Oxley Highway

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Oxley Highway
Proposed to replace [1]
Length 656 km
General direction Southwest-Northeast
From Mitchell Highway,
Nevertire, New South Wales
via Warren, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Gunnedah, Tamworth, Kootingal, Bendemeer, Walcha, Yarrowitch, Wauchope
To Gordon Street,
Port Macquarie, New South Wales
Allocation Gilgandra - Coonabarabran:
(duplex with )
Gunnedah West - Gunnedah:
(duplex with )
Tamworth - Bendemeer:
(duplex with )
Wauchope East - Port Macquarie West:
(duplex with )
Major Junctions Newell Highway
Castlereagh Highway
Newell Highway
Kamilaroi Highway
New England Highway
Fossickers Way
New England Highway
Thunderbolts Way
Pacific Highway
Apsley Falls, Walcha, 1 km off the Oxley Hwy.
Apsley Falls, Walcha, 1 km off the Oxley Hwy.

The Oxley Highway[2] is a rural highway in New South Wales, Australia. It starts at Nevertire where it joins the Mitchell Highway. It links Warren, Gilgandra, Coonabarabran, Gunnedah, Tamworth, Bendemeer, Walcha, Yarrowitch, Long Flat, 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 at Tamworth, the Thunderbolts Way at Walcha, and the Pacific Highway near Port Macquarie.

Contents

[edit] History

Work commenced in 1838 with the use of convicts working from Port Macquarie towards a spot known as “Prisoners’ Garden” about 20km from Yarrowitch. Here it is said that the convicts were chained up each night. The section from Walcha to Bendemeer existed as a mapped road in 1857, was surveyed in 1867, and proclaimed a Parish Road in c.1889. In 1842 the track from the Northern Tablelands to Port Macquarie was opened for the first time.

The Highway was named in 1928 to commemorate John Oxley who was the first European to explore much of inland New South Wales in 1818. On 30 September 1933 the Highway section between Walcha and Port Macquarie was officially opened. Walcha Shire maintained 106km of the Highway until July, 1966 when this part was taken over by the Department of Main Roads.

[edit] Attractions

The Port Macquarie to Walcha section is popular with motor cyclists for the scenic winding mountain climb. A major attraction at Wauchope is the Timbertown Pioneer Village which is a very good old timber town of the 1880s set on 87 acres. The Apsley Falls and Tia Falls are easily accessible and are quite spectacular with good facilities available at each. Walcha has the unique Open Air Gallery, fossicking opportunities, Amaroo Museum & Cultural Centre, Pioneer Cottage museum and the local history archives.

The Gunnedah Rural Museum, containing farm machinery, equipment, a gun collection, photography and other artefacts is located on the Oxley Highway, 1 km west of the post office.

Near Coonabarabran, 2 km west of the town centre, on the National Park Rd, is the Skywatch Observatory. Its attractions include hands-on usage of powerful telescopes. Hickey's Falls are located at the end of a short walking track which departs from a roadside stop, 42 km south-west of Coonabarabran on the Oxley Highway, en route to Gilgandra. Picnic and barbecue facilities available.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Alpha-Numeric Route Numbering for NSW. It is here!, Ozroads: the Australian Roads Website. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.
  2. ^ Oxley Highway, Great Road Rides - New South Wales. Retrieved on May 25, 2008.


  • Walcha - 100 Years of Local Government, Walcha Shire Council, Newprint Industries, Walcha, 1989.

[edit] See also


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