Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Great Western Highway, Mitchell Highway & Barrier Highway (National Route 32) - Springwood to Glenbrook

Statistics:

• Length: 1146 km (Springwood to Glenbrook: 15 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:Glenbrook, Blaxland, Warrimoo, Valley Heights and, Springwood

Route Numbering:

• Current:   
• Road Authority Internal Classification: HW5 (Glenbrook to Bathurst) 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.

• Great Western Highway:

The highway is signposted as National Route 32 from Glenbrook in Sydney's west, to its terminus at Bathurst. Great Western Hwy is signposted as SR44 in the sydney area.

The Great Western Highway is regarded as one of the oldest roads in Australia. Starting as George Street in the Sydney CBD, and following Parramatta Road, it heads west across metropolitan Sydney to Penrith, where it crosses the Nepean River. It then crosses the Blue Mountains and the Great Dividing Range to Bathurst.

The road across the Blue Mountains was built by William Cox in the 1800s shortly after a viable route across the mountains was discovered. An obelisk at Macquarie Place in Sydney records the construction of the road during the rule of Governor Lachlan Macquarie.

In the 90s, the highway was terminated at Emu Plains with the closure of the Knapsack Gully Viaduct. An extension to the Western Mwy (Metroad 4) at Emu Plains was constructed, which rejoined with the highway at Glenbrook. The upper portion of the Great Western Highway from Russell Street is now only used by residents and cars coming from Blaxland via Mitchells Pass. Mitchells Pass is section of the former main road over the Blue Mountains.

History:

• May 1813: Successful crossing of the Blue Mountains by Gregory Blaxland, William Charles Wentworth and Lieutennant William Lawson. 2
• 18 July 1814: Work commences from Emu Plains (Emu Ford) on what eventually becomes Great Western Road. The Chief Magistrate at Windsor, William Cox supervised the construction of what was the first road over the Blue Mountains. 2
• 1832: Construction begins on Lennox Bridge, over Lapstone Creek, along what is known as Mitchell's Pass. 2
• 1833: Completion of Lennox Bridge. 2
• 22 March 1834: Completion of Mitchells Pass. 2
• June 1858: The Main Roads Management Act appoints Captain BH Martindale as the person responsible for the management of 3 main roads in the colony including the Great Western Road, from Sydney via Parramatta, Penrith, Hartley and Bathurst to Wellington. 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
• 1938: Installation of warning signs, roadmarkings and guide posts along a 60 mile stretch between Parramatta and Mt Victoria. These were implemented for testing, for a possible statewide rollout. 2
• 1939: After successful testing of warning signs, roadmarkings and guide posts, the system was implemented statewide. Also completion of pavement along the Great Western Road. 2
• 1980s: Great Western Hwy widened various locations between Blaxland and Katoomba.
• 1990s: Great Western Hwy truncated at Russell St in Emu Plains when the Western Mwy (Metroad 4) was extended up into the Blue Mountains.
• July 2000: New pedestrian bridge constructed on Great Western Hwy at Valley Heights. 3
• July 2000: Four lane upgrade and construction of a pedestrian bridge at railway station on Great Western Hwy at Warrimoo. 3
• February 2001: Parking improvements and construction of a pedestrian bridge at railway station on Great Western Hwy at Blaxland. 3
• August 2005: Median barrier extended and wider shoulder for cyclists on Great Western Hwy along Lapstone Hill near Glenbrook. 3

Click here for photos of the former NR32 route from Glenbrook to Emu Plains.

Glenbrook to Springwood			Springwood to Glenbrook
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Governors Drive at Lapstone, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands			AD Sign: Advance Directional Sign for the Springwood CBD. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Start National Route 32: The eastern-most extremity of NR32, at Lapstone, July 2006. Image © Paul Rands			Winmalee and Richmond Turn-off: Advance Directional Signage for the the Winmalee & Richmond turn-off. The road this sign is refering to is called George Street, which connects to Silva Road before joining up with Haweksbury Road via a roundabout, so therefore this sign is technically incorrect. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
	Governors Drive Interchange: Great Western Hwy (NR32) at the Governors Dr interchange at Glenbrook, April 2010. Image © Paul Rands			Hawkesbury Road Interchange: The Hawkesbury Road (George Street / Silva Road) interchange consists of an at-grade intesection on the western side of the overpass and a grade separated slip lane on the eastern side. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Valley Heights: Looking east though Valley Heights near The Avenue, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Distance Sign: RD Sign as you leave Valley Heights as you head towards Sydney, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Entering Warrimoo: Turn off to Sun Valley Drive & Railway Pde as you head south into Warrimoo. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Slip Lane to Warrimoo Shops: Eastbound at Warrimoo neat the turn off that travels under the highway via Eley Hawkins Drive to access the Warrimoo shopping strip. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Entering Blaxland: Southbound as you enter the Blaxland area. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Blaxland Town Centre: Heading southwest through Blaxland near the railway station as you pass under Doctor George Munro Bridge. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Layton Avenue & Hope Street Intersection: Southbound at Blaxland. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Fletcher Street Overpass: Southeast through Glenbrook, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Approaching Mann & Hare Streets: Eastbound through Glenbrook, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				AD Sign: Advance directional sign for Ross Street and the Glenbrook shopping precinct, December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Lapstone Hill Descent: Great Western Hwy (NR32) at Glenbrook as it descends Lapstone Hill. December 2005. Image © Paul Rands
				Approaching Governors Drive Interchange: Inbound at Glenbrook, December 2005. This is where NR32 ends and becomes Metroad 4. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the Great Western Highway as State Route 44 Click here for the Western Motorway (Metroad 4) Click here for the continuation of National Route 32 between Springwood and Katoomba

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, Projects, Great Western Highway, Completed projects.