Road Photos & Information: Australian Capital Territory: State Circle, Adelaide Avenue, Cotter Road, Paddys River Road, Tidbinbilla Road, Tharwa Drive, Monaro Highway, Canberra Avenue, National Circuit & Kings Avenue (Tourist Drive 5) (Science and Nature Loop)

Road Photos & Information: Australian Capital Territory

State Circle, Adelaide Avenue, Cotter Road, Paddys River Road, Tidbinbilla Road, Tharwa Drive, Monaro Highway, Canberra Avenue, National Circuit & Kings Avenue (Tourist Drive 5) (Science and Nature Loop)

Statistics:

Length: 85 km
Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Capital Hill, Deakin, Yarralumla, Curtin, Weston, Holder, Duffy, Tharwa, Gordon, Conder, Banks, Calwell, Theodore, Richardson, Gilmore, Hume, Symonston, Narrabundah, Fyshwick, Griffith, Kingston, Barton, and Forrest

Route Numbering:

Current:
Multiplexed With:

General Information:

ACT Tourist Drive 5 is the Science and Nature loop, taking in attractions such as Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, Deep Space Tracking Station, Cotter Dam, various nature parks and reserves, Lanyon Homestead, Cuppacumbalong and much more.

The route varies from freeway conditions along the Monaro Hwy and Adelaide Ave through to rural back roads along the southwestern part of the route, further away from urban areas.

Multiplexes along the route include:

Tourist Drive 1 for 300 m along Kings Avenue
Tourist Drive 2 for 700 m along Cotter Road
Tourist Drive 6 for 700 m along State Circle
National Route 23 for 17 km between Barton and Richardson

History:

1895: Construction of Tharwa Bridge. The bridge opening ceremony took place on 27 March, 1895, a day which was declared a public holiday 1
1930s: Construction commenced on State Circle around Capital Hill 2
1960s: State Circle fully complete after being only three quarters built for several years 2
1963: Construction commences on the Yarra Glen / Adelaide Avenue / Cotter Road interchange at Curtin 3
1983: Tharwa Bridge was entered on the Register of the National Estate by the Australian Heritage Commission. 4
1988: Opening of Parliament House upon Capital Hill by HRH Queen Elizabeth II.
11 November 1992: Monaro Highway name gazetted. 5
1998: Tharwa Bridge was entered on the ACT Heritage Register. 4
2002: Cotter Road duplication from Streeton Drive to the Tuggeranong Parkway. 6
2005: Tharwa Bridge was closed due to safety concerns for vehicular traffic and pedestrians. 4
2011: Cotter Road shifted to new flood-free alignment at Weston Creek, beyond the Streeton Drive intersection. Tharwa Bridge re-opens to traffic, as a result of restoration and partial reconstruction works, which was undertaken by the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority. 4

1 Canberra's Engineering Heritage, Roads & Bridges
2 ACT Heritage Library
3 National Library of Australia
4 Simon Corbell, Member for Molonglo, Media Release, Tharwa Bridge Re-opens for Use - Restoration Project Nears Completion
5 ACT Planning & Land Authority, Place Name Search, Monaro Highway
6 Canberra Liberal Party

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