Pacific Highway

Pacific Highway
see other route designations below Under conversion to [1].
Length	825 km (513 mi)
General direction	North-South
From	North Quay Brisbane
via	Ballina, Grafton, Coffs Harbour, Kempsey, Taree, Newcastle, Gosford, Wahroonga
To	Warringah Freeway, North Sydney, Sydney
Allocation	Tweed Heads-Hexham: Hexham-Doyalson: Doyalson-Wahroonga: Wahroonga-Artarmon: Artarmon-Crows Nest: (No Shield)
Major junctions	Gold Coast Highway Bruxner Highway Summerland Way Gwydir Highway Waterfall Way Oxley Highway Bucketts Way New England Highway Sydney-Newcastle Freeway Central Coast Highway Motorway Link Sydney-Newcastle Freeway Cumberland Highway Mona Vale / Ryde Roads Boundary Road Fullers Road Mowbray Road Gore Hill Freeway Hills Motorway Falcon Street Miller Street

Hunter River bridge, Pacific Highway, Hexham, New South Wales is the largest of few surviving lift span bridges in NSW, still in working order.

From the hill, showing the Chinderah-Yelgun freeway that sweeps through the Tweed Valley.

The Pacific Highway is a major transport route in eastern Australia and is part of Australia's Highway 1. It is 1,025 km (637 mi) long and links Sydney, the capital of New South Wales, to Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, along the coast, via Gosford, Newcastle, Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Ballina and the Gold Coast. Today, only 44% or 300 km (186 mi) is dual carriageway and 7% or 50 km (31 mi) is under construction.^[2]

History

Initially, the primary mode of transport of the New South Wales North Coast towns was sea transport. The road linking Tweed Heads and Newcastle was only partly sealed, flood-prone and had many river crossings without bridges (using ferries). This was designated the North Coast Highway in 1928. It was renamed the Pacific Highway in 1931.

Most freight traffic between New South Wales and Queensland passed along the New England Highway instead, due to the easier topography of the Northern Tablelands it traverses. From 1950 through to 1967, traffic quadrupled as the North Coast became an attractive retirement and tourist destination. The highway was subsequently improved, the last section to be sealed was in 1958 at Koorainghait south of Taree, and the last road ferry crossing was replaced by the Harwood Bridge over the South Channel of the Clarence River in 1966 (the north channel had been bridged in 1931).

Shark Creek bridge near Maclean, formerly part of the Pacific Hwy

However it is still hilly and winding in many stretches. With increases in traffic, towns and villages are gradually being bypassed. As late as 1977, overtaking lanes or climbing lanes were rare, hence traffic slowed down in peak seasons. The increase in traffic during holidays combined with the dangerous stretches resulted in many fatalities.

Two major coach accidents on the Pacific Highway in 1989 near Grafton (in which 20 people died) and at Clybucca near Kempsey (in which 35 people died) resulted in a public outcry over the poor quality of the road and its high fatality rate.^[3] It did not examine the question of why the North Coast railway had failed to be improved to handle increased economic development on the North Coast, and the consequent overloading of the road system with long distance freight and passenger traffic. It was clear that the road, built when the North Coast was merely an agricultural area, could not handle the amount of traffic in the rapidly growing region. The Pacific Highway was never part of the Federally funded system of National Highways. This appears to be because when the Commonwealth funding of the 'national highway' system began in 1974, the New England Highway was chosen rather than the Pacific Highway as the Sydney-Brisbane link due to its easier topography and consequent lower upgrade costs.

Yet the highway was undeniably heavily used by interstate traffic and its upgrade was beyond the resources of the New South Wales Government alone. The NSW Government and the Commonwealth Government argued for years about how the responsibility for funding the highway's upgrade should be divided between themselves, only coming up with a mutually acceptable upgrade package just after the 1996/1997 financial year. The Highway is now part of the AusLink National Network and new projects are funded 50/50 by the Federal and State governments.

The Pacific Highway today

Single carriageway sections from Tweed Heads to Newcastle are progressively being converted to Freeway/motorway or dual carriageway standards. Numerous sections of single carriageway road have been upgraded by the addition of sections of overtaking lane and pavement widening. Many towns have been bypassed by motorway-standard stretches, though the highway still snakes through several large towns such as Coffs Harbour and Kempsey. Overall the highway has become safer and travelling times have been substantially reduced particularly during holiday periods. However, about 56% (311 km) of the Pacific Hwy is still only one lane in each direction with some form of overtaking opportunity occasionally (or three lanes undivided on occasions), 44% (280 km) is dual carriageway and a further 3% (45km) of dual carriageway is under construction. ^[2] From time to time, there are proposals in the media for the private sector to build a fully controlled-access high-speed tollway between Newcastle and the Queensland border, possibly using the BOT system of infrastructure provision. Nothing has eventuated from these proposals.^[4]

The Pacific Highway was replaced by the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway as the national route between Sydney and Black Hill in sections between 1965 and 1992. Dual carriageway extends from the end of the freeway at Black Hill north to a point 3 kilometres south of Bulahdelah which was completed just recently. Here the new section will join with the new proposed dual carriageway Bulahdelah bypass which was approved on 9 July 2007.^[5][6][7][8]

From Bulahdelah the highway is dual carriageway as far north as Port Macquarie at the Oxley Highway interchange. The section between north Coopernook to Herons Creek is under construction, and will provide dual carriageway conditions between north Bulahdelah to Port Macquarie, opening in mid 2010, bypassing Moorland, Johns River and Kew.^[9][10][11]

Beyond this are dual carriageway sections from Herons Creek to Port Macquarie (3 km north of Kew), Eungai-Warrell Creek, North Urunga to Coffs Harbour (bypassing Bonville^[12]) and through the Coffs Harbour urban area (not freeway standard - but still 4 lanes). In addition, the highway from Ewingsdale interchange (the Byron Bay exit) to Brisbane is dual carriageway.^{[13][14][15][16][17]} This section of the highway has just one traffic signal, at Banora Point (or Sextons Hill), but development of the EIS and SIS (environmental impact statement and the species impact statement) is underway for a 2 km deviation to "eliminate" this traffic signal^[18].

Currently, major construction projects are underway on the 12 km Ballina bypass which is expected to be completed by 2012 and the 33 km deviation from north Coopernook to Herons Creek also opening in mid-2010^[9][10][11]. These will result in continuous dual carriageway from Sydney to Port Macquarie (apart from Bulahdelah and the 3 km approaches to Bulahdelah).

The Ballina bypass is under construction and is expected to open by 2012.^[19][20][21]

Six "Environmental assessments" (SIS) have commenced: Banora Point upgrade,^[18] Tintenbar to Ewingsdale upgrade,^[22] Sapphire to Woolgoolga upgrade,^[23] Warrell Creek to Urunga upgrade,^[24] Kempsey to Eungai upgrade^[25] Oxley Highway to Kempsey.^[26]

The four "Preferred route selected" projects are: Woodburn to Ballina Upgrade,^[27] Wells Crossing to Iluka Road,^[28] Woolgoolga to Wells Crossing^[29] and the F3 Freeway to Raymond Terrace Upgrade.^[30]

The Coffs Harbour bypass is currently in planning^[31] and a traffic master plan for the Tweed includes:^[32]:

• Banora Point deviation (2.5 km) - In 2010-2015
• 4-way (full diamond) access ramps of Kirkwook Road - In 2015-2020
• The Tweed Heads bypass (5 km) widening to six lanes (3 lanes in each direction) - In 2020-2025.

These projects form part of a 2009-2016 program jointly funded on a 50-50 basis by the Commonwealth and NSW governments to upgrade the Hexham-Gold Coast stretch of the Pacific Highway to dual-carriageway standard.

The five major objectives for the Pacific Highway upgrade are:

1. Four lanes from Brisbane to Ewingsdale Interchange (Byron Bay exit) by 2007 - Completed.^[17][16]
2. Four lanes from north Urunga to Coffs Harbour by 2008. Completed^[33]
3. Four lanes from Sydney to Oxley Highway Interchange (Port Macquarie exit) by 2009 (except for Bulahdelah and the approaches to Bulahdelah).^{[34][35][36][33]}
4. Four lanes from Brisbane to Ballina by 2012.^[19]
5. Four lanes for all the rest of the Pacific Highway by 2016.^[37][38][39]

In 2007 mounting pressure was place on the Federal Government to provide additional funding for the highway.^{[citation needed]} On 10 October 2007 the Federal Minister for Transport and Regional Services pledged $2.4 billion in funding for the highway, subject to dollar for dollar funding by the NSW state government. However, the NSW state government refused to match funding. In the lead up to the 2007 Federal election, then opposition leader Kevin Rudd pledged $1.5 billion in funding.^[40] As part of Auslink 2 (Nation Building Program), the Federal Govt announced in it's 2009 Federal budget that $3.1 billion would be spent on the highway up until 2014^[41] at which time just 63% of the highway would be duplicated.^[42] The NSW Government will spend just $500 million over that same period, with $300 million cut as a result of the 2008 mini budget.^[43]

Safety

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The Pacific Highway is one of the most dangerous and deadly streatches of road in Australia. Between 1995 and 2009, over 400 people died on the highway. In 1989, two separate bus crashes, the Grafton bus crash (in which 20 people died) and the Kempsey bus crash (in which 35 died) led to the deaths of 55 people on the highway, two of the worst road accidents in Australia's history. In 2009 thus far, 20 people have died on the Pacific Highway. It is estimated that perhaps over 10,000 people have been injured or maimed on the highway throughout it's history.

Much of the danger of the Pacific Highway lies in the fact that it contains long stretches of undivided road along which all types of vehicles including, private automobiles, buses, vans and trucks, simultaneously travel at speeds approaching and in excess of 100km/h. Being undivided, there is a very high risk of head-on collisions. A severe lack of funding has resulted in minimal upgrades to the highway throughout it's history. In more recent years, State and Federal Governments have begun to fund an upgrade to a fully divided highway along it's entire length. As of 2009, only 44% of the highway has been divided and a mere 50km section is currently under construction.

Route Description

Map of Pacific Highway route from Sydney to Brisbane.
KEY      Pacific Hwy      New England Hwy      Other major highways      Other freeways/motorways/expressways

From Sydney the Pacific Highway starts as the continuation of the Bradfield Highway at the northern end of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, immediately north of the Sydney Central Business District and is the main route as far as the suburb of Wahroonga. From the Harbour Bridge to the Gore Hill Freeway at Artarmon it has no route number and from the Gore Hill Freeway to Wahroonga it is designated as Metroad 1. From Wahroonga to Hexham near Newcastle the Pacific Highway has been superseded by the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, known formerly and still colloquially as the F3. The present designation of this road is National Highway 1. The freeway ends at John Renshaw Drive at Beresfield, from which a connector road leads to the New England Highway (national highway 15) between Hexham and Maitland. Northbound traffic turns right onto a short section John Renshaw Drive then connect via an overpass to the New England Highway towards Newcastle, to rejoin the Pacific Highway at Hexham interchange.

Back at Wahroonga, the Pacific Highway itself is located mostly parallel to the freeway until Kariong (at which point it diverts into the Central Coast through Gosford and Wyong). It continues along this route (designated state route 83) until Doyalson. The section of the highway from Cowan to Kariong follows a scenic winding route. This section was damaged quite severely during severe weather in June 2007. Five people died when a bridge over Piles Creek collapsed and the entire section was closed due to subsidence two kilometres further south. The road was reopened in 2009 when the Holt-Bragg Bridge was opened, named after the family that had perished. The section of what was formerly the Pacific Highway from the Wiseman's Ferry Road junction at Somersby, through to the Pacific Hwy exit at Gosford (adjacent to Brian McGowan Bridge), has been rebadged as the Central Coast Highway, still carrying State Route 83.

Between 1925 and 1930 the then-Main Roads Board reconstructed a route between Hornsby and Calga that had been abandoned some forty years earlier, in order to provide a direct road link between Sydney and Newcastle. In addition a replacement route, from Calga into the gorge of Mooney Mooney Creek and up to the ridge at Kariong above Gosford, was also required. This new Sydney-Newcastle route via Calga and Gosford was some 80 km shorter than the previous route via Parramatta, McGraths Hill, Maroota, Wisemans Ferry, Wollombi and Cessnock. At first Peats Ferry was reinstituted to cross the Hawkesbury River, with construction of the bridge not beginning until 1938, due to the Great Depression. Due to the onset of World War II, the bridge was not completed until May 1945.

The highway recommences as state route 83 in Gosford and continues north through the Central Coast suburbs of Ourimbah and Wyong as a regional route before meeting with a spur of the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway near Doyalson numbered as state route 111. At this point the Pacific Highway becomes state route 111, and is a four-lane regional highway passing Lake Macquarie and on through the suburbs of Newcastle before rejoining national route 1 at Hexham.

From Bennetts Green to Sandgate it is supplemented by the Newcastle Inner City Bypass, through New Lambton and Jesmond. Two lengths of this route (Bennetts Green-Kotara Heights and Jesmond-Shortland) have been replaced by freeway.

From Hexham, the Pacific Highway (now national route 1 again) passes along the NSW North Coast and across the state border into Queensland at Tweed Heads, on the southern fringe of the Gold Coast, Queensland. From here, the Highway is a divided four-lane urban arterial to Billinga, where it becomes the Pacific Motorway. The former route of the Pacific Highway through Burleigh Heads, Surfers Paradise and Southport was renamed the Gold Coast Highway.

Interchanges

Interchanges on motorway standard sections, from north to south.

Pacific Highway Tweed Heads to Ewingsdale
Northbound exits	Distance from Sydney (km)	Southbound exits
End Pacific Highway continues on as Pacific Motorway to Brisbane	829 Brisbane 102km	Burleigh Heads, Surfers Paradise Gold Coast Airport Gold Coast Highway
Tweed Heads, Coolangatta, Gold Coast Airport Gold Coast Highway, Kennedy Drive		Start Pacific Highway End Start
Tweed Heads, Coolangatta Kennedy Drive
Tweed Heads, Coolangatta Minjungbal Drive	825	Tweed Heads, Coolangatta Minjungbal Drive
Banora Point Darlington Drive		Banora Point Darlington Drive
Sexton Hill Traffic Lights Sydney 824km Banora Point, Terranora Terranora Road
Barneys Point Old Pacific Highway	823	Barneys Point Old Pacific Highway
Tweed River - Barneys Point Bridge
Chinderah, Kingscliff, Fingal Head Waugh Street	822	Chinderah, Kingscliff, Fingal Head Tweed Coast Way
Chinderah, Kingscliff Tweed Coast Way	820	Chinderah, Cudgen, Casuarina, BP Service Centre Tweed Coast Way
Cudgen, Condong, Murwillumbah Tweed Valley Way	817	Condong, Murwillumbah Tweed Valley Way
Cabarita Beach, Bogangar Clothiers Creek Road	808	Cabarita Beach, Bogangar Clothiers Creek Road
Hastings Point, Potsville Cudgera Creek Road	801	Hastings Point, Potsville Cudgera Creek Road
Sleepy Hollow rest area	798	Sleepy Hollow rest area
Murwillumbah, Mooball, Burringbar Tweed Valley Way	789	Billinudgel, Ocean Shores, Mooball Tweed Valley Way
Billinudgel Wilfred Street	786	no exit
Brunswick River
Brunswick Heads, Ocean Shores Brunswick Valley Way	783	Brunswick Heads Brunswick Valley Way
Brunswick Heads, Mullumbimby Brunswick Valley Way, Gulgan Road	780	Mullumbimby Brunswick Valley Way, Gulgan Road
Mullumbimby Gulgan Road	777	Mullumbimby Gulgan Road
Ewingsdale, Byron Bay Ewingsdale Road	771 Brisbane 162km	Ewingsdale, Byron Bay Ewingsdale Road
Start Motorway End Start		End Motorway continues on as to Ballina and Sydney

Speed limits (south to north)

Road distances (in kilometres) of towns and cities along the Pacific Highway from Sydney. Town names in brackets are bypassed

Hexham to Port Macquarie

• Hexham bridges - 80 km/h northbound / 60 km/h southbound
• Hexham bridges to Motto Farm - 80 km/h
• Motto Farm to Raymond Terrace bypass - 70 km/h
• Raymond Terrace bypass to the Bucketts Way at-grade intersection - 100 km/h
• The Bucketts Way at-grade intersection to South Bulahdelah - 110km/h
• South Bulahdelah - 80 km/h
• Bulahdelah - Mainly 60 km/h and 40 km/h at the school near Lee Street, within school times
• Bulahdelah bypass - 110 km/h (Construction commenced in November 2007 on southern half of the Bulahdelah bypass, no other dates are given)^[36][5]
• North Bulahdelah - 90 km/h
• North Bulahdelah to Wootton Way - 110 km/h
• Wootton Way to Coolongnook - 100 km/h
• Coolongolook - 80 km/h
• Coolongolook to Possum Brush - 100 km/h (in-between Trittion Road and Stills Road, northbound only - 90 km/h)
• Possum Brush to just north of Cundletown Interchange - 110 km/h
• Just north of Cundletown Interchange to just north of Coopernook - 100 km/h
• Just north of Coopernook to Herons Creek - Variable speed limits (constructing dual carriageways from 3km north of Coopernook to Herons Creek, expected opening December 2009)^[10]
• Herons Creek to Oxley Hwy interchange (Port Macquarie exit) - 110 km/h (in-between Herons Creek and Stills Road, northbound only - 80 km/h)

Port Macquarie to Coffs Harbour

• Oxley Hwy interchange to Hastings River Bridge - 80 km/h
• Hastings River Bridge to Kempsey - 100 km/h (fixed speed camera near Kundabung)
• Kempsey town area - 50-80 km/h (3 Traffic lights)
• Kempsey to Frederickton - 100 km/h
• Frederickton town area - 50 km/h (Sharp curves)
• Frederickton to Macksville - 100 km/h (40km/h school zone at Bellimbopinni)
• Macksville town area - 50 km/h (Sharp bend, narrow bridge and traffic light)
• Macksville to Nambucca Heads - 100 km/h (fixed speed camera 6km south of Nambucca Heads)
• Nambucca Heads town area - 60 km/h
• Nambucca Heads to Valla Beach - 100 km/h
• Valla Beach to Urunga - 80 km/h (fixed speed camera near Hungry Head turnoff)
• Urunga town area - 60 km/h (fixed speed camera)
• Urunga to Boambee - 100 km/h (including Bonville Deviation/Upgrade)
• Boambee to Coffs Harbour - 70 km/h

Coffs Harbour to Ballina

• Coffs Harbour town area - 60 km/h (approx 12 traffic lights, heavy traffic area)
• Coffs Harbour to Korora - 80 km/h
• Korora to Sandy Beach north turn off - 100 km/h (fixed speed camera at Korora)
• Sandy Beach north turn off to Woolgoolga - 80 km/h
• Woolgoolga town area - 60 km/h (roundabout)
• Woolgoolga to Grafton - 100 km/h (Kangaroos 5 to 20km south of Grafton, Horses near Corindi, 3km divided road at Halfway creek)
• Grafton town area - 60 km/h (Centenary Drive or High Level Bypass - 80 km/h)
• Grafton to Ulmarra - 100 km/h
• Ulmarra town area - 50 km/h (School Zone 40km/h, sharp curves)
• Ulmarra to Maclean (southern turn off) - 100 km/h
• Maclean (southern turn off) to Woodburn - 100 km/h (25 km of kangaroo zone)
• Woodburn town area - 50 km/h (fixed speed camera northern end of town)
• Woodburn to Broadwater - 100 km/h (a rough surface 80km/h zone)
• Broadwater town area - 60 km/h
• Broadwater to Bruxner Hwy (Teven) Junction - 100 km/h (fixed speed camera 5km north of Wardell)
• Bruxner Hwy Junction to Ballina - 80 km/h

Ballina to Brisbane

• Ballina - 60 km/h (7 roundabouts, 4 traffic lights) (Ballina bypass - 110 km/h, opening by late 2012)^[44]
• Ballina to Cumbalum - 100 km/h
• Cumbalum to Tintenbar - 80km/h (60km/h trucks, 70 m climb/descent)
• Tintenbar to Newrybar - 100 km/h
• Newrybar to Bangalow Bypass - 80 km/h
• Bangalow Bypass - 110 km/h
• Bangalow Turnoff to Macleods Shoot - 100 km/h
• Macleods Shoot to Ewingsdale interchage (Byron Bay exit) - 60 km/h (fixed speed camera, 140 m climb/descent)
• Ewingsdale interchage (Byron Bay exit) to Mullumbimby/Brunswick Heads Interchange - 100 km/h
• Mullumbimby/Brunswick Heads Interchange to Chinderah - 110 km/h
• Chinderah to Banora Point - 90 km/h (Northbound only)
• Banora Point - 70 km/h (EIS/SIS completed for the proposed Banora Point upgrade)
• Sexton Hill (just north of Banora Point) - 80 km/h (fixed speed camera north side of hill)
• Sexton Hill to Nerang - 100 km/h (including the Tugun bypass) - Reduced roadwork speed limits during Nerang to Tugun upgrade
• Nerang to Beenleigh - 110 km/h
• Beenleigh to Greenslopes - 100 km/h (fixed speed camera near exit 8)
• Greenslopes to Captain Cook Bridge - 80 km/h (Construction zone for North-South Bypass Tunnel, Brisbane)
• Captain Cook Bridge to Turbot Street (CBD) (Riverside Expressway) - 70 km/h

Cities and towns

The Pacific Highway passes through some of Australia's fastest growing regions, the NSW's Central Coast and North Coast and also the Brisbane-Gold Coast corridor, with tourism and leisure being the primary economic activity. Hence the traffic is heavy, particularly during holiday seasons, resulting in major congestion. For direct Sydney-Brisbane travel, the New England Highway is preferred as it passes through fewer major towns and carries less local traffic. Another alternate route is via the scenic Bucketts Way and Thunderbolts Way to the Northern Tablelands at Walcha before rejoining the New England Highway at Uralla. This route reduces the distance of the Sydney to Brisbane trip by about 70km.

Major cities and towns along the Pacific Highway include: Gosford, Wyong, Newcastle, Taree, Port Macquarie, Kempsey, Coffs Harbour, Grafton, Ballina and Byron Bay, all in New South Wales; and Gold Coast in Queensland.

Gosford

Gosford is the commercial centre of the Central Coast, Australia's ninth largest urban area at the 2001 census. Gosford is located on Brisbane Water which is an inlet off Broken Bay. The Central Coast has a moderate climate, good beaches and pretty bushland areas. It includes popular holiday resorts such as Terrigal, The Entrance and Ettalong Beach. A small section of 7 kilometres between the Sydney Newcastle Freeway at Kariong, and the Pacific Highway at Gosford was renamed the Central Coast Highway from 9 August 2006.^[45]

Newcastle

Newcastle is the second largest city in New South Wales and is the commercial, administrative and industrial hub of the Hunter Valley, a region with a population of approximately 590,000. Once a major industrial city, it is now an elegant destination full of historic buildings, beaches, interesting sights and cultural activities.

The preferred method of reaching Newcastle from the freeway is to take the Newcastle Link Road (the Newcastle/Wallsend exit) from the Newcastle Freeway. Alternatively, Newcastle may be reached by taking the Doyalson exit from the Freeway and following the Pacific Highway (route 111), or by continuing to the end of the freeway and turning right onto John Renshaw Drive and then the New England Highway, travelling through Hexham.

Bulahdelah

Bulahdelah is about 80 kilometres (64 miles) north of Newcastle with a population just over 1,000 and Bulahdelah is the last town that is yet to be bypassed (between Hexham and Port Maquarie). "Joint planning and funding approval" for the 8.5 kilometre bypass of the township of Bulahdelah was given on 9 July, 2007.^{[46][19][5][47][48]}

Taree

Taree is a major North Coast town. It is a major service centre and stopover point rather than a tourist destination. Among the attractions apart from forests and waterways is the 'Big Oyster'. The Highway now passes to the east of the town, following the opening of a bypass in 2000.

Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie is the major resort on the Mid North Coast. It is located slightly off the Pacific Highway via the Oxley Highway. It was first settled in 1821 and has historic buildings, a museum, nature reserves, surfing beaches, fishing locations and a variety of accommodation.

Kempsey

Kempsey is a large town located on the Macleay River halfway between Sydney and the Gold Coast, making it a popular stopping point for people making the journey along the Pacific Highway. Akubra Hats are made in Kempsey and it was the home town of Slim Dusty.

Coffs Harbour

Pacific Highway in Woolgoolga

Coffs Harbour is the commercial and administrative centre of the Mid North Coast and is the major resort of the NSW North Coast. With a subtropical climate, Coffs Harbour is popular with retirees and tourists. This is evident from its suburban development, more akin to big cities than North Coast towns. It is also famous for its banana plantations, celebrated by 'The Big Banana' tourist destination. Apart from banana growing fishing is important here. The Jetty area of the city includes a marina, a large harbour with an accessible jetty, shops, restaurants and cafes, as well as the Muttonbird Island reserve, famous for its muttonbird population. South is Sawtell, which is a fast-developing coastal resort with attractive beaches and its famous main street with cafes, clubs and shops. To the north of Coffs Harbour is Woolgoolga, which has similar attractions, and has two temples serving a large local Sikh population.

Grafton

Grafton is a regional city with wide streets, ornamental parks and Victorian buildings, located on the banks of the Clarence River. The city holds a Jacaranda Festival in November when the jacarandas which line almost every street are in full bloom.

Ballina

Ballina is a major centre on the Far North Coast, attracting large numbers of retirees. It is located among sugarcane plantations at the mouth of the Richmond River. It is also holiday destination. A famous piece of kitsch, 'The Big Prawn' advertises Ballina as a desirable fishing spot. Ballina is one of the fastest growing areas in Australia. The Ballina bypass is set to be completed and opened to traffic by 2012.^{[citation needed]}

Tweed Heads

Tweed Heads is the major commercial centre of the southern part of the Gold Coast, which extends as far south as Chinderah in NSW. It was known as a 'twin town' along with Coolangatta, Queensland before they coalesced with other towns to form the suburbia of the Gold Coast.

Gold Coast

Coolangatta to Beenleigh is within the city of Gold Coast. The city has a population of 500,000 and is Australia's sixth-largest city. The oceanside parts of the Gold Coast are characterised by high-rises, residential canal developments, a casino, theme parks, amusement parks and numerous tourist attractions, whilst its inland suburbs are leafy and well kept, looking much like the newer suburbia of other large Australian cities. The Gold Coast attracts tourists from around the world and is one of Australia's leading tourist destinations. Most of the city is bypassed by the Pacific Motorway (M1 Motorway) which continues to Logan City in Brisbane, where its designation becomes Metroad 3. From there, this section of the Pacific Motorway (known before 2003 as the South East Freeway) continues directly into Brisbane city centre. The Gold Coast Highway was very congested until the Tugun Bypass opened in June 2008 bypassing a badly traffic snarled section near the busy Gold Coast International Airport.

The former route of the Pacific Highway through the Gold Coast has been renamed as the Gold Coast Highway, and the former route of the highway from Logan to Woolloongabba in Brisbane is now Logan Road, which was the name it had prior to becoming part of the Pacific Highway in 1931.

See also

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Pacific Highway

• Pacific Motorway
• Highways in Australia
• List of highways in New South Wales
• List of highways in Queensland
• Category:Australian highways

References

External links

• Weekly road conditions
• Live traffic camera - Pacific Hwy at Chatswood in suburban Sydney

v • d • e Road Infrastructure in the Gold Coast Motorways: Pacific Motorway (bypass) · Smith Street Motorway Highways: Gold Coast Highway · Pacific Highway Major Roads: Ashmore Road · Bermuda Street · Bundall Road · Ferny Avenue · Ferry Road · Gooding Drive · High Street · Nerang - Broadbeach Road · Robina Parkway Transport on the Gold Coast

v • d • e Road Infrastructure in Newcastle Sydney-Newcastle Freeway · New England Highway · Pacific Highway · Newcastle Inner City Bypass · Hunter Street  · Hunter Expressway (proposed)

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