Australian Towns, Cities & Highways: Pacific Highway (NSW: Sydney

Pacific Highway (NSW: Sydney - Hexham) (includes Central Coast Hwy)

The Pacific Highway, one of Australia's premier coastal routes links the capital cities of Sydney and Brisbane. This section of the Pacific Highway (NSW) concentrates on the southern link from Sydney north to the junction town of Hexham (near Newcastle). The northern section from Hexham through to Tweed Heads and the QLD border can be viewed here.

The Pacific Highway starts in North Sydney, on the northern side of the Sydney Harbour Bridge and immediately heads north-west through the northern suburbs of Sydney as Metroute 1. On departing Sydney, the highway continues north as Route 83 as it enters the Kuring-Gai Chase & Brisbane Water National Park regions, crosses the majestic Hawkesbury River before winding down into Gosford, the commercial centre for the Central Coast. From Gosford, the Pacific Highway continues north largely through interspersed built up regions consisting of Ourimbah, Tuggerah and Wyong before passing through the junction town of Doyalson and reaching the popular Lake Macquarie region. The highway continues north, now as Route 111, passing to the east of Lake Macquarie as it enters the key industrial city of Newcastle. From Newcastle, the highway heads north-west along the Hunter River to the junction town of Hexham where it continues north as National Route 1. At this point, the highway also intersects with the New England Highway with the northern terminus of the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway nearby.

While the Pacific Highway provides an important link between the towns along the Central Coast with the larger centres of Sydney and Newcastle, the road has essentially become redundant for through traffic since the completion of the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. The freeway, which largely parallels the Pacific Highway alignment was built in stages from the late 1960's through to the 1990's to cope with the enormous traffic demands that occurred as the Central Coast boomed. Although the Pacific Highway still offers a reasonably direct route from Sydney to Newcastle and offers some great scenery, the journey takes some time to complete due to speed restrictions through built-up areas. It is recommended that motorists wishing to travel from Sydney to Newcastle or any of the coastal locations further north along the Pacific Highway that the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway be used.

In recent times, a portion of the Pacific Highway from Kariong (west of Gosford) through to Gosford City has been re-named to the Central Coast Highway to aid in navigation for tourists entering the region. As a result, the Pacific Hwy continuity has been somewhat broken - motorists now wishing to follow the original Pacific Hwy alignment should follow the route numbering shown above or use the key towns and cities for navigation.
To clarify the route numbering further:

Metroute 1: Sydney-Hornsby
State Route 83: Hornsby-Doyalson
State Route 111: Doyalson-Hexham via Newcastle

Certainly a recommended drive - the highway passes through a variety of spectacular scenery and holiday destinations. A worthwhile alternative loop drive through the Central Coast region is from Gosford to Doyalson via Terrigal, The Entrance and Toukley as it follows the coastline and very near to both Tuggerah and Budgewoi Lakes.

State: New South Wales
Name Origin: Named from the South Pacific Ocean as the highway approximates the coastline for its entirety.
Pronunciation: Pa-sif-ik Highway
Start: Sydney
Principal Towns: Sydney, Gosford, Wyong, Swansea, Newcastle
Finish: Hexham (New England Highway junction - 16km north-west of Newcastle)
Length: 183km (874km - total Sydney-QLD border)
Road Standard: Bitumen
Road Quality: Generally good - mix of single and dual carriageway for its length with traffic congestion common around built-up areas.
Road Continuation: Click here for the Pacific Highway (Hexham-QLD), Click here for the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway, Click here for the New England Highway
Speed Limit (outside built up areas): 100km/hr

Photos from the Pacific Highway (Sydney-Hexham) (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):

The Pacific Hwy, looking south-east through Crows Nest as it approaches Hume St (2003).

Looking south along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Peats Ferry Bridge, Brooklyn (2005).

Directional sign, looking north-east at the Hawkesbury River interchange (2005).

Heading south along the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway as it approaches the Pacific Hwy exit at Mooney Mooney (2005).

Heading south-west along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy on-ramp, Kariong (2005).

Directional sign indicating the upcoming junction to the Pacific Hwy, Kariong (2005).

The Pacific Hwy, looking south-west from the Henry Parry Dr junction, Gosford (2005).

Looking north-east along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Henry Parry Dr junction, Gosford (2005).

Distance sign, heading south from Warnervale on the Pacific Hwy (2005).

Looking east along Sparks Road as it approaches the Pacific Hwy, Warnervale (2005).

Heading south-east along the Pacific Hwy from the Wallsend Rd junction, Sandgate (2005).

The Pacific Hwy, heading south-east through Hexham (2005).

Distance sign, heading south-east from the New England Hwy junction, Hexham - sign has since been removed (2002).

Looking south along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Hunter River bridge, Hexham (2005).

	The Pacific Hwy, looking south-east through Crows Nest as it approaches Hume St (2003).
	Looking south along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Peats Ferry Bridge, Brooklyn (2005).
	Directional sign, looking north-east at the Hawkesbury River interchange (2005).
	Heading south along the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway as it approaches the Pacific Hwy exit at Mooney Mooney (2005).
	Heading south-west along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Sydney-Newcastle Fwy on-ramp, Kariong (2005).
	Directional sign indicating the upcoming junction to the Pacific Hwy, Kariong (2005).
	The Pacific Hwy, looking south-west from the Henry Parry Dr junction, Gosford (2005).
	Looking north-east along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Henry Parry Dr junction, Gosford (2005).
	Distance sign, heading south from Warnervale on the Pacific Hwy (2005).
	Looking east along Sparks Road as it approaches the Pacific Hwy, Warnervale (2005).
	Heading south-east along the Pacific Hwy from the Wallsend Rd junction, Sandgate (2005).
	The Pacific Hwy, heading south-east through Hexham (2005).
	Distance sign, heading south-east from the New England Hwy junction, Hexham - sign has since been removed (2002).
	Looking south along the Pacific Hwy as it approaches the Hunter River bridge, Hexham (2005).