Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Great Western Highway, Mitchell Highway & Barrier Highway (National Route 32) - Wellington to Molong

Statistics:

• Length: 1146 km (Wellington to Molong: 65 km)
• Western Terminus: NSW-SA Border at Cockburn
• Eastern Terminus: Western Fwy (Metroad 4) and Governors Dr at Glenbrook
• Miscellaneous: Continues as A32 (Barrier Hwy) in South Australia
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Molong, Larras Lee and Neurea

Route Numbering:

• Current:   
• Road Authority Internal Classification: HW7 (Bathurst to Nyngan) 1
• Forthcoming Alphanumeric:  

General Information:

National Route 32 is the main route linking the New South Wales state capital, Sydney, with the west of the state. The road varies from arterial road conditions, rural expressway and rural highway.

• Mitchell Highway:

The Mitchell Highway links north-western NSW with Dubbo, Bathurst and eventually Sydney.

The highway starts at Bathurst as National Route 32 and heads west through the Great Dividing Range to Orange then continues north through Molong, Wellington and Dubbo. From Dubbo, the highway follows the Bourke railway line in a north-westerly direction to Nyngan. The highway's route number changes to NR71 (after the Barrier Highway junction at Nyngan), and then it continues north-west to Bourke and terminates at the QLD border, just north of Barringun.

The Mitchell Highway is named after Major Thomas Mitchell, who was Surveyor-General of New South Wales in the 1820s and explored much of inland New South Wales and Victoria.

History:

• 1896: Western Road extended to reach Warren, now located on Oxley Highway. 2
• 7 June 1926: A board meeting resolved to set aside funding from the Commonwealth's road funding scheme for road development to be used on some of NSW 'great trunk routes', which included the Great Western Road. 2
• 1939: 44% or 120 miles of Mitchell Hwy paved with bitumen surface. 2
• 6 November 1972: Completion of bitumous sealing along Mitchell Highway. 2
• 2003: Reconstruction and widening of the highway including sealing road shoulders and line marking at Narromine. 3

Molong to Wellington			Wellington to Molong
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Rest Area Sign: AD sign for the Gamboola Rest Area. Looking northwest at Belgravia, July 2006 Image © Paul Rands			Black Advance Directional Sign: Black AD sign approching Edward St in Molong, August 2008. Image © Richard Wardle
	Tantallon Road Intersection: Looking northwest at Tantallon Road, Jul 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Molong Creek: Entering Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	50 km/h Town Sign: Sign indicating that all speed limits on local streets in Molong is 50 km/h, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Signage as you approach the intersection with Wellington Street (SR81/90) at Molong. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Wellington Street: NR32 as it passes Wellington St, Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Black AD Sign: Black directional sign as you approach the Molong Street intersection, Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Molong Street Intersection: Northbound approaching Molong St, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Sign Assembly : Signs as you head northbound at the Euchareens Street intersection in Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Banks Street intersection: Passing through the Bank St junction in Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Intersection Directional Sign: Black ID sign assembly facing Gidley St at Molong, August 2008. Image © Richard Wardle
	Black AD Sign: Westbound at the intersection with Edward Street in Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Edward Street Intersection: ID sign at Edward Street, indicating the road is known as Peabody Road, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	ID Sign: Intersection directional sign at Hill Street in Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Northbound RD sign as you leave Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Tourist Drive Sign: Diagrammatic AD sign approaching Castle Street in Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Advance directional sign approaching Castle Street, Molong, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Black Advance Directional SIgn: Black AD sign on Castle St Molong, approaching Mitchell Hwy, August 2008. Image © Richard Wardle
	Molong Creek: Heading northwest over Molong Creek at The Shades, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Shades Road Fingerboard: ID signage at Shades Road, The Shades, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Bell River: Crossing Bell River at Larras Lee, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Crocketts Lane Intersection : ID sign for Crocketts Lane at Larras Lee. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Three Rivers Road : Intersection with Three Rivers Road at Larras Lee, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Bell River : Crossing Bell River again, this time at Eurimbula, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Council Sign: Council area signage approachomg Wongalee Road at Eurimbula, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Typical Conditions: The typical conditions of the Mitchell Hwy as it passes through Cundumbul. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Narrow Bridge Sign : Northbound approaching Blathery Creek at Neurea, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	No Overtaking Sign : Northbound approaching Blathery Creek at Neurea, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Blathery Creek: Passing over Blathery Creek at Neurea. July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Entering Neurea: Northbound in the small town of Neurea, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Blathery Creek Turnoff: Northbound ID sign at Neurea, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Bell River : Crossing Bell River again, this time at Neurea, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
	Burrendong Road: Northbound at Black Rock at the Burrendong Road intersection, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of NR32 between Molong and Bathurst Click here for the continuation of NR32 between Dubbo and Wellington

1 Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads), 25 February 2008
2 Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4
3 Roads & Traffic Authority, Community update, Road activity update – Western NSW, February 2003.