Mitchell Highway

Mitchell Highway (NSW)

The Mitchell Highway is essentially a north-south highway linking north-western NSW with Dubbo, Bathurst and Sydney. The highway starts at Bathurst as National Route 32 and heads west into the Great Dividing Range to Orange then continues north into cattle and sheep farming districts, passing through Molong, Wellington and Dubbo. From Dubbo, the countryside becomes much flatter, as the highway follows the Bourke railway line in a north-westerly direction to Nyngan. The highway's route number changes to 71 (after the Barrier Highway junction at Nyngan) as it continues north-west while passing through vast flat pastoral & cattle country to Bourke and eventually terminates at the QLD border, just north of Barringun.

State: New South Wales
Name Origin: The Mitchell Highway is named after Sir Thomas Mitchell, a former explorer and Surveyor General of NSW in the mid 1800's. His last major exploration was into north-central NSW and south-central QLD regions of which the highway now passes through.
Pronunciation: Mi-chool Highway
Start: Bathurst
Principal Towns: Bathurst, Orange, Molong, Wellington, Dubbo, Narromine, Trangie, Nyngan, Bourke
Finish: QLD border (5km north of Barringun)
Length: 722km
Road Standard: Bitumen.
Road Quality: Generally good. Occasional overtaking lanes from Bathurst-Dubbo however road quality drops somewhat north of Nyngan and Bourke. Some windy and undulating sections encountered between Bathurst and Molong. Very flat and straight north of Dubbo with the highway passing through some very remote country north of Nyngan.
Speed Limit (outside built up areas): 100km/hr Bathurst-Wellington, 110km/hr Wellington-QLD Border
Road Continuation: Click for the Mitchell Highway in QLD, Click for the Great Western Highway, Click here for the Barrier Highway

Photos from the Mitchell Highway (NSW) (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):

Heading north along the Mid Western Highway approaching the start of the Mitchell and Great Western Hwys in Bathurst. When the new route numbering scheme in NSW is fully implemented, the A32 will replace the current route 32 (2006).

First distance sign, heading west on the Mitchell Highway from the Mid Western/Great Western Hwy junction in Bathurst (2006).

Heading east along the Mitchell Highway as it passes through Molong (2003).

Heading south on the Mitchell Highway from Wellington (2002).

And again, this time from Dubbo. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo (2004)!

Heading west on the Mitchell Highway from Dubbo (2004).

Heading south-east on the Mitchell Hwy from Nevertire (2003).

Distance sign as you head south-east from Nyngan on the Mitchell Highway (2003).

Looking north-west along Nymagee Street (Mitchell Hwy) in Nyngan (2003).

Heading north-west on the Mitchell Highway approaching the junction marking the start of the Barrier Highway. Note that Mitchell Highway's route changes here from 32 to 71 (Route 32 traces the Barrier Highway), Nyngan (2003).

Looking north-west on the Mitchell Hwy from the start of the NR71 section at Nyngan (2003).

Heading south on the Mitchell Highway between Bourke and Nyngan. Very flat countryside. Thanks again to Jamie Scuglia for this photo and the remaining pictures (2003).

Distance sign, heading south on the Mitchell Hwy from Bourke (2003).

Approaching the Mitchell Highway on the outskirts of Bourke from the Kidman Way (2003).

Heading east approaching the Mitchell Highway/Kamilaroi Highway junction in Bourke (2003).

Heading north on the Mitchell Hwy, just north of Bourke (2003).

Heading north on the Mitchell Highway between Bourke and Cunnamulla (2003).

Back to New South Wales ------ Back to Australia

	Heading north along the Mid Western Highway approaching the start of the Mitchell and Great Western Hwys in Bathurst. When the new route numbering scheme in NSW is fully implemented, the A32 will replace the current route 32 (2006).
	First distance sign, heading west on the Mitchell Highway from the Mid Western/Great Western Hwy junction in Bathurst (2006).
	Heading east along the Mitchell Highway as it passes through Molong (2003).
	Heading south on the Mitchell Highway from Wellington (2002).
	And again, this time from Dubbo. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo (2004)!
	Heading west on the Mitchell Highway from Dubbo (2004).
	Heading south-east on the Mitchell Hwy from Nevertire (2003).
	Distance sign as you head south-east from Nyngan on the Mitchell Highway (2003).
	Looking north-west along Nymagee Street (Mitchell Hwy) in Nyngan (2003).
	Heading north-west on the Mitchell Highway approaching the junction marking the start of the Barrier Highway. Note that Mitchell Highway's route changes here from 32 to 71 (Route 32 traces the Barrier Highway), Nyngan (2003).
	Looking north-west on the Mitchell Hwy from the start of the NR71 section at Nyngan (2003).
	Heading south on the Mitchell Highway between Bourke and Nyngan. Very flat countryside. Thanks again to Jamie Scuglia for this photo and the remaining pictures (2003).
	Distance sign, heading south on the Mitchell Hwy from Bourke (2003).
	Approaching the Mitchell Highway on the outskirts of Bourke from the Kidman Way (2003).
	Heading east approaching the Mitchell Highway/Kamilaroi Highway junction in Bourke (2003).
	Heading north on the Mitchell Hwy, just north of Bourke (2003).
	Heading north on the Mitchell Highway between Bourke and Cunnamulla (2003).