BARRIER HIGHWAY
State Highway No. 8
The flat, straight, featureless Barrier Highway looking east from the Cobb Highway junction near Wilcannia. Jan 2005.
Length: 622km
Eastern Terminus: Mitchell Hwy, Nyngan
Western Terminus: NSW/SA border, Cockbrun
Focal Points: Nyngan, Cobar, Wilcannia, Broken Hill, Adelaide
RTA Internal Classification: State Highway No. 8
Proclaimed a State Highway: 7 August 1928
Named: 1959
The Barrier Highway, State Highway No. 8, is a vital east-west highway through outback New South Wales, forming part of the inland route from Sydney to Adelaide – National Route 32. It commences at a junction with the Mitchell Highway at Nyngan and stretches west for 622km across almost featureless plains to the South Australian border at Cockburn. From there the Barrier Highway continues across the border and through South Australia to near Adelaide, but the South Australian section of the Barrier Highway is discussed elsewhere on this site.
The Barrier Highway has carried the National Route 32 shield since 1961.
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Mitchell Hwy northbound approaching the beginning of the Barrier Hwy at Nyngan. Oct 2004. |
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ID sign pointing to the beginning of the Barrier Hwy. Oct 2004. |
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Distance sign heading west from the Mitchell Hwy. Oct 2004. |
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Very very old style sign showing "Barrier Hwy" name and no route marker, 43km west of Nyngan at Hermidale. (DMR, 1971) |
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Typical Barrier Highway scene in 1972, 65km east of Cobar. (DMR) |
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Looking west, 39km east of Cobar. (DMR, 1973) |
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Looking east from Cobar - no distance sign this way :-( . Jan 2005. |
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Eastbound in Cobar, approaching the eastern junction with the Kidman Way. Jan 2005. |
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ID signs at the western junction with Kidman Way (Lewis St) in Cobar. Jan 2005. |
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Looking east through the town centre of Cobar. Jan 2005. |
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Distance sign heading west from Cobar. Note the NR32 shield is on a coverplate, presumably over an "A32" shield. Jan 2005. |
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Old black AD sign westbound approaching the turnoff to Ivanhoe, 10km west of Cobar. Jan 2005. |
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Another black AD sign at the same intersection, this time northbound on the Ivanhoe-Cobar road. Jan 2005. |
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More black signs, this time at Barnato, 83km west of Cobar. Jan 2005. |
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Westbound leaving the Emmdale Roadhouse - this sign really shows the isolation of the Barrier Hwy. Jan 2005. |
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Distance sign heading south from Wilcannia across the Darling River flood plain. Jan 2005. |
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Looking north to the old (left) and new bridges over the Darling River at Wilcannia. Jan 2005. |
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Unusual sign at the junction with the road to White Cliffs (Main Road No. 433), showing the progression of the programme to seal the road to White Cliffs. Note the incorrect National Highway 32 shield. Jan 2005. |
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Distance sign heading west from Wilcannia. Jan 2005. |
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Transition from the Shire of Central Darling into the Unincorporated Area of New South Wales - the only area in the state without a local government organisation. I believe the Roads and Traffic Authority controls all roadworks in the Unincorporated Area. Jan 2005. |
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Looking west across the Barrier Range towards Broken Hill. Jan 2005. |
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Distance sign heading east from Broken Hill. Note the oddly-designed shield, which is on a coverplate. Jan 2005. |
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Westbound on Argent St approaching Iodide St (Silver City Hwy to the south & Barrier Hwy to the north) in Broken Hill. The signage of National Route 79 ends here, the remainder of the Silver City Hwy in NSW is not signed with a route marker. Jan 2005. |
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Southbound on Iodide St approaching Argent St. Straight ahead is the Silver City Hwy and the beginning of National Route 79. Jan 2005. |
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AD sign on Williams St westbound approaching Iodide St in Broken Hill. Jan 2005. |
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Looking west along Williams St near Gypsum St. Jan 2005. |
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Distance sign heading west from Broken Hill. Unusual that Perth gets a mention! Jan 2005. |
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Looking west to the Thackaringa Hills, between Broken Hill and Cockburn. Jan 2005. |
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The old route through the Thackaringa Hills in 1958. (DMR) |
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Distance sign heading east from Cockburn. Jan 2005. |
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Looking west into Cockburn. Jan 2005. |
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Deteriorating wooden border sign at Cockburn. Jan 2005. |