Australian Towns, Cities & Highways: Newell Highway

Newell Highway

The Newell Highway is one of NSW's longest highway stretches. It starts in south central NSW at the NSW/VIC border on the Murray River, at Tocumwal. Immediately north of Tocumwal, the highway heads north through the Riverina & Hay Plains before crossing the Murrumbidgee River to arrive in Narrandera. Continuing north, the highway passes through central western NSW and generally flat, crop growing country to West Wyalong, Parkes and the key city of Dubbo. From Gilgandra, the highway climbs into the Warrumbungle Ranges through to Coonabarabran before heading north through the Pilliga Scrub to reach Narrabri. North of Narrabri, the highway opens up into vast sheep, cattle and crop plains (watch for the scenic mountains to the east) to Moree and eventually finishing at the NSW/QLD border, just south of Goondiwindi. Motorists continuing north to Brisbane and Rockhampton are to then follow either the Cunningham or Leichhardt Highways.

State: New South Wales
Name Origin: The Newell Highway is named after Hugh Hamilton Newell, the chairman of the Main Roads department during the early 1930's.
Pronunciation: New-all Highway
Start: NSW/VIC border (Tocumwal)
Principal Towns: Tocumwal, Finley, Jerilderie, Narrandera, Ardlethan, West Wyalong, Forbes, Parkes, Peak Hill, Dubbo, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Narrabri, Moree, Boggabilla, Goondiwindi (QLD)
Finish: NSW/QLD border (Goondiwindi)
Length: 1058km
Road Standard: All bitumen.
Road Quality: Generally very good - has had substantial upgrades in the last 5-10 years. Frequent overtaking lanes from West Wyalong-Coonabarabran. Occasional overtaking lanes from Coonabarabran to Goondiwindi. Very flat and straight from Tocumwal-Narrandera and Narrabri-Boggabilla. Some windy and hilly sections between Gilgandra and Coonabarabran. Watch for kangaroos between Coonabarabran-Narrabri as the highway passes through the Pilliga Scrub.
Speed Limit (outside built up areas): 100km/hr Tocumwal-Jerilderie, 110km/hr Jerilderie-Tooraweenah turnoff, 100km/hr Tooraweenah turnoff-Coonabarabran, 110km/hr Coonabarabran-Boggabilla, 100km/hr Boggabilla-Goondiwindi (various 90km/hr patches between Gilgandra & Coonabarabran)
Road Continuation: Click for the Goulburn Valley Highway in VIC - Click here for the Leichhardt Highway in QLD, Click here for the Cunningham Highway in QLD

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

View south of the Hay Plains from a Newell Hwy railway bridge, between Narrandera and Finley (1999)

Looking south along the Newell Highway between Ardlethan and Narrandera at an almost complete upgrade (2006).

Looking south towards the Newell Hwy from the southern Ardlethan approach (2006).

Distance sign on the Newell Hwy, heading west from the eastern Burley Griffin Way junction (2006).

Distance sign, heading south from West Wyalong on the Newell Highway (2004).

Heading east, approaching the Newell Highway from the Mid Western Hwy, West Wyalong (2004).

Heading east on the Newell/Mid Western Hwy, approaching the Temora turnoff, Wyalong (2004).

Distance sign, heading north-east on the Newell/Mid Western Hwy, Wyalong (2004).

Heading south-west on the Newell Highway approaching the Lachlan Valley Way junction (2004).

Unusual sign, heading west along the Newell Hwy, Parkes (2004).

Heading north on the Newell Highway from Parkes. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo! (2004)

Heading south on the Newell Hwy, on the outskirts of Dubbo (2003).

Looking north along Whylandra Street (Newell Hwy) approaching the Mitchell Hwy junction in Dubbo (2004).

Approaching the Oxley Hwy junction inside Gilgandra on the Newell Hwy (2003).

The Newell/Oxley Hwy, heading east between Coonabarabran and Gilgandra (2003).

The Newell/Oxley Hwy, heading west between Coonabarabran and Gilgandra (2004).

Heading north-east on the Newell/Oxley Hwys, Coonabarabran (2004).

Distance sign, heading west on the Newell/Oxley Hwy near Coonabarabran. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo! (2004)

Heading north on the Newell Highway after it splits again with the Oxley Hwy. Thanks again to Jamie Scuglia for this photo (2004).

Heading south on the Newell Hwy approaching the southern Kamilaroi Hwy junction, Narrabri (2003).

Heading north on the Newell Hwy approaching the northern Kamilaroi Hwy junction, Narrabri (2004).

Km post, heading north on the Newell Hwy between Narrabri and Moree (2004).

Looking south along the Newell Hwy into the small town of Bellata, between Narrabri and Moree (2004).

Heading north on the Newell Hwy approaching the Carnarvon Hwy junction, Moree (2004).

On the Newell Hwy, heading south from Boggabilla (2004).

	View south of the Hay Plains from a Newell Hwy railway bridge, between Narrandera and Finley (1999)
	Looking south along the Newell Highway between Ardlethan and Narrandera at an almost complete upgrade (2006).
	Looking south towards the Newell Hwy from the southern Ardlethan approach (2006).
	Distance sign on the Newell Hwy, heading west from the eastern Burley Griffin Way junction (2006).
	Distance sign, heading south from West Wyalong on the Newell Highway (2004).
	Heading east, approaching the Newell Highway from the Mid Western Hwy, West Wyalong (2004).
	Heading east on the Newell/Mid Western Hwy, approaching the Temora turnoff, Wyalong (2004).
	Distance sign, heading north-east on the Newell/Mid Western Hwy, Wyalong (2004).
	Heading south-west on the Newell Highway approaching the Lachlan Valley Way junction (2004).
	Unusual sign, heading west along the Newell Hwy, Parkes (2004).
	Heading north on the Newell Highway from Parkes. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo! (2004)
	Heading south on the Newell Hwy, on the outskirts of Dubbo (2003).
	Looking north along Whylandra Street (Newell Hwy) approaching the Mitchell Hwy junction in Dubbo (2004).
	Approaching the Oxley Hwy junction inside Gilgandra on the Newell Hwy (2003).
	The Newell/Oxley Hwy, heading east between Coonabarabran and Gilgandra (2003).
	The Newell/Oxley Hwy, heading west between Coonabarabran and Gilgandra (2004).
	Heading north-east on the Newell/Oxley Hwys, Coonabarabran (2004).
	Distance sign, heading west on the Newell/Oxley Hwy near Coonabarabran. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo! (2004)
	Heading north on the Newell Highway after it splits again with the Oxley Hwy. Thanks again to Jamie Scuglia for this photo (2004).
	Heading south on the Newell Hwy approaching the southern Kamilaroi Hwy junction, Narrabri (2003).
	Heading north on the Newell Hwy approaching the northern Kamilaroi Hwy junction, Narrabri (2004).
	Km post, heading north on the Newell Hwy between Narrabri and Moree (2004).
	Looking south along the Newell Hwy into the small town of Bellata, between Narrabri and Moree (2004).
	Heading north on the Newell Hwy approaching the Carnarvon Hwy junction, Moree (2004).
	On the Newell Hwy, heading south from Boggabilla (2004).