Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Mitchell Highway (National Route 71) - Former Alignment

Statistics:

• Length: NSW: 337 km (QLD (A71) & NSW Total: 654 km)
• Northern Terminus: NSW / QLD Border north of Barringun
• Southern Terminus: Barrier Highway (NR32) / Mitchell Highway (NR32) intersection
• Miscellaneous: Continues as Mitchell Highway (A71) to Charleville QLD and continues as Mitchell Highway (NR32) from Nyngan NSW.
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Nyngan, Girilambone, Coolabah, Byrock, Bourke, Enngonia and Barringun

Route Numbering:

• Current:
• Road Authority Internal Classification: State Highway No. 7 1

General Information:

The Mitchell Highway, 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.

The route consists of typical NSW rural highway standard, undivided single carriageway.

History:

• 1930s: Formation of the route to Bourke. 2
• 1958: Reconstruction between Bourke and Queensland border and bitumous surfacing construction for 13 miles in the Bourke area. 2
• 1965: Further reconstruction and sealing between Bourke and Queensland, in various sections, as required, eventually totalling 67 miles. 2
• 6 November 1972: Completion of sealing along entire length of Mitchell Hwy, with the finalisation of sealing along an 85 mile length from Bourke to Queensland Border. 2

This page covers the former Mitchell Hwy alignment.

Preview:	Description:
	Lift Span Bridge: Old lift span bridge over the Darling River at Bourke, September 2009. Image © Richard Wardle
	Lift Span Bridge: Old lift span bridge over the Darling River at Bourke, September 2009. Image © Richard Wardle

1 Roads & Traffic Authority
2 Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4

This site © Paul Rands. All rights reserved. Some portions © (copyright) by their respective & credited owners. Permission must be obtained before using any images from this site. For details, please email by clicking here.