Length:

112 km

Termini:

Northern: Hunter Expressway (M15) and Wine Country Dr (B82) at Branxton

Southern: Pacific Mwy (M1) at Jilliby

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Jilliby, Kiar, Bushells Ridge, Wallarah, Doyalson, Charmhaven, Blue Haven, Doyalson North, Lake Munmorah, Crangan Bay, Freemans, Wybung, Frazer Bay, Moonee, Nords Wharf, Catherine Hill Bay, Cams Wharf, Murray Beach, Pinny Beach, Swansea, Little Pelican, Blacksmiths, Pelican, Marks Point, Belmont South, Belmont, Belmont North, Jewells, Bennetts Green, Gateshead, Charlestown, Highfields, Adamstown Heights, Merewether, Merewether Heights, Hamilton South, Hamilton East, Newcastle West, Wickham, Maryville, Tighes Hill, Mayfield East, Mayfield, Mayfield West, Sandgate, Hexham, Tarro, Beresfield, Thornton, Ashtonfield, East Maitland, South Maitland, Maitland, Rutherford, Windella, Lochinvar, Allandale, Harpers Hill, Greta and Branxton

Current: A43

Multiplexed with: A1 B63

Former: 15 15 111 124

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

SH9 (Branxton to Hexham)

SH10 (Doyalson to Newcastle West)

MR316 (Newcastle West to Mayfield West)

General Information:

A43 is mostly an arterial route in the NSW Hunter region. it's a major route and forms a link with the Central Coast, Newcastle CBD and Maitland.

The section between Hexham and Mayfield West and also Newcastle West and Doyalson is the former route of National Route 1 through the Hunter region. The section south of Swansea was also briefly part of the National Highway system and signed as NH1. The Doyalson Link Road (formerly Motorway Link section) between Wallarah and Doyalson is super 2 expressway standard with a grade separated interchange with Tooheys Road. The rest is mostly dual carriageway highway or urban arterial road standard (either divided or undivided).

The route passes through mostly suburbia, although there are some nature reserves scattered along the southern section of the route.

The Newcastle West to Doyalson section features the Swansea Bridge spanning the entrance to Lake Macquarie. More than 27 000 road vehicles use the bridge each day. The bridge opens about 2000 times each year, and around five to six times per day, allowing up to 4500 boats to pass through. The number of openings is significant when you compare Swansea Bridge to other similar opening bridges in NSW eg the Spit Bridge in Sydney opens eight times each day during the summer, allowing more than 100 boats per day to pass, and the Harwood Bridge north of Grafton, which opened around 200 times a year. ²

A1 (New England Hwy), for 4 km, between Tarro and Hexham.

B63, for 1 km, at Mayfield.

March 1933: The Great Northern Road was proclaimed the New England Highway. ²

1880s: The original Swansea channel crossing, which was a drawbridge, was built. ²

1909: Swansea drawbridge was replaced with a bridge which incorporated a roadway, later to become the Pacific Highway. ²

1931: In May, after pressure from the Queensland Government, the coastal highway linking Sydney and Brisbane was named Pacific Hwy.

1944: Styx Creek Bridge widened. ²

1948: Proposal of the replacement existing Swansea Bridge with a new one featuring a new opening span, south of Newcastle. ²

1955: The northbound bridge of the Swansea Bridge was opened. ²

1956: Permanent vehicle weighing station established by the DMR at Hexham where the Pacific Highway met the New England Highway (since removed). ³

1983: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy from Somersby to Wallarah Ck opens, which is connected to Motorway Link and both roads signposted as NH1. ⁴

24 September 1964: Tarro Railway Overpass opened to traffic. ⁵

1987: Sydney-Newcastle Fwy extension from Wallarah Ck to Morisett opens, NH1 is rerouted onto that extension. ⁴

1989: The duplicated section (southbound carriageway) of the Swansea Bridge was opened. ²

1993: National Highway 15 replaced by National Route 1 between Tarro and Hexham.

18 September 1997: John Renshaw Drive Overpass opened by then MP John Tierney. ⁵

24 July 2000: Stewart Avenue extension / level crossing elimination opened to traffic. ⁵

09 October 2000: Stewart Avenue extension / level crossing elimination fully completed and opened by State MP for Newcastle Bryce Gaudry. ⁵

August 2005: Signals installed at the intersection of Pacific Highway and Old Maitland Road at Sandgate, on the northbound carriageway. ²

March 2007: Commencement of grade separated interchange with Weakleys Drive at Beresfield. ²

October 2008: Opening of grade separated interchange with Weakleys Drive at Beresfield.

2013: NH15, SR111 and SR124 route numbers replaced by A43.

2014: Branxton bypassed. A43 shifted onto new route connecting to the Hunter Expwy (M15). ⁶

Click or tap here for the former alignment of A43.

Jilliby to Branxton

NEW Fingerboard:

Older fingerboard with non-reflective background, on the corner of Pacific Hwy (A43) and Walter St, Belmont, January 2024.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Hexham, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Hexham approaching Anderson Dr, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Signs:

AD signs at Hexham approaching Anderson Dr, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Special Watch For Cyclists Sign:

Special 'Watch For Cyclists' sign approaching the railway overpass at Tarro, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Tarro Interchange:

New England Hwy (A43 / A1) at the Tarro Interchange with Anderson Dr, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Tarro Interchange:

New England Hwy (A43 / A1) at the Tarro Interchange with Anderson Dr, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Tarro for the John Renshaw Dr (A1) interchange, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Entering Beresfield:

New England Hwy (A43) as it enters the town of Beresfield, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Beresfield for the John Renshaw Dr (A1) interchange, July 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

John Renshaw Drive Interchange:

New England Hwy (A43) at the John Renshaw Dr (A1) interchange in Beresfield, July 2013. The A1 duplex ends at this interchange.

Image © Paul Rands

John Renshaw Drive Interchange:

New England Hwy (A43) at the John Renshaw Dr (A1) interchange in Beresfield, July 2013. The A1 duplex ends at this interchange.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign at the corner of New England Hwy (A43), Hunter Expwy (M15) and Wine Country Dr (B82), Branxton, January 2024.

Image © Bronze

NEW Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign at the corner of New England Hwy (A43), Hunter Expwy (M15) and Wine Country Dr (B82), Branxton, January 2024.

Image © Bronze

Branxton to Jilliby

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign at Beresfield, August 2013.

Image © Peter Renshaw

Advance Directional Signs:

AD signs at the Anderson Dr interchange at Tarro, August 2013.

Image © Peter Renshaw

Swansea Bridge:

Pacific Hwy (A43) as it crosses the entrance to Lake Macquarie via Swansea Bridge at Swansea. January 2013. The bridge on the left was built in 1989, and the bridge on the right was constructed in 1955. ⁵

Image © Joseph Hupp