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Photo Gallery
New South Wales Road Photo Gallery:
National Route 34 (Oxley Highway) (Gunnedah to Walcha)
National Route 34 / Oxley Highway is a rural highway
in New South Wales, Australia. The Oxley Highway starts
at Nevertire where it joins the Mitchell Highway. It
links Warren, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Gunnedah, Tamworth,
Bendemeer, Walcha, Wauchope and ends at Port Macquarie
on the coast of the Tasman Sea.
The Oxley Highway links with the Castlereagh Highway
at Gilgandra, the Newell Highway at Coonabarabran, the
New England Highway and Tamworth, and the Pacific Highway
near Port Macquarie. It commemorates John Oxley who
was the first European to explore much of inland New
South Wales in 1818.
History:
The Oxley Highway runs through Walcha, connecting it with the New England Highway at Bendemeer and the coast at Port Macquarie. The Walcha and Armidale areas were first home to the Anaiwan people. John Oxley crossed the southern end of the northern tableland and camped on the Apsley River in 1818 near the present Walcha.
In 1832 Hamilton C. Semphill, a settler from Belltrees on the Hunter River, formed a station in the upper Apsley Valley and named it Wolka, appropriating an aboriginal word thought to mean 'the sun'. Others followed close on his heels, seeking new lands away from the influence of the Australian Agricultural Company, which dominated access to resources in the Hunter region, and settled around the present Armidale and Tenterfield. Soon the tablelands were occupied by the large sheep runs of these wealthy squatters.
In 1939 administration caught up with settlement and the New England pastoral district was formed. The new district's Commissioner of Crown Lands made his headquarters at Armidale and set out to define the sheep runs and find a route to the coast - as the journey to and from Maitland with wool and supplies was a journey taking months. Thus, the chequered career of the present Oxley Highway between Tamworth and Port Macquarie began, a road between Walcha and Port Macquarie constructed by convicts in the early 1840s. However, the descent to the coast was so steep that erosion soon made it impassable. By 1850 the eastern part of the New England region was already served by the present New England Highway. The expansion of pastoralism, coupled with gold discoveries during the 1850s, resulted in several transverse routes being made permanent.
The road connecting Tamworth with Port Macquarie, through Walcha, was one of those made suitable for regular vehicular traffic, but again fell out of use. (Regional Histories, 1996, pp. 72-75; Atlas of New England, 1977, pp. 153-66; Australian Encyclopaedia, 1963 Vol. 9, p. 146) The Oxley Highway was proclaimed in 1928, a circumferential link between the central and western areas of the State and New England and the North Coast. The highway generally followed the line of existing roads but many sections of the route were soon improved as a result of the proclamation of the highway. (DMR, 1976, pp. 141, 156, 165-66, 277).
The Gunnedah to Walcha section takes in towns such
as Carroll, Somerton and Tamworth.
| Length (This Section): |
76 km |
| Route Numbers: |
 |
| Information courtesy
of Wikipedia and Michael Greenslade |
|
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Oxley Highway near Gunnedah
One of the several long straight stretches of highway
between Gunnedah and the Newell Highway connection near
Coonabarabran. April 2005
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Oxley Highway near Gunnedah
One of the several long straight stretches of highway
between Gunnedah and the Newell Highway connection near
Coonabarabran. April 2005
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Distance Sign
Westbound AD sign leaving Gunnedah.
Image © Rob Tilley |
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South Street Gunnedah
Part of the CBD by-pass in Gunnedah, this is South Street.
April 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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South and View Streets Approach
Gunnedah
Photo of the Oxley Highway as it travels around Gunnedah
and approaches South and View Streets near Gunnedah
Racecourse.
Top image ©
Paul Rands / bottom image © Rob Tilley |
|
General signage along South
Street Gunnedah
Photo showing intersection layout along the Oxley Highway
bypass through Gunnedah.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Approach to South and Marquis
Streets Gunnedah
Photo taken in April 2005 showing the CBD by-pass of
Gunnedah.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Abbott Street Railway Overpass
Gunnedah
Photo of the railway overpass which is used by NR 34
through Gunnedah.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Abbott Street Gunnedah
Part of the Oxley Highway, this is where the NR34 /
37 branches and NR 34 continues to Coonabarabran. Taken
outside the Courthouse Hotel in Gunnedah, April 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Connadilly & Abbott Streets
Gunnedah
This is the other NR34 & 37 intersection in Gunnedah.
April 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Connadilly
Street Gunnedah (NR34 & 37)
Both the Oxley and Kamillaroi Highways share this stretch
of road into town. April 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands
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Truck Overturn Signs
Due to the heavy truck usage in the area and a somewhat
higher truck accident rate, these signs are erected
on all approaches to the NR 34 / 37 roundabout at Gunnedah.
They are much smaller than the standard version normally
seen. April 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Outbound NR34 & 37 approach
Photo of the Tamworth / Quirindi bound approach of the
Kamilaroi Highway intersection. April 2005. .
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Distance Sign
Taken April 2005, this is a more unusual type of distance
sign as it has only one control city on it.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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NR34 & NR37 Approach
Taken April 2005, this photo shows the westbound approach
to the Kamilaroi Highway duplex at Gunnedah.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Koala Sign on NR34
Westbound just outside of Carroll you start to see koalas
ahead signs, as this area is renown for its large number
of koalas.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Hoss Causeway at Carroll
Heading towards Tamworth, we are crossing the Hoss Causeway
just outside the village of Carroll. August 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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NR34 through Carroll
Photo of the Oxley Highway as it travels west through
the town of Carroll, which is located between Somerton
and Gunnedah.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Oxley Highway from 2700 feet
Looking towards Somerton and Tamworth, this is Oxley
Highway from a glider near Lake Keepit (50 km from Tamworth).
August 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Unusual Direction Signage
This photo was taken on the corner of Oxley Highway
and the road to Lake Keepit at Somerton. Normally fingerboard
such as this are in lowercase text.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Approach to Lake Keepit Road,
Somerton
Facing west, this is the approach to the turn-off for
Lake Keepit at Somerton, about 30 minutes from Tamworth.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Oxley Highway, Somerton (Outside
the Bective property)
Westbound on NR34 at Somerton near the Bective property.
This is a typical strecth of road in this area.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Oxley Highway, Somerton (Outside
the Bective property)
Eastbound on NR34 at Somerton near the Bective property.
This is showing the highway as it goes up the hill to
the Somerton town centre.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Somerton Westbound
NR 34 as it leaves the town of Somerton.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Distance Sign Westbound at
Somerton
Sign showing distances to destinations beyond Somerton
along the highway.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Somerton Welcome Sign
This the western end of the village of Somerton on the
Oxley Highway near Tamworth.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Black Directional Sign
One of the few black signs left on the route between
Bendemeer and Coonabarabran, this sign is at the Somerton-Manilla
Road turn-off.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Advance Directional Sign
Signage for the approaching Somerton-Manilla Road turn
off at Somerton heading West.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Distance
Sign - Somerton
Distance signage on eastern edge of Somerton (heading
towards Tamworth).
This is the first look in that Port
Macquarie gets along the road in this direction.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Oxley Highway at Tangaratta
Creek
The Oxley Highway is generally stratight from Somerton
to Gunnedah, but as you get closer to Tamworth there's
a few curves here and there.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Tangaratta Creek Bridge
This photo is of the Tangaratta Creek Bridge, eastbound
a few kilometres west of Tamworth airport.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Stop Revive Survive Distance
Signage
Eastbound on the Oxley Highway near Tamworth Airport,
this sign tells drivers that Tamworth is close by and
could be a good place to rest from driving.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Burnt
Sign
Some joker decided it would be fun to set fire to the
trailblazer on this sign facing the road to Tamworth
Airport.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Westbound
at Westdale
This is fairly typical of the road between Tamworth
and Gunnedah. Westdale is a small suburb of Tamworth.
This image was taken Westbound.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Directional
Sign at Taminda
Westbound on NR 34 at taminda (West Tamworth) is this
Victorian style sign with incorrect sheild. It's for
the roundabout with Old Gunnedah Road.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Sign
Goof on Old Gunnedah Road Roundabout
There are a number of NR34 signs with the wrong shield
both in Tamworth and along the route near Gunnedah.
Westbound at Taminda.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
NR
34 in Taminda
Taminda is Tamworth's industrial centre and is actually
short for Tamworth Industrial Area, creative huh?
Anyway this is facing Westbound, towards
Westdale and Gunnedah.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Duri
Road Intersection West Tamworth
Corner of the Oxley Highway and Duri Road at West Tamworth.
August 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Signage
for Mahony Avenue Roundabout West Tamworth
Southbound on Bridge Street West Tamworth (NR34 / Oxley
Highway).
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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West
Tamworth
This is the Oxley Highway through West Tamworth. This
road is also known as Bridge Street.
This is the widest section of the
highway (3 + 3 Lanes).
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Bridge
Street West Tamworth
Northbound along Bridge Street at West Tamworth. This
is Tamworth's busiest street seen on a Sunday afternoon.
August 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Bridge
& Crown Streets West Tamworth
Looking towards the Tamworth CBD from outside Tamworth
Shoppingworld at West Tamworth. August 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Directional
Sign - West Tamworth
As you head towards the Tamworth CBD, this is the approach
to what was once the New England Highway intersection.
Now know by it's local name, Ebsworth Street crosses
Bridge Street (NR34) at the approaching signals. August
2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Directional
Signage for former NH15 & NR34 intersection
Southbound on Bridge Street Tamworth, this sign is for
the former New England Highway Intersection with Oxley
Highway.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Peel
River Bridge Tamworth
We head north into the Tamworth CBD over the Peel River.
August 2005.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Brisbane
Street Tamworth
Looking towards what was once the steepest section of
the New England Highway. The highway no longer traverses
this road and is now only known as the Oxley Highway.
August 2005 as we cross Kable Avenue.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
Brisbane
Street & Kable Avenue Tamworth
This is facing south in the Tamworth CBD on National
Route 34 (Oxley Highway). This intersection can be under
a fair bit of water during flood time.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
|
National
Route 34 & State Route 95 Intersection
This is the corner of Marius and Brisbane Streets Tamworth. The Oxley Highway turns left at the
signals here, State Route 95 travels to Manilla by going
straight through at the lights.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Oxley
& New England Highways Junction
Roundabout AD signage for the corner of Marius and Murray
Streets East Tamworth.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Southbound at Bendemeer
Heading towards Tamworth on the NH15/NR34 duplex.
Image © Rob Tilley |
 |
Havannah St / Oxley Hwy / New England Hwy
Southbound at Bendemeer on the NH15/NR34 duplex.
Image © Rob Tilley |
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Old
Alignment
Before the New England Highway by-passed Bendemeer,
the Oxley Highway went right into town. This is the old alignment, still visible
in 2004, and although overgrown, somewhat in tact.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
NR34
/ NH15 Intersection Bendemeer
Taken Southbound as the Oxley Highway becomes a duplex
with New England Highway at Bendemeer.
Image ©
Rob Tilley |
 |
ID Signs
Intersection Directional signs on the corner of the Oxley Hwy & New England Hwy, Bendemeer.
Image © Rob Tilley |
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NR
34 / NH 15 Goof
Sign goof on the corner of the New England Highway and
Oxley Highway Bendemeer.
NH 34 doesn't exist and NR 34 doesn't
end here either, it's duplexed with NH15 through Tamworth
via New England Highway, then reverts to NR 34 only,
along Marius, Brisbane and Bridge Streets, before becoming
the Oxley Highway again at West Tamworth.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Distance Sign
Taken Eastbound in the town of Bendemeer. February 2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Eastbound at Bendemeer
Taken Eastbound at Bendemeer near Tamworth, this is
typical scenery for this road and this area. February
2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Eastbound at Bendemeer
Taken Eastbound at Bendemeer near Tamworth, this is
typical scenery for this road and this area. February
2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Eastbound at Woolbrook
Taken Eastbound at Woolbrook, this is typical scenery
for this road and this area. February 2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Services Sign
Eastbound at Woolbrook, this sign indicates the services
available at the town of Woolbrook as you approache
the intersection of the Oxley Highway / Wilson Street.
February 2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
.jpg) |
McDonald River
Step back in time as you cross the McDonald River via
this old bridge at Woolbrook. February 2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Walcha Road
Heading into Walcha Road from Tamworth, February 2006.
This area is named after the local railway station which
is on the Northern Railway.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Crossing the Great Dividing Range
Taken Eastbound at Walcha Road. This is the Oxley Highway
as it crosses over the middle of the Great Dividing
Range.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
 |
Old
Black Distance Sign
Taken Eastbound in the Walcha Road Area. Port Macquarie,
Walcha and their respective distances are all on coverplates.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
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Eastbound between Walcha Road & Walcha
Typical scenery once you leave the windy section of
road on to the plateau that Walcha is settled upon.
February 2006.
Image ©
Paul Rands |
.jpg)
