Road routes in New South Wales assist drivers navigating roads in urban, rural, and scenic areas of the state. Today, all numbered routes in the state are allocated a letter (M, A, B or D) in addition to a one- or -two digit number, with 'M' routes denoting motorways, 'A' routes denoting routes of national significance, 'B' routes denoting routes of state significance, and 'D' for Detour routes of a major motorway. The route system includes the officially designated highways, urban and intercity motorways and arterial roads, and important cross-state roads that have not been declared highways.
Route numbers have been allocated to New South Wales' roads since 1954, with the introduction of National Routes across all states and territories in Australia, symbolised by a white shield with black writing; National Route 1 ('Highway 1') was one of the best-known numbered nation routes, likely due to its fame for circumnavigating the continent.
To supplement the National Route number system, three Ring Roads were introduced to Sydney in 1964, symbolised by a blue circular shield with white writing and a dotted outline. [1] These lasted 10 years before their decommissioning in 1974.
In 1973, Freeway Routes were introduced to complement the state's National Routes and Sydney's Ring Roads, symbolised by blue rounded shields with white writing crowned by red crests as well, in an imitation of the American Interstate shield. Most of these routes were not signed as extensions opened, or were replaced with other routes in the years following, and while not officially decommissioned, virtually all signage of these routes were removed in 1992.
In 1974, the National Highway network was defined, which allowed some existing National Routes to be upgraded to National Highways. These were marked with the same shield design as the National Routes, except for their gold-on-green colouring and the word NATIONAL added across the top. The new State Routes system was also introduced in 1974, symbolised by blue rounded shields with white writing - much like the Freeway Routes, except without the red crests - and replaced Sydney's Ring Roads. Scores of other State Routes were designated across New South Wales, marking out urban arterial routes and secondary rural highways.
In 1992–1993, Sydney's Metroad system was introduced, symbolised by white hexagonal shields with blue writing, indicating Sydney's major radial and circumferential arteries. These routes subsumed many of the city's existing State Routes and also urban portions of National Routes and National Highways. A second, smaller allocation of Metroads were rolled out in 1998-9.
In 2013, the state replaced its entire system of National Routes, National Highways and Metroads with an alphanumeric route numbering system. [2] Many existing numbered routes were allocated a letter (M, A, B or D) in addition to its number, with 'M' routes denoting motorways, 'A' routes denoting routes of national significance, 'B' routes denoting routes of state significance, and 'D' routes acting as motorway detours. Instead of shields, route numbers are displayed as yellow text on green rectangular backgrounds outlined in white, and has now - with the exception of Tourist Routes and a State Route or two - become the sole route numbering system in the state. The changeover to alphanumeric routes was announced in March 2013 and signs were updated between May and December 2013, either by removing old "shield" coverplates installed on newer signs, or installing new alphanumeric coverplates on old shielded signs, [3] although some road projects (like Westlink M7 in 2005) or major highways (like Hume Highway from 1997) were allocated or converted to alphanumeric routes before the general change-over in 2013; these are noted. In 2020, the styling of the markers was modified to remove the white border, aligning with the design for all other states and territories except the ACT. [4]
Transport for NSW define M routes as "motorway standard roads". [5] In practice, this means roads allocated an M route are usually at least dual-carriageway motorways or high standard rural highways with at least two lanes in each direction. Unlike other states, New South Wales route allocations do not use a different background colour to designate a toll-road: routes attracting a toll are specifically marked.
Route | Component roads | From | Via | To | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() M1 | Pacific Motorway (Byron Bay–Ballina Bypass) | NSW/QLD border | Woodburn | 127 km (79 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() Note: uncertainty still exists over which parts are officially classified ![]() ![]() | |
Pacific Motorway (Maclean–Grafton Bypass) | Woombah | Glenugie | 62 km (39 mi) | |||
Pacific Motorway (Woolgoolga Bypass) | Dirty Creek | Korora | 35 km (22 mi) | |||
Pacific Motorway (Nambucca–Macksville Bypass) | Raleigh | Warrell Creek | 42 km (26 mi) | |||
Pacific Motorway (Clybucca–Kempsey Bypass) | Eungai Creek | Thrumster | 79 km (49 mi) | |||
Pacific Motorway | Beresfield | Wahroonga | 127 km (79 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() | ||
Artarmon | Mascot | 62 km (39 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() – tolled on Sydney Harbour Tunnel (southbound only), Eastern Distributor and Military Road E-ramp. | |||
Princes Motorway | Waterfall | Oak Flats | 62 km (39 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() | ||
![]() M2 | Baulkham Hills | Artarmon | 25 km (16 mi) | – continues north as ![]() – tolled | ||
![]() M4 | Lapstone | Rozelle | 49 km (30 mi) | – continues east as ![]() – eastern end extended from Strathfield to Haberfield when it opened in 2019, and once again to Rozelle in 2023 – tolled east of the Church St exit at Parramatta | ||
![]() M5 | Prestons | Mascot | 29 km (18 mi) | Tolled separately between Moorebank and Beverly Hills (M5 South-West), and on M5 East | ||
![]() M7 | Westlink M7 | Prestons | Baulkham Hills | 40 km (25 mi) | – allocated upon opening in 2005 – tolled | |
![]() M8 | WestConnex M8 | Beverly Hills | Arncliffe | Rozelle | 14 km (9 mi) | – allocated upon opening in 2020 – tolled – Extended to Leichhardt as part of the M4-M8 link in January 2023 and once again to Rozelle in November 2023 |
![]() M11 | NorthConnex | Wahroonga | West Pennant Hills | 9 km (6 mi) | – allocated in August 2023 – tolled | |
![]() M12 | M12 Motorway (Sydney) under construction | Westlink M7, Cecil Hills | Western Sydney Airport | Northern Road, Luddenham | 14 km (9 mi) | – route number used in government planning documents [6] |
![]() M15 | Hunter Expressway | Lower Belford | Cameron Park | 26 km (16 mi) | – allocated upon opening in 2014 – continues north as ![]() – continues east as ![]() | |
![]() M23 | Federal Highway | Yarra | NSW/ACT border | 55 km (34 mi) | Continues west as ![]() | |
![]() M31 | Prestons | NSW/VIC border | 513 km (319 mi) | Continues south as ![]() | ||
Transport for NSW define A routes as "routes of national significance". [5] A routes are numbered between 1–49.
Route | Component roads | From | Via | To | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() A1 | Pacific Highway | Woodburn | Woombah | 34 km (21 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() Note: uncertainty still exists over which parts are officially classified ![]() ![]() | |
Pacific Highway | Glenugie | Dirty Creek | 25 km (16 mi) | |||
Pacific Highway | Korora | Raleigh | 29 km (18 mi) | |||
Pacific Highway | Warrell Creek | Eungai Creek | 14 km (9 mi) | |||
| Thrumster | Beresfield | 223 km (139 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() – concurrencies: with ![]() ![]() | ||
Pacific Highway | Wahroonga | Artarmon | 13.5 km (8 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() – concurrency with ![]() | ||
| Mascot | Waterfall | 32 km (20 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() | ||
Princes Highway | Oak Flats | NSW/VIC border | 415 km (258 mi) | ![]() – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() | ||
![]() A2 | Windsor | Seven Hills | 22.8 km (14 mi) | Continues east as ![]() | ||
![]() A3 |
| Mona Vale | Blakehurst | 51 km (32 mi) | ||
![]() A4 | Rozelle | Pyrmont | Sydney | 10.8 km (7 mi) | – continues west as ![]() – originally spanned City West Link (now ![]() ![]() | |
![]() A6 |
| Carlingford | Heathcote | 41 km (25 mi) | ||
![]() A7 | Pennant Hills Road | West Pennant Hills | Pennant Hills | Wahroonga | 8.2 km (5 mi) | Not allocated: ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
![]() A8 |
| Mona Vale | North Sydney | 22.8 km (14 mi) | ||
![]() A9 |
| Windsor | Campbelltown | 63 km (39 mi) | ||
![]() A11 | Pacific Highway | Wahroonga | Artarmon | 13.8 km (8.6 mi) | Partially allocated, halted after NorthConnex opened in 2020, then decommissioned; some signs were converted to ![]() ![]() | |
![]() A15 | New England Highway | NSW/QLD border | Lower Belford | 540 km (336 mi) | – continues north as ![]() – continues east as ![]() – concurrency with ![]() | |
| Cameron Park | Newcastle West | 16.4 km (10 mi) | – allocation rerouted from New England Highway, Pacific Highway and Industrial Drive (replaced by ![]() ![]() – continues west as ![]() – concurrency with ![]() | ||
![]() A20 | Sturt Highway | NSW/VIC border | Tarcutta | 597 km (371 mi) | – continues west as ![]() – concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() A22 | Liverpool | Ultimo | 31 km (19 mi) | |||
![]() A25 | Barton Highway | Yass | Murrumbateman | NSW/ACT border | 40 km (25 mi) | Continues south as ![]() |
![]() A28 | Edmondson Park | Wahroonga | 41 km (25 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | ||
![]() A31 | Hume Highway | Berrima | NSW/VIC border | 431 km (268 mi) | Decommissioned: signage along Hume Highway (from Berrima to the border) progressively allocated ![]() ![]() | |
![]() A32 | NSW/SA border | Lapstone | 1,146 km (712 mi) | Continues west as ![]() | ||
![]() A34 |
| Liverpool | Newtown | 26 km (16 mi) | ||
![]() A36 | Princes Highway | Ultimo | Kogarah | 11.3 km (7 mi) | ||
![]() A37 |
| Sandgate | Bennetts Green | 16.4 km (10 mi) | – re-aligned through Shortland from Sandgate/Wallsend Roads to current alignment when second northern section of Newcastle Inner City Bypass opened in 2014 – concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() A38 |
| North Ryde | Dee Why | 17.8 km (11 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() A39 | Newell Highway | NSW/QLD border | NSW/VIC border | 1,057 km (657 mi) | – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() – concurrencies: with ![]() ![]() | |
![]() A40 |
| Seven Hills | Rozelle | 27.3 km (17 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() A41 | Bathurst | Table Top | 422 km (262 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | ||
![]() A43 |
| Greta | Halloran | 109 km (68 mi) | Allocation extended west along New England Highway, Pacific Highway and Industrial Drive (replacing ![]() | |
![]() A44 |
| Emu Plains | Haberfield | 50 km (31 mi) | – eastern end extended along Parramatta Road and Wattle Street from Strathfield to Haberfield (replacing ![]() – to be extended further east (currently replacing ![]() | |
![]() A46 |
| Cameron Park | Newcastle West | 16.4 km (10 mi) | Decommissioned, allocation replaced by ![]() | |
![]() A48 | Illawarra Highway | Sutton Forest | Albion Park | 61 km (38 mi) | ||
![]() A49 | Central Coast Highway | Doyalson | Kariong | 50 km (31 mi) | ||
Decommissioned or unsigned allocation |
Transport for NSW define B routes as "routes of state significance". [5] B routes are numbered between 51–99, with the sole exception of Monaro Highway (allocated to remain consistent across state lines).
Route | Component roads | From | Via | To | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() B23 | Monaro Highway | NSW/ACT border | NSW/VIC border | 206 km (128 mi) | – continues north as ![]() – continues south as ![]() – concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() B51 | Kamilaroi Highway | Narrabri | Willow Tree | 188 km (117 mi) | ||
![]() B52 |
| NSW/ACT border | Queanbeyan | NSW/ACT border | 12.4 km (8 mi) | – continues west as ![]() – continues east as |
Kings Highway | NSW/ACT border | Batemans Bay | 115 km (71 mi) | Continues west as ![]() | ||
![]() B53 |
| Morisset | Wallsend | 35 km (22 mi) | ||
![]() B55 | Castlereagh Highway | NSW/QLD border | Marrangaroo | 633 km (393 mi) | Continues north as ![]() | |
![]() B56 | Oxley Highway | Coonabarabran | Port Macquarie | 446 km (277 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() B57 |
| Speers Point | Charlestown | 9.5 km (6 mi) | ||
![]() B58 | Riverina Highway | Deniliquin | East Albury | 201 km (125 mi) | ||
![]() B59 |
| Lithgow | Vineyard | 90 km (56 mi) | ||
![]() B60 | Bruxner Highway | Tenterfield | West Ballina | 185 km (115 mi) | ||
![]() B62 |
| Lismore | Bangalow | Ewingsdale | 40 km (25 mi) | |
![]() B63 |
| Adamstown Heights | Nelson Bay | 60 km (37 mi) | ||
![]() B64 | Mid-Western Highway | Hay | Cowra | 413 km (257 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() B65 |
| Thirroul | Shellharbour | 39 km (24 mi) | Allocated when extension of Northern Distributor (from Bellami to Bulli) opened in 2009; Northern Distributor renamed Memorial Drive in 2010 | |
![]() B68 |
| Cessnock | Beresfield | 31 km (19 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() B69 |
| Campbelltown | Appin | Cataract | 35 km (22 mi) | |
![]() B70 |
| Halloran | Noraville | 14.3 km (9 mi) | ||
![]() B71 | Mitchell Highway | NSW/QLD border |
| Nyngan | 339 km (211 mi) | Continues north as ![]() |
![]() B72 | Snowy Mountains Highway | Mount Adrah | Stony Creek | 333 km (207 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() B73 |
| Aylmerton | Bomaderry | 68 km (42 mi) | ||
![]() B74 | Wyong Road | Mardi | Long Jetty | 11.7 km (7 mi) | ||
![]() B75 | Cobb Highway | Wilcannia | NSW/VIC border | 571 km (355 mi) | Continues south as ![]() | |
![]() B76 | Bourke | Tyndale | 843 km (524 mi) | – concurrency with ![]() – allocation extended east along Big River Way (former Pacific Highway, replacing ![]() | ||
![]() B78 | Waterfall Way | Armidale | Raleigh | 170 km (106 mi) | ||
![]() B79 | Silver City Highway | NSW/QLD border | Buronga | 582 km (362 mi) | While ![]() ![]() | |
![]() B80 | Monaro Highway | Steeple Flat | Bombala | 41 km (25 mi) | Not allocated: ![]() ![]() | |
![]() B81 |
| Molong | Bowning | 215 km (134 mi) | ||
![]() B82 |
| Greta | Cooranbong | 50 km (31 mi) | Northern end re-aligned from Clift Street through Branxton to current alignment when Hunter Expressway opened in 2014 | |
![]() B83 |
| Wahroonga | Somersby | 55 km (34 mi) | ||
![]() B84 | Golden Highway | Dubbo | Whittingham | 313 km (194 mi) | ||
![]() B85 | Goldfields Way | Wyalong | Temora | Old Junee | 116 km (72 mi) | |
![]() B87 | Kidman Way | Bourke | Bundure | 643 km (400 mi) | ||
![]() B88 | Picton Road | Wilton | Cataract | 27 km (17 mi) | ||
![]() B89 |
| West Wallsend | Belmont | 23 km (14 mi) | ||
![]() B91 | NSW/QLD border | Glenugie | 212 km (132 mi) | - continues north as ![]() - allocation extended south along Big River Way (former Pacific Highway, replacing ![]() | ||
![]() B94 |
| Griffith | Bowning | 279 km (173 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() | |
![]() B95 | Fossickers Way | Warialda | Tamworth | 190 km (118 mi) | ||
Decommissioned or unsigned allocation |
New South Wales is currently the only state in the country to use D routes, representing detour routes around nominated motorways (when closed or otherwise unusable). To date, there are only two D routes: D1 (routing around the M1 Pacific Motorway through the Central Coast), and D5 (routing around the M5 South-Western Motorway). After Transport for NSW standards changed, all signs now show "D", and there will be no more D routes in NSW.
Route | Component roads | From | |Via | To | Length | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() D1 |
| Wahroonga | Doyalson | 98 km (61 mi) | Concurrencies: with ![]() ![]() | |
![]() D5 |
| Beverly Hills | Bexley | Arncliffe | 8.4 km (5 mi) | Concurrency with ![]() |
![]() |
Route | Component Roads | From | Via | To | Length (km) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grand Pacific Drive |
| Loftus | Stanwell Park | 40 km (25 mi) | ![]() Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Grand Pacific Drive . | |
Stanwell Park | Bulli | 17 km (11 mi) | ||||
Bulli | Fairy Meadow | 8 km (5.0 mi) | ||||
![]() Blue Mountains Drive |
| Leura | Katoomba | 7 km (4.3 mi) | Formerly numbered as ![]()
| |
![]() Tourist Drive 1 |
| Hartley | Kelso | 117 km (73 mi) | Parts of Jenolan Caves Road have been closed since 2021 due to landslides from heavy rain. | |
![]() Tourist Drive 1 |
| Cooma | Cooma | 250 km (160 mi) | TD1 was a loop through the Snowy Mountains from the Snowy Mountains Highway/Kosciusko Rd junction near Cooma, via:
| |
![]() Tourist Drive 1 |
| Tooraweena | Coonabarabran | 74 km (46 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 2 |
| Glenthorne | Twelve Mile Creek | 154 km (96 mi) | The second oldest tourist drive in New South Wales. | |
![]() Tourist Drive 4 |
| Falls Creek | Huskisson | 11 km (6.8 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 4 |
| Warialda | Inverell | 151 km (94 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 5 | Wellington | |||||
![]() Tourist Drive 6 The Lakes Way – Forster | The Lakes Way | Bulahdelah | Taree | 80 km (50 mi) | [8] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 7 |
| Berry | Bomaderry | 30 km (19 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 7 Oracle’s Way |
| Stanthorpe | Tenterfield, NSW | 65 km (40 mi) | Loop route. Enter QLD at Dalcouth. | |
![]() Tourist Drive 8 |
| Goulburn | Bywong | 85 km (53 mi) | [12] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 8 |
| Taree / Wingham | Wauchope | 122 km (76 mi) | Partially Unsealed (>35km) | |
![]() Tourist Drive 9 |
| Kiama | Robertson | 33 km (21 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 10 Ocean Drive |
| Kew | Port Macquarie | 40 km (25 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 11 |
| Mount Keira | West Wollongong | 20 km (12 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 12 |
| Camden | Alpine | 58 km (36 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 12 |
| Kempsey | South Bellimbopinni | 95 km (59 mi) | Circuitous. [15] [16] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 13 |
| Goulburn | Wombeyan Caves | 77 km (48 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 14 |
| Mittagong | Sutton Forrest | 28 km (17 mi) | [17] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 14 & 15 |
| Eungai | Nambucca Heads | TD14: 29 km (18 mi)
17 km (11 mi) | Route starts at Eungai, designated as TD14, then changes to TD15 at Pacific Highway, ending at Nambucca Heads. | |
![]() Tourist Drive 15 Fitzroy Falls |
| Bowral | Moss Vale | 63 km (39 mi) | [17] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 16 |
| Goulburn | Sutton Forrest | 50 km (31 mi) | [17] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 16 |
| Urunga | Urunga | 12 km (7.5 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 17 |
| Moss Vale | Mittagong | 22 km (14 mi) | [17] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 17 |
| Armidale | Armidale | 245 km (152 mi) | [19] Loop route via
| |
![]() Tourist Drive 18 |
| Raleigh | Bonville | 15 km (9.3 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 19 [20] |
| Armidale |
| Uralla | 66 km (41 mi) | 20km unsealed. [21] |
![]() Tourist Drive 21 |
| Uralla | Bendemmer | 138 km (86 mi) | [22] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 22 |
| Grafton | Yamba | 66 km (41 mi) | Involves a free vehicle ferry. [23] [24] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 24 |
| Lismore |
| Ewingsdale | 40 km (25 mi) | |
![]() Tourist Drive 25 |
| Tamworth | Willow Tree | 79 km (49 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 26 Evans Head |
| Woodburn | Broadwater | 32 km (20 mi) | [26] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 27 |
| Dubbo | Whittingham | 314 km (195 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 28 Ballina |
| Wardell | Knockrow | 49 km (30 mi) | [27] [28] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 30 Byron Bay |
| Byron Bay | Ballina | 32 km (20 mi) | [29] | |
![]() Tourist Drive 32 |
| North Lismore | Murwillumbah | 78 km (48 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 33 |
| Calga | Wollombi | 68 km (42 mi) | ![]() Wikivoyage has a travel guide for Tourist Drive 33 . | |
Wollombi | Cessnock | 29.0 km (18.0 mi) | ||||
Cessnock | Branxton | 20.1 km (12.5 mi) | ||||
![]() Tourist Drive 34 |
| Murwillumbah | Numinbah | 27 km (17 mi) | Northern Terminus at the Queensland Border to continue as State Route 97 to Nerang. | |
![]() Tourist Drive 36 |
| Byangum | Chillingham | 29.1 km (18.1 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 38 Tweed Coast Way |
| Crabbes Creek | Chinderah | 32.1 km (19.9 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 40 |
| Childerah | Brunswick Valley | 48.4 km (30.1 mi) | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 42 |
| Kynnumboon | Tomewin | 10.3 km (6.4 mi) | Northern Terminus at the Queensland Border to continue as State Route 98 to Currumbin. |
Route | Component Roads | From | Via | To | Notes | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() Hunter Tourist Circuit | Newcastle | Merriwa Taree | Newcastle | Decommissioned, no longer signed Loop Route | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 3 |
| Picton | Avon Dam | |||
![]() Tourist Drive 3 |
| Kyogle | Homeleigh Cawongla | Kyogle | Loop with multiple routes. | |
![]() Tourist Drive 8 Bankstown |
| Milperra | Beverly Hills | |||
![]() Tourist Drive 9 Parramatta |
| Parramatta | Parramatta | |||
![]() Tourist Drive 11 Dural | ||||||
![]() Tourist Drive 14 Castlereagh |
| Penrith | Castlereagh | Richmond | ||
![]() Tourist Drive 15 | Castle Hill | |||||
![]() Tourist Drive 18 | Penrith | Camden | ||||
![]() Tourist Drive 1 [30] | Tooraweenah | Warrumbungle National Park, Siding Springs Observatory | Coonabarabran | |||
![]() Tourist Drive 2 | Coonabarabran | Bugaldie, Baradine, The Aloes, Kenebri, Rocky Creek Mill, Yarrie Lake | Narrabri | |||
![]() Tourist Drive 3 | Narrabri | Sawn Rocks | Bingara |
Highways in Australia are generally high capacity roads managed by state and territory government agencies, though Australia's federal government contributes funding for important links between capital cities and major regional centres. Prior to European settlement, the earliest needs for trade and travel were met by narrow bush tracks, used by tribes of Indigenous Australians. The formal construction of roads began in 1788, after the founding of the colony of New South Wales, and a network of three major roads across the colony emerged by the 1820s. Similar road networks were established in the other colonies of Australia. Road construction programs in the early 19th century were generally underfunded, as they were dependent on government budgets, loans, and tolls; while there was a huge increase in road usage, due to the Australian gold rushes. Local government authorities, often known as Road Boards, were therefore established to be primarily responsible for funding and undertaking road construction and maintenance. The early 1900s saw both the increasingly widespread use of motorised transportation, and the creation of state road authorities in each state, between 1913 and 1926. These authorities managed each state's road network, with the main arterial roads controlled and maintained by the state, and other roads remaining the responsibility of local governments. The federal government became involved in road funding in the 1920s, distributing funding to the states. The depression of the 1930s slowed the funding and development of the major road network until the onset on World War II. Supply roads leading to the north of the country were considered vital, resulting in the construction of Barkly, Stuart, and Eyre Highways.
Pacific Highway is a 790-kilometre-long (491 mi) national highway and major transport route along the central east coast of Australia, with the majority of it being part of Australia's Highway 1. The highway and its adjoining Pacific Motorway between Brisbane and Brunswick Heads and Pacific Motorway between Sydney and Newcastle links the state capitals of Sydney in New South Wales with Brisbane in Queensland, approximately paralleling the Tasman Sea and the Coral Sea of the South Pacific Ocean coast, via regional cities and towns like Gosford, Newcastle, Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Ballina, Byron Bay, Tweed Heads and the Gold Coast, which is part of Queensland. Additionally, between Brunswick Heads and Port Macquarie, the road is also signed as Pacific Motorway, but has not been legally gazetted as such.
The A3 is a route designation of a major metropolitan arterial route through suburban Sydney, connecting the A8 at Mona Vale at its northern end, to Princes Highway at Blakehurst at its southern end. This name covers a few consecutive roads and is widely known to most drivers, but the entire allocation is also known – and signposted – by the names of its constituent parts: Mona Vale Road, Ryde Road, Lane Cove Road, Devlin Street, Church Street, Concord Road, Homebush Bay Drive, Centenary Drive, Roberts Road, Wiley Avenue and King Georges Road.
The A9 is a route designation of the outer western Sydney Bypass, connecting Windsor to Campbelltown via Penrith. This name covers a few consecutive roads and is widely known to most drivers, but the entire allocation is also known – and signposted – by the names of its constituent parts: Macquarie Street, George Street, The Northern Road, Richmond Road, Parker Street and Narellan Road.
Cumberland Highway is a 34-kilometre (21 mi) long urban highway located in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. The highway links Pacific Highway and Pacific Motorway (M1) at Pearces Corner, Wahroonga in the northeast with Hume Highway at Liverpool in the southwest. This name covers a few consecutive roads and is widely known to most drivers, but the entire allocation is also known – and signposted – by the names of its constituent parts: Pennant Hills Road, James Ruse Drive, Briens Road, Old Windsor Road, Hart Drive, Freame Street, Emert Street, Jersey Road, Betts Road, Warren Road, Smithfield Road, Palmerston Road, (New) Cambridge Street, Joseph Street and Orange Grove Road. The entire length of Cumberland Highway is designated part of route A28.
A routenumber, designation or abbreviation is an identifying numeric designation assigned by a highway authority to a particular stretch of roadway to distinguish it from other routes and, in many cases, also to indicate its classification, general geographical location and/or orientation. The numbers chosen may be used solely for internal administrative purposes; however, in most cases they are also displayed on roadside signage and indicated on maps.
M1 Pacific Motorway is a 127-kilometre motorway linking Sydney to Newcastle via the Central Coast and Hunter regions of New South Wales. Formerly known but still commonly referred to by both the public and the government as the F3 Freeway, Sydney–Newcastle Freeway, and Sydney–Newcastle Expressway, it is part of the AusLink road corridor between Sydney and Brisbane.
Southern Cross Drive is a 4.8 km (3 mi) dual carriage untolled motorway in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Part of the M1 and Sydney Orbital Network, the road, a freeway that opened in 1969, links South Dowling Street at Kensington in the north to General Holmes Drive at Sydney Airport in the south.
King Georges Road is a 9.0-kilometre-long (5.6 mi) major suburban arterial road through south-western Sydney, Australia. It is a constituent part of the A3 route.
James Ruse Drive is a 6.4-kilometre-long (4.0 mi) limited-access urban highway located to the east and north of Parramatta, in Western Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Originally a series of disconnected urban streets, it was later upgraded to act as a bypass of central Parramatta.
Lane Cove Road is a 4.9-kilometre-long (3.0 mi) major suburban arterial road through North Ryde in Sydney, Australia. It is a constituent part of the A3 route.
Camden Valley Way is a 23-kilometre (14 mi) arterial road between the southwestern fringes of suburban Sydney and the historic town of Camden. It is a former alignment of Hume Highway.
Ryde Road is a 3.3-kilometre-long (2.1 mi) arterial road in Sydney, Australia. It is a constituent part of the A3 (Sydney) route.
In New South Wales, Highway 1 is a 1,351-kilometre (839 mi) long route that crosses the state, from the Queensland/New South Wales border near Tweed Heads to the Victorian border near Timbillica. It provides the main coastal route between Brisbane and Melbourne via Sydney. Highway 1 continues around the rest of Australia, joining all mainland state capitals, and connecting major centres in Tasmania.
Windsor Road is a notable road in the Hills District of Sydney, linking Windsor and North Parramatta in Sydney's west. It is a constituent part of route A2.
Old Windsor Road is a notable and historic road in Sydney, Australia. It starts from Kellyville, New South Wales and ends at Northmead, New South Wales, just north of Parramatta, and acts as part of a main arterial between Parramatta and Windsor. A section at its southeastern end is a constituent part of Cumberland Highway.
The A38 is a route designation of a major metropolitan arterial route through suburban Sydney, linking M2 Hills Motorway in North Ryde and Pittwater Road (A8) in Dee Why. This name covers a few consecutive roads and is widely known to most drivers, but the entire allocation is also known – and signposted – by the names of its constituent parts: Delhi Road, Millwood Avenue, Fullers Road, Pacific Highway, Boundary Street, Babbage Road and Warringah Road.
Heathcote Road is a 24-kilometre-long (15 mi) major arterial road in the south of Sydney, Australia. It plays a major role in the servicing of traffic travelling between the Illawarra and Western Sydney, and its eastern end is a constituent part of the A6 route.