Road Photos & Information: Western Australia

Tonkin Highway (State Route 4) - Oakford to Maddington

Statistics:

• Length: 43 km (Oakford to Maddington: 22 km)
• Northern Terminus: Reid Highway (SR3) at Noranda
• Southern Terminus: Thomas Road (SR21) at Darling Downs
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Darlng Downs, Brookdale, Forrestdale, Champion Lakes, Gosnells, Martin, Maddington, Orange Grove, Kenwick, Wattle Grove, Forrestfield, Kewdale, Cloverdale, Redcliffe, Ascot, Bayswater, Morley and Noranda

Route Numbering:

• Current:

General Information:

Tonkin Highway links the south-east corridor with the north-east and north-west corridors of the metropolitan areas.1 The highway is a multi-laned limited access dual carriageway and provides direct access to Perth airport and was built in several stages.

The highway was originally named the Beechboro-Gosnells Highway, the name coming from the two suburbs it was originally planned to link. It was eventually renamed Tonkin Highway in honour of former West Australian premier John Tonkin.

History:

• 1980: Stage 1, from Welshpool Road to Hardey Road, opened.
• 22 December 1980: Tonkin Highway (12.2 km) from Albany Highway to Hale Road opened. 1
• 11 July 1984: Tonkin Highway extension (3.6 km) from Railway Parade to Morley Drive opened. 1
• April 1985: Stage 4, linking Hardey Road and Great Eastern Highway opened. This included the construction of four bridges over the Forrestfield railway yards, the first bridges in Australia to be constructed using the incremental launch technique. On opening of this stage the Beechboro-Gosnells Highway was renamed Tonkin Highway after former West Australian premier John Tonkin. 1
• 1988: the northern and southern sections were linked with the opening of the Redcliffe Bridge
• 18 December 1989: Tonkin Hwy extension from Benara Rd to Morley Drive opened. 1
• 11 November 1991: Tonkin Highway (Benara Rd to Reid Highway) opened. 1
• April 2005: The section between Mills Road West and Armadale Road was opened to traffic.1
• December 2005: Tonkin Highway extension from Armadale Road to Thomas Road was opened to traffic by Geoff Gallop.1

Oakford to Maddington (Northbound)			Maddington to Oakford (Southbound)
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Intersection Directional Sign: Eastbound ID sign on the intersection with Thomas Road (SR21) at Oakford. November 2008. This is the southern terminus of SR4 / Tonkin Hwy. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: Signage indicating distances to major routes intersecting with Tonkin Hwy at Orange Grove, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign after the Thomas Road intersection at Oakford. November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Gosnells Road West: Approaching Gosnells Road West at Orange Grove, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Large RD listing distances to exits, Oakford, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Gosnells Road West: Looking southbound at the intersection with Gosnells Road West at Orange Grove, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Rowley Road: Tonkin Hwy as it approaches Rowley Rd at Oakford, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Approaching Mills Road: Southbound approaching Mills Road at Martin. December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Forrestdale after the Rowley Road intersection. November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Mills Road Intersection: Mills Road at Martin, southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Approaching Forrest Road: Tonkin Hwy as it approaches Forrest Rd in Forrestdale, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			RD sign: Distance sign listing major intersections along the route. Southbound at Martin, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign after the Forrest Road intersection at Forrestdale, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Supplemental AD sign: Supplemental advance directional sign for SR30, Albany Hwy. Southbound at Martin, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the intersection with Armadale Road (SR14) at Forrestdale, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Albany Hwy Interchange: Looking southwest at Gosnells at the interchange with SR30, Albany Hwy, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Armadale Road Intersection: Tonkin Hwy at Forrestdale approading the Armadale Rd signalised intersection, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: RD sign located after the Albany Hwy interchange at Champion Lakes, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign after the Armadale Rd junction at Forrestdale, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: RD sign with distances to major intersections along the route, Champion Lakes, looking southwest, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching Ranford Road (SR13) at Forrestdale, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: Services orientated AD sign approaching Champion Drive at Champion lakes. Looking southwest, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Ranford Road Intersection: Corner of Ranford Road and Tonkin Highway at Forrestdale. November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Champion Dr Intersection: Looking southwest at Champion Dr, Champion Lakes, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign located after the Ranford Road intersection at Southern River. November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: Sign indicating distances to major routes intersecting the highway, Champion Lakes, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Advance directional sign at Southern River approaching Champion Drive, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: Looking southwest approaching Ranford Road (SR13), Champion Lakes, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Wungong River: Tonkin Hwy as it crosses the Wungong River at Southern River, via the Midgegoroo Bridge, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: Sign indicating distances to major routes intersecting the highway, Forrestdale, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching the Corfield Street and Albany Highway (SR30) interchange at Gosnells. November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign approaching the intersection with Armadale Road (SR14). Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Corfield Street Exit: ID sign and off ramp to Corfield Street, Gosnells, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Armadale Road Intersection: Looking at the Armadale Road intersection at Forrestdale. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Albany Highway Exit: ID sign and off ramp to Albany Hwy (SR30) at Gosnells, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Distance Sign: Sign indicating distances to major routes intersecting the highway, Brookdale, December 2007. Notice the coverplated destination with 7 km. This is likely for the next extension of the Tonkin Hwy. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Martin, after the Albany Highway off ramp, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Approaching Rowley Road: Brookdale approaching Rowley Road. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign in Martin as you approach Mills Road, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Rowley Rd Intersection: Brookdale. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Mills Road Intersection: Approaching the Mills Road intersection at Martin, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			End Tonkin Hwy 1km: Sign at Darling Downs indicating the highway ends in 1km. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Gosnells Road West Intersection: Corner of Tonkin Hwy and Gosnells Rd West at Martin, November 2008. Image © Paul Rands			Approaching end of Tonkin Highway: Reduce Speed Now signs approaching Thomas Road, the southern terminus of the Tonkin Hwy at Darling Downs. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
				Advance Directional Sign: The southern terminus of the Tonkin Highway at Darling Downs. Southbound, July 2010. Click here for a photo of the sign this one replaced, taken in December 2007. Image © Brendan Cherry
				End State Route 4: The southern terminus of the Tonkin Highway at Thomas Road (SR21) at Darling Downs. Southbound, July 2010. Click here for a photo of the sign this one replaced, taken in December 2007. Image © Brendan Cherry
Click here for the continuation of SR4 between Maddington and Noranda

1 Main Roads WA

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