PACIFIC HIGHWAY
Section: Kempsey

Looking north along a very narrow section of the highway (Lord St) in South Kempsey. Nov 2005.

This section of the Pacific Highway is 10km long, stretching from the northern end of the Maria River dual carriageways to the junction of the highway and Second Lane , 4km north of Kempsey town centre.

The southern approach to South Kempsey is a bit of a mystery to me. Lachlan Sims suggested that the Pacific Highway once entered South Kempsey via West End Road , which branches off the current alignment of the highway at a very suggestive angle near the Maria River . If this were the case, the Pacific Highway would have once traveled north along West End Rd , thence turned east into South Street to make its way to the old bridge over the North Coast Railway which was located just to the south east of the current bridge. I am yet to find evidence which either confirms or denies this, however what I can confirm is that the current route of the highway has been in use since at least 1975.

Once in South Kempsey , the Pacific Highway crosses two bridges (over Gills Ck and the North Coast Railway) between South Street and Crescent Head Rd that were constructed in 1985. Previously, the highway had crossed Gills Creek via a low-level bridge and the North Coast Railway via a bridge located just to the south east of the current bridge. The approaches to the old bridge still remain behind Gill Park and at the end of Angus McNeil Crescent .

Through South Kempsey , the route of the alignment has remained static since 1928, utilizing the wide Lachlan Street and the very narrow Lord Street , which is perched high on a cliff lining the southern bank of the Macleay River .

The highway crosses the Macleay River on a steel truss bridge that is located adjacent to the eastern end of Belgrave Street and was opened to traffic on 21 November 1959 . Prior to this, a timber truss bridge had crossed the river only a few metres downstream from the current bridge since 1900. Its importance the town was highlighted in the October 1949 flood when it stayed open after a car ferry narrowly avoided the piers of the bridge after it had taken out the railway bridge.

Through Kempsey, the highway is locally known as Smith Street . It is surfaced with reinforced cement concrete, dating from the years immediately following the October 1949 Macleay River floods.

	AD sign for Tourist Drive 12 (Crescent Head turnoff) northbound approaching the bridges over Gills Ck and the North Coast Railway. Nov 2005.
	Looking northeast at the approaches to old bridge over the railway at South Kempsey, located just southeast of the current bridge. Nov 2005.
	Looking northeast along the old highway pavement towards the approaches to the old bridge over the railway. Nov 2005.
	Looking south from the junction with Crescent Head Rd, showing the old highway alignment (left) and the current alignment (right). Nov 2005.
	Very old painted aggregate stockpile sign on the old highway alignment south of the railway line. These signs can be found in many areas between Kempsey and Coffs Harbour. Nov 2005.
	Looking north along Lachlan Street through South Kempsey. Nov 2005.
	Looking north approaching Rudder Street - the South West Rocks turnoff. Nov 2005.
	The steel truss bridge over the Macleay River, as viewed from the park behind Big W. Nov 2005.
	The view as you come off the bridge. To your left is Belgrave Street, which is part of Kempsey-Armidale Rd, and to the right is Smith St - the Pacific Highway. Nov 2005.
	Southbound overhead signs approaching the Macleay River bridge from Smith St. Aug 2004.
	Looking south on Pacific Hwy through the northern section of Kempsey. Aug 2004.
	Sign assembly at the junction of the highway and Second Lane. Aug 2004.
	Distance sign heading north from Second Lane. Nov 2005.

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