Australian Capital Territory Road Photo Gallery: National Route 23

Australian Capital Territory

Photo Gallery

Australian Capital Territory Road Photo Gallery:
National Route 23

National Route 23 starts a few kilometres south of the Northern NSW-ACT border at the suburb of Downer and ends at the Victorian Border.

The route connects to National Highway 23 that runs from the Hume Highway near Collector on the NSW southern tablelands to the the suburb of Downer and includes the Northbourne Avenue, Commonwealth Avenue, State Circle, Canberra Avenue, and Monaro Highway.

The ACT section passes through the suburbs of Watson, Downer, Dickson, Ainslie, Reid, Civic, Fyshwick and skirts southern suburbs that include Isabella Plains and Hume.

The ACT section is entirely dual carriageway until a few kilometres north of the southern ACT border, from there the route continues to the NSW-VIC border as the Monaro Highway, before becoming B23 once you cross the border, using what used to be the Cann Valley Highway.

Length (ACT):	45 km
Route Numbers:	multiplexed with

Trailblazer northbound, Northbourne Av Watson
This photo from 2004 shows a trailblazer attached to a lamp post, near the intersection of Phillip Avenue at Watson, northbound on Northbourne Avenue (Although technically National Highway 23, but only a short distance from the its terminus).

Image © Sam Laybutt (ozroads.com.au)

Southbound at Downer
Looking towards Civic from the intersection with the Barton Highway at Downer, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Tourist Drive 4 Trailblazer
Sheild indicating that NR23 is duplexed with ACT TD4 along this section, southbound at Downer, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign
Southbound AD sign approaching Antill & Mouat Streets at Downer, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Antill & Mouat Streets
Southbound at the junction with Antill Street Dickson and Mouat Street Lyneham. Mouatt Street used to be the Barton Highway until it was rerouted in the 1960s. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound at Dickson
Looking south approaching the tourist information centre at Dickson. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign
Southbound AD sign at Dickson as you approach Macarthur Avenue & Wakefield Avenue, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Wakefield & Macarthur Avenue Intersection
Southbound through the Wakefield and Macarthur Avenue junction at Braddon, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Girrahween & Masson Street intersection
Southbound on Northbourne Avenue as you approach the abovementioned streets in Braddon, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign
Southbound AD sign approaching the junction with Barry Drive and Cooyong Street at Braddon. Barry Drive is used by north and central Canberrrans for access to Belconnen. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Civic
Entering Civic. Southbound at the intersection with Barry Drive and Cooyong Street, July 2006. Note the extra wide median, which was designed for use with trams in Walter Burley Griffin's original plan for Canbera. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Bunda & Rudd Street Junction
Southbound approaching Bunda and Rudd Streets in Civic. Note the red ACT TD2 sheild on the left. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound at Civic
Passing the Sydney Building - it along with the Melbourne building across the road from were the first 2 commercial buildings in the Civic part of the ACT. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

London Circuit Intersection
Southbound at the London Cct intersection in Civic. The intersection that boasts having the first ever traffic signals installed in the ACT, they have since been upgraded of course. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Commonwealth Av, Civic
Interchange of London Cct, Northbourne Av and Commonwealth Av taken from City (Vernon) Hill in Civic. Looking southbound towards Parliament House, 1998.

Image © Paul Rands

Parkes Way Overpass & Interchange
Southbound approaching Commonwealth Avenue Bridge at Acton, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Parkes Way Interchange
Northbound through the interchange with Parkes Way (the ramps are named Commonwealth Place) at Acton. July 2006. Note the odd Exit sign with no arrow.

Image © Paul Rands

Black Diagramattic Sign
Northbhound black AD sign from the 1970s on Commonwealth Avenue, outside the western section of Commonwealth Park at Acton, July 2006. Note the unusual lack of white border around the edge of the sign. Also note the obselete hospital legend - Royal Canberra Hospital, which this is indicating, closed some years ago.

Commonwealth Avenue Bridge
Southbound as you approach the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge over Lake Burley Griffin, July 2006. Note Parliament House atop of Capital Hill in the distance.

Commonwealth Avenue Bridge
Southbound on the Commonwealth Avenue Bridge over Lake Burley Griffin, July 2006. Note Parliament House atop of Capital Hill in the distance.

Approaching Queen Victoria Terrace and Coronation Drive
We are now officially in the "Parliamentary Triangle" heading southbound. This area has heavy restrictions on all forms of construction because of its important nature to the Nation. Here we are approaching the intersection with Queen Victoria Terrace (which provides access to Old Parliament House) and Coronation Drive, which is used for access to Yarralumla and large swathes of parkland which was once the workers town area of Westlake during the early days of construction of the capital. July 2006.

Approaching State Circle
Southbound at Parkes, approaching State Circle, Capital Hill and Parliament House, July 2006.

Road Tunnel
Southeastbound as you pass under Federation Square on State Circle, July 2006.

Tunnel Interior
Southeastbound as you head through the abovementioned tunnel, July 2006.

Approaching Brisbane Avenue
Heading north near the junction with Brisbane Avenue. Capital Hill is on the left of the road and the suburb of Barton is on the right, July 2006.

Southbound Approaching Canberra Avenue
Heading south near Barton & Capital Hill as you approach the turn for NR23 / Canberra Avenue, July 2006.

Old Black Directional Sign
AD sign as you approach Canberra Avenue on State Circle (ACT TD5 section) at Barton. One of Canberra's oldest buildings is located in the distance: St Andrews Presbyterian Chuch. July 2006.