Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
Mid Western Highway and Olympic Highway (A41)
Statistics:
- Length:
- 422 km
- Termini:
- Northern: Mitchell Highway & Great Western Highway (A32) and Brilliant Street, Bathurst
- Southern: Hume Highway (M31), Table Top
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Table Top, Gerogery, Culcairn, Henty, Yerong Creek, The Rock, Uranquinty, Kapooka, Moorong, Wagga Wagga, Boorooma, Brucedale, Wallacetown, Yathella, Junee, Illabo, Bethungra, Cootamundra, Wallendbeen, Wombat, Young, Bendick Murrell, Crowther, Koorawatha, Wattamondara, Cowra, Woodstock, Lyndhurst, Carcoar, Blayney and Bathurst
Route Numbering:
- Current: A41
- Multiplexed with: A20 B81
- Former: 24 41
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- HW6 (Bathurst to Cowra)
- MR78 (Cowra to Table Top)
General Information:
A41 is a rural highway in western and southern New South Wales. It services rural communities and links the Hume Highway with the Mitchell & Great Western Highways (A32) and Sturt Highway (A20).
The Bathurst to Cowra section of the route, the Mid Western Highway, forms part of the most direct route between Sydney or Brisbane and Adelaide (via Hay), and consists of mainly two-lane rural highway standard.
The Cowra to Table Top section of the route was named Olympic Way, as it was the path that the Olympic Torch took on its journey to Melbourne for the 1956 Summer Olympics. The torch was carried from Cairns to Melbourne. For the 1956 Summer Olympics the Olympic Flame, or torch, was carried along the road from Cowra to Wagga Wagga. For the 2000 Summer Olympics the torch was carried from Wagga Wagga to Cowra en route to Sydney. 2
The Olympic Highway section featured the Kapooka Bridge which crossed the railway line at Kapooka. It was built in 1880 and features 2 right angle bends at the approaches to the bridge, which have been the scene of several crashes. 3
- A20 (Sturt Hwy), for 2.5 km, between Wagga Wagga and Moorong.
- B81 (Lachlan Valley Way), for 300 m, at Cowra.
History:
- 1880: Construction of the Kapooka Bridge, across the main Sydney-Melbourne railway line. 3
- 1956: Route between Cowra and Wagga selected for carrying of the Olympic Flame for the 1956 Olympic Games. 2
- 1928: The Mid Western Highway was proclaimed. 4
- 1929: Route was rerouted between Gunbar and Balranald to pass through Hay. 4
- 1933: The original route of Mid Western Highway from Bathurst to the South Australian border via Euston and Wentworth truncated at Haywith the proclamation of the Sturt Hwy. The Hay to South Australia routing became part of the Sturt Highway. 4
- 1973: The Commissioner for Main Roads, Mr RJ Thomas accepted tender of $129 775 for a new bridge to carry a deviation of the Mid Western Highway over Mt Macquarie Road at Carcoar. The bridge was one of three planned for the deviation. 5
- 1970s: After a series of truck accidents, a bypass was construction to remove traffic from the Carcoar town centre. 6
- 1985: Pavement at Goldsbury Hill near Cowra constructed. 7
- 1995: Widening and provision of overtaking lanes on the Mid Western Highway between Bathurst and Evans Plains. 8
- 2000: Same route between Cowra and Wagga used for carrying the Olympic Flame for the 2000 Olympic Games. 2
- January 2003: Construction completed of a bypass of the village of Kings Plains (near Blayney). 9
- June 2003: Road widening at Carcoar. 10
- Feb 2006: Construction of a new bridge over Coombing Creek, Carcoar.
- March 2010: Pavement reconstruction at Goldsby Hill, which included bringing the road up to current standard at the time, and improved drainage. 7
Table Top to Bathurst
Reassurance Directional Sign:
RD sign on Olympic Hwy (A41) at Table Top, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
NEW Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Bethungra, approaching Ironbung St and Bayliss St, January 2023.
Image © Andrew MacGee
Reassurance Directional Sign:
RD sign in Wagga Wagga, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Boorooma, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Mid Western Hwy (B64) and Mid Western Hwy (A41) at Cowra, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign in Cowra approaching Lachlan St (B81 and unnumbered), September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Fitzroy St, Cowra, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Mid Western Hwy (A41) leaves Cowra, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Woodstock approaching George Russell Dr and Reg Hailstone Way, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign as Mid Western Hwy (A41) leaves Woodstock, August 2013.
Image © Peter Renshaw
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Belubula Way, Mandurama, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Entering Blayney:
Mid Western Hwy (A41) entering the town of Blayney, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Hobbys Yards Road in Blayney, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign near Adelaide St North and Maria St in Blayney, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign leaving Blayney, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Fitzgeralds Mount:
Mid Western Hwy (A41) as it makes its way down Fitzgeralds Mount, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Steep Descent Sign:
Warning sign for steep descent down Fitzgeralds Mount, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Fitzgeralds Mount:
Mid Western Hwy (A41) as it makes its way down Fitzgeralds Mount, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Special Truck & Bus Speed Limit:
Special truck & bus speed limit as Mid Western Hwy (A41) as it makes its way down Fitzgeralds Mount, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Fitzgeralds Mount:
Mid Western Hwy (A41) as it makes its way down Fitzgeralds Mount, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching the roundabout with Brilliant St, Mitchell Hwy (A32) and Great Western Hwy (A32) in Bathurst, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
End A41:
Northern terminus of A41, the roundabout with Brilliant St, Mitchell Hwy (A32) and Great Western Hwy (A32) in Bathurst, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on the roundabout with Brilliant St, Mitchell Hwy (A32) and Great Western Hwy (A32) in Bathurst, September 2013.
Image © Paul Rands
Bathurst to Table Top
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Mitchell Hwy (A32) approaching Great Western Hwy (A32), Mid Western Hwy (A41) and Brilliant St in Bathurst, August 2013.
Image © Peter Renshaw
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the roundabout with Mitchell Hwy (A32), Great Western Hwy (A32) and Brilliant St in Bathurst, August 2013.
Image © Peter Renshaw
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign on Mid Western Hwy (A41) at Bathurst, August 2013.
Image © Peter Renshaw
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on Hobbys Yards Road approaching Mid Western Highway (A41) at Blayney, August 2013.
Image © Peter Renshaw
ID Sign:
Intersection directional sign facing Carcoar Dam Rd at Blayney, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign assembly facing Nargong Rd at Woodstock, August 2013.
Image © Peter Renshaw
ID Sign:
Intersection directional sign facing Walli Rd, Woodstock, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Direction Signs:
ID signs facing Lachlan Valley Way (B81) at Cowra, December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Ashmont St and the Olympic Hwy (A41) and Sturt Hwy (A20) split at Moorong, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
RD sign on Olympic Hwy (A41) at Moorong, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Camp Access Rd at Kapooka, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Camp Access Rd at Kapooka, May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Table Top approaching Hume Hwy (M31), May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Table Top approaching Hume Hwy (M31), May 2011.
Image © Rob Tilley
Hume Highway:
Intersection directional sign at the junction with Hume Hwy (M31) at Table Top, May 2011. This is the southern terminus of A41.
Image © Rob Tilley
2 Olympic Highway, Lambert M. Surhone , Mariam T. Tennoe , Susan F. Henssonow ISBN: 9786135069341.
3 NSW Government, Roads & Traffic Authority, Community Update, Realignment of the Olympic Highway at Kapooka, December 2010.
4 NSW Government, Department of Main Roads, Extract from September 1958 issue of "Main Roads".
5 The Sydney Morning Herald, Apr 5, 1973.
6 Historic Properties For Sale or Lease, Bridge Tearooms.
7 NSW Government, Roads & Traffic Authority, Construction and Maintenance, Regional Projects, Western, Pavement reconstruction at Goldsby Hill.
8 NSW Government, Parliament of New South Wales, Hansard & Papers, Legislative Council, Bathurst Electorate Roadworks No. 58, 19 October 1995.
9 NSW Government, Roads & Traffic Authority, Road Activity Update - Western NSW, February 2003.
10 NSW Government, Roads & Traffic Authority, Road Activity Update - Western NSW, June 2003.