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Photo Gallery
New South Wales Road Photo Gallery:
National Route 32 (Great Western Highway) (Lithgow to
Katoomba)
The highway is signposted as National
Route 32 from Lapstone in Sydney's west, to its terminus
at Bathurst. If you wish to see the SR44 section of
the highway, click
here.
The Great Western Highway runs from
Sydney to Bathurst. The Great Western Highway is regarded
as one of the oldest roads in Australia. Starting as
George Street in downtown Sydney, and becoming Parramatta
Road, it heads west across metropolitain 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 1815 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 1994 the highway was terminated at Emu Plains with
the closure of the Knapsack Gully Viaduct. An extension
to the M4 motorway at Emu Plains was constructed which
rejoined with the highway at Lapstone. 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.
Lithgow to
Katoomba History:
- 1813: explorers Blaxland,
Wentworth and Lawson successfully crossed the Blue Mountains
by following the ridgeline separating the Grose and Cox Rivers.
- 1950s: the ‘Forty Bends’, where the Highway runs along the foot of Hassans Walls approaching Lithgow, were eased.
- 1980s: A short length of abandoned railway formation was used to ease a curve on the Highway 3 km west of Katoomba, near the Explorers Tree.
- 1990s: minor deviations of the Highway were undertaken in conjunction with widening through the Lithgow suburbs of South Littleton and Bowenfels.
- December 2003: realignment at Medlow Bath.
- June 2002: Soldiers Pinch realignment and deviation completed.
| Length (Total): |
1562 km |
| Length (Great Western Hwy): |
203 km |
| Length (Lithgow to
Katoomba): |
39 km |
| Route Number: |
 |
| Forthcoming Alphanumeric: |
 |
| Information gathered
from Sam Laybutt, Michael Greenslade, Wikipedia and Roads and Traffic Authority. |
|
|
SR40
/ NR32 Junction
Looking at the Intersection of Main Street
and Great Western Highway Lithgow, December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
| |
Sydney
Bound at Lithgow
Heading out of Lithgow near the SR40 intersection.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Distance
Sign
RD sign near Bayonet Street Lithgow. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
AD
Sign
Advance directional sign, southbound at Lithgow
approaching the hospital. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Southbound
near hospital
Looking at the southbound carriageway near
Lithgow Hospital. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Distance
Sign
RD sign near First Street Lithgow. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Warning
Sign for Old Bathurst Road
Southbound at Old Bowenfels. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Old
Bowenfels
Sydney bound as you change speed limits at
Old Bowenfels. This area bypasses some very windy sections
of road, some of which are still accessible. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Sydney
Bound between Old Bowenfels and Hartley
Typical scene south of Lithgow, December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Approaching
Hartley Bends
Heading into Hartley from Lithgow. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Start
of Hartley Bends
This section of road has been very tight and
windy for a number of years even after improvments during
the 1980s, this photo shows the beginning of the bends.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
River
Lett Hill / Hartley Bends
This section of road has been very tight and
windy for a number of years even after improvments during
the 1980s. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
River
Lett Hill / Hartley Bends
This section of road has been very tight and
windy for a number of years even after improvments during
the 1980s. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
River
Lett Hill / Hartley Bends
This section of road has been very tight and
windy for a number of years even after improvments during
the 1980s. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
River
Lett Hill / Hartley Bends
This section of road has been very tight and
windy for a number of years even after improvments during
the 1980s. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Jenolan
Caves Road & Blackmans Creek Road Intersection
Eastbound through Hartley. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
AD
Sign for Hartley
Directional sign for the historical town of
Hartley, which was bypassed in the 1980s. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Crossing
The Riverlett
Over the bridge at Hartley, eastbound. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Approaching
Little Hartley
Looking south-east entering Little Hartley,
which is the business area of the Hartley district.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Little
Hartley Merge
End of overtaking lane as you head towards
Sydney. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Browns
Gap Road Intersection
Looking southwest. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Ambermere
Drive Intersection
Looking southwest. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Victoria
Pass
Little Hartley at the base of Victoria Pass
which was built in the 1800s. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Victoria
Pass Sydney Bound
Looking east near the safety ramp. Victoria
Pass is 1 in 8 grade steepness. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Victoria
Pass Sydney Bound
Looking east near Mitchell's Ridge Lookout.
Victoria Pass is 1 in 8 grade steepness. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Victoria
Pass Sydney Bound
Looking east near Mitchell's Ridge
Lookout. Victoria Pass is 1 in 8 grade
steepness. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Mount
Victoria
Easterly as you enter the town of Mount Victoria,
perched atop of Victoria Pass. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Approaching
Fairy Dell Road
South easterly view of Mt Victoria as you approach
Fairy Dell Road near Cedar Log Cabins & Motel. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Darling
Causeway / Station Street Intersection
Heading southeast towards the Darling Causeway
Intersection at Mt Victoria. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Between
Station Street & Harley Avenue
Through Mt Victoria near Jacksons Restaurant
& Guesthouse at Mount Victoria. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Distance
Sign
RD Sign as you leave Mtr Victoria town centre
for Blackheath. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Soldiers
Pinch Area
Looking through the Soldiers Pinch area at
Blackheath. This area was the subject of a multi-million
dollar upgrade project a few years ago. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Soldiers
Pinch Area
Looking through the Soldiers Pinch area at
Blackheath. This area was the subject of a multi-million
dollar upgrade project a few years ago. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Approaching
Mount Boyce
Looking southwest as you pass over Mount Boyce
at Blackheath. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Mount
Boyce Heavy Vehicle Checking Station
Weighbridge and checking station at Blackheath.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Cameras
and Checking Station Lanes
Various cameras etc as you pass through the
Mount Boyce area past the Weighbridge and Checking Station.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Approaching
Blackheath
Southeast bound at Blackheath. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Blackheath
Southbound near Ridgewell Road. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
AD
Sign
Directional signage for Govetts Leap Road and
Bundarra Street Blackheath. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Soughbound
near Leichardt Street
Blackheath near the Montessori and Public Schools.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Services
Sign
Rest Area signage near Whitley Park. The rest
area itself is part of Sutton Park and features BBQs,
toilets and a playground. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Directional
Sign for Sutton Park
ID sign for Sutton Park at Blackheath. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Southbound
at Blackheath
Looking south near Evans Lookout Road. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Southbound
at Blackheath
Looking south near the pine plantation and
Relton Creek. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Entering
Meadlow Bath
Signage for the Meadlow Bath area highway upgrade.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Approaching
the Railway Parade Intersection
Looking southeast at Medlow Bath. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Railway
Parade Intersection
Looking southeast at Medlow Bath. December
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Outside
the Hydro Majestic
Southeast bound as you pass by the expansive
Hydro Majestic Hotel / Resort and also the railway station
at Medlow Bath. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Near
Foy Avenue
Southeast through Medlow Bath. December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Highway
through Mount Mark
Southern side of Mount Mark at Medlow Bath.
The majority of the highway had these road markings
in the 1980s between Katoomba and Springwood. They had
yellow outer markings and a white centre line. They
are employed to provide further traffic separation.
December 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
