Expressway - The Australian Highway Site: Road Photos & Information: NSW: Decommissioned NR32 (SA Border to Nyngan)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Great Western Highway, Mitchell Highway and Barrier Highway (National Route 32) (Decommissioned)

South Australia Border to Nyngan

Statistics:

Length:: 1147 km (SA Border to Nyngan: 636 km)
Termini:: Eastern: NSW-SA Border, Cockburn; Western: Western Mwy (Metroad 4) and Governors Dr (unnumbered), Glenbrook
Miscellaneous:: Continued as A32 (Barrier Hwy) in South Australia
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:: Cockburn, Broken Hill, Wilcannia and Cobar

Route Numbering:

Current: A32
Former: 32
Multiplexed with: 87
Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹: HW8 (SA Border to Nyngan)

General Information:

National Route 32 was the main route linking the New South Wales state capital, Sydney, with the west of the state. The road varies from arterial road conditions, rural expressway and rural highway.

Barrier Highway:

The Barrier Highway is a highway in New South Wales and South Australia.

The Barrier Highway starts at Nyngan where it joins the Mitchell Highway. It heads west to Cobar. It then continues to Wilcannia, then further west it passes through Broken Hill and enters South Australia, turning southwest towards Adelaide. It joins Main North Road at Giles Corner between Riverton and Tarlee. The area traversed by the Barrier Highway is remote and very sparsely settled.

Multiplexes along the route include:

: SR87, for 250 m, Cobar.

History:

: 7 June 1926: A board meeting resolved to set aside funding from the Commonwealth's road funding scheme for road development to be used on some of NSW 'great trunk routes', which included the Great Western Road. ²; 1953: Reconstruction program commences of the Barrier Hwy. ²; 1970s: Bituminous sealing of the Barrier Highway completed. ²; 2003: 11 km of widening works 70 km west of Cobar on Barrier Hwy. ³; 2013: NR32 decommissioned and replaced by A32.

SA Border to Nyngan

State Welcome Sign:

NSW border signage at Cockburn, March 2007. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Michael Greenslade from December 2003.

Image © Mitchell Oliver

NSW Load Limits Sign:

Load limits sign as you cross the NSW-SA border at Cockburn, March 2007.

Image © Mitchell Oliver

UPDATED Distance Sign:

RD sign eastbound at Cockburn, March 2007. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Michael Greenslade from December 2003, featuring a black sign. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Jamie Scuglia from 2003.

Image © Mitchell Oliver

Entering Broken Hill:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it enters the town of Broken Hill, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

UPDATED Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign as Barrier Hwy (NR32) leaves Broken Hill, March 2006. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Jamie Scuglia from 2003.

Image © Richard Wardle

Black Kilometre Plate:

Black kilometre plate at Broken Hill, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Barrier Hwy (NR32) approaching Opal Miners Way, Wilcannia, 2003.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

UPDATED Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Wilcannia, December 2003. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Jamie Scuglia from 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Entering Wilcannia:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it enters the town of Wilcannia, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Reid St, Wilcannia, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Wilcannia approaching Cobb Hwy, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Wilcannia, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Services Sign:

Services sign approaching Emmadale Roadhouse, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Noona, after Seventy Eight Mile Rd, 2003.

Image © Jamie Scuglia

Cobar:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it passes through the town of Cobar, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Frederick St and Barton St in Cobar, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Cobar:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) (Marshall St) as it passes through the town of Cobar, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Kidman Way (SR87) at Cobar, August 2011. The SR87 duplex starts at this intersection.

Image © Paul Rands

Kidman Way:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Kidman Way (SR87) in Cobar, August 2011. The SR87 duplex starts at this intersection.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Kidman Way (SR87) at Cobar, August 2011. The SR87 duplex ends at this intersection.

Image © Paul Rands

Booroomugga Road:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Booroomugga Rd, Canbelego, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Entering Hermidale:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it enters the town of Hermidale, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign at Hermidale, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign assembly facing the Florida Rest Area at Canbelego, March 2006.

Image © Richard Wardle

Nyngan to SA Border

Yarrandale Road:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Yarrandale Rd at Hermidale, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Yoongee Street:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Yoongee St at Hermidale, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign at Hermidale, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Walwa Street:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Walwa St at Hermidale, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Canbelego approaching Rosevale Road, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Rosedale Road:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Rosedale Rd, Canbelego, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Booroomugga Road:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Booroomugga Rd, Canbelego, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Entering Cobar:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it enters the town of Cobar, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Kidman Way (SR87) at Cobar, August 2011. The SR87 duplex starts at this intersection.

Image © Paul Rands

Welcome Sign:

Large welcome sign at the corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Kidman Way (SR87) at Cobar, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Cobar approaching Kidman Way (SR87) and Lewis St, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Cobar:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it passes through the town of Cobar, August 2011.

Image © Paul Rands

Black Reassurance Directional Sign:

Black distance sign at Cobar, December 2003.

Image © Michael Greenslade

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Noona approaching Belarabon Rd & Tilpa Rd, December 2003.

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Noona, December 2003.

Services Sign:

Services sign approaching Emmadale Roadhouse, December 2003.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Wilcannia approaching Reid St & Woore St, December 2003.

Woore Street:

Corner of Barrier Hwy (NR32) and Woore St, Wilcannia, December 2003.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Wilcannia approaching Opal Miners Way, December 2003.

Timezone Sign:

Sign east of Broken Hill indicating a change in time zone, March 2006. Because Broken Hill primarily does business with South Australia, the town operates on South Australian time.

Kilometre Plate:

Kilometre plate at Broken Hill, December 2003.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Argent Street approaching Oxide Street, Broken Hill, December 2003. NR32 turns right at this location and the NR79 duplex commences here.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Argent St at Broken Hill approaching Bromide St, June 2012. The route numbers are either remnants or errors.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Barrier Hwy (NR32) at Broken Hill approaching Iodide St and Silver City Hwy (NR79). NR32 turns left at this junction. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Michael Greenslade from December 2003.

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign at Broken Hill at the junction with Iodide St and Silver City Hwy (NR79), June 2012. NR32 turns left at this junction.

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Broken Hill approaching Galena St & Brookfield Av, Broken Hill, December 2003.

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign facing Gypsum St, Broken Hill, December 2003.

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Broken Hill, December 2003.

Entering Cockburn:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it enters the town of Cockburn, December 2003.

Cockburn:

Barrier Hwy (NR32) as it passes through the town of Cockburn, December 2003.

NSW-SA Border:

Old wooden border crossing sign at Cockburn, March 2007.

Click or tap here for the continuation of NR32 between Nyngan and Dubbo
Click or tap here for the continuation of continuation of Barrier Hwy as A32 in South Australia

¹ NSW Government, Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads (and unclassified Regional Roads), 25 February 2008.
² NSW Government, Department of Main Roads, The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4.
³ NSW Government, Roads and Traffic Authority, Community update, Road activity update – Western NSW, February 2003.