Street Intersection, Geraldton, 19 December 2018

Last updated: 12-Jan-2019 15:24

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