Barrier Highway is a highway in South Australia[4] and New South Wales, and is designated part of route A32. The name of the highway is derived from the Barrier Ranges, an area of moderately high ground in the far west of New South Wales, through which the highway traverses.

Barrier Highway

New South Wales
Highway sign, Yunta
Coordinates
General information
TypeHighway
Length1,012 km (629 mi)[1]
GazettedAugust 1928 (NSW, as Main Road 8)[2]
Route number(s) A32 (1998/2013–present)
Former
route number
National Route 32 (1955–1998/2013)
Major junctions
West end Horrocks Highway
Giles Corner, South Australia
 
East end Mitchell Highway
Nyngan, New South Wales
Location(s)
RegionYorke and Mid North, Far North,[3] Far West
Major settlementsSaddleworth, Burra, Peterborough, Yunta, Broken Hill, Wilcannia, Cobar
Highway system
Barrier Highway near Cobar

Route

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Barrier Highway branches off Horrocks Highway at Giles Corner, between Riverton and Tarlee and heads northeast, crossing the border into New South Wales and passing through Broken Hill. It continues further east to Wilcannia where it crosses the Darling River, past Cobar to eventually end in Nyngan, where it joins Mitchell Highway. The area traversed by the highway is remote and very sparsely settled.

History

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The passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924[5] through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (later Transport for NSW). Barrier Highway was declared (as Main Road No. 8) on 8 August 1928, from the intersection with North-Western Highway (today Mitchell Highway) in Nyngan, via Cobar, Willcannia, and Broken Hill, to the border with South Australia;[2] with the passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929[6] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this was amended to State Highway 8 in April 1929.

The highway was fully sealed in October 1972.[7]

The passing of the Roads Act of 1993[8] through the Parliament of New South Wales, updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Barrier Highway today retains its declaration as Highway 8, from Nyngan to the state border with South Australia.[9]

Barrier Highway was signed as National Route 32 across its entire length in 1955. With both states' conversion to their newer alphanumeric systems in 1998 and 2013, its former route number was updated to A32 for the highway within South Australia in 1998, and within New South Wales in 2013.[10]

Major intersections

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StateLGA[11]Location[1][12]km[1]miDestinationsNotes
South AustraliaClare and Gilbert ValleysGiles Corner00.0  Horrocks Highway (B82) – Tarlee, AuburnWestern terminus of highway and route A32
Saddleworth17.610.9  Saddleworth Road (B84 east) – Marrabel, EudundaConcurrency with route B84
18.311.4  Saddleworth Road (B84 west) – Auburn, Port Wakefield
GoyderHanson56.935.4Farrell Flat Road – Farrell Flat, Clare
Burra71.644.5  Goyder Highway (B64 east) – Morgan, WaikerieConcurrency with route B64
78.448.7  Goyder Highway (B64 west) – Spalding, Crystal Brook
Hallett10263  Wilkins Highway (B78 west) – Jamestown
Jessie Street (east) – Hallett
PeterboroughUcolta15697  Petersburg Road (B79) – Peterborough, Wilmington, Port Augusta
15798Crystal Brook–Broken Hill railway line
Pastoral Unincorporated AreaYunta227141Yunta–Waukaringa Road – Waukaringa
Bindarrah339211Crystal Brook–Broken Hill railway line
Cockburn373232
State border377234South Australia – New South Wales border
New South WalesBroken HillBroken Hill423263Brookfield Avenue, to Silverton Road (northwest) – Silverton
Galena Street (southeast) – Broken Hill
Roundabout
425264Williams Street (northeast) – Tibooburra
Iodide Street (northwest) – Broken Hill
426265  Iodide Street (B79 southeast) – Wentworth, Mildura
Argent Street (southwest) – Broken Hill
427265Menindee Road – Menindee
Central DarlingWilcannia620390White Cliffs Road – White Cliffs
621386West Wilcannia Road (west) – Menindee
West Tilpa Road (east) – Tilpa, Louth, Bourke
Darling River622386Bridge over river
Central DarlingWilcannia641398  Cobb Highway (B75) – Ivanhoe, Hay, Echuca
CobarCobar882548  Kidman Way (B87 north) – BourkeConcurrency with route B87
883549  Kidman Way (B87 south) – Hillston, Griffith
BoganHermidale947588Cobar railway line
966600Hermidale–Nymagee Road – Nymagee
Nyngan1,011628Cobar railway line
1,012629   Mitchell Highway (A32 southeast, B71 northwest) – Bourke, Charleville, Dubbo, BathurstEastern terminus of highway
Route A32 continues southwest along Mitchell Highway
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Barrier Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 18 June 2022.
  2. ^ a b "Main Roads Act, 1924-1927". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 110. National Library of Australia. 17 August 1928. pp. 3814–20. Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  3. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with regional layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  4. ^ Barrier Highway (SA) Archived 8 October 2009 at the Wayback Machine, South Australia Central. Retrieved 21 February 2010.
  5. ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
  6. ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the Main Roads Board; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. Archived 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
  7. ^ The Barrier Highway: Bitumen Sealed from End to End Main Roads December 1972 pages 34-40
  8. ^ State of New South Wales, An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes. Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
  9. ^ Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
  10. ^ "Road number and name changes in NSW" (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services. Government of New South Wales. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
  11. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with LGA layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  12. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with suburb layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.