Ozroads: National Route 71

NATIONAL ROUTE 71
Mitchell Highway

Typical QLD set up of kilometre plate and trailblazer, heading south from Charleville. Jan 2005.

Length: 658km (341km in NSW; 317km in QLD)

Northern Terminus: Warrego Hwy (Alt-A2), Charleville

Southern Terminus: Barrier Hwy (NR32), Nyngan

Route taken: Mitchell Highway

Focal Points: Nyngan, Bourke, Cunnamulla, Charleville

RTA Internal Classification: State Highway No. 7

QMR Internal Classification: State Highway No. 23

Route Overview:

National Route 71 is an extremely remote north-south route through Outback NSW and QLD. It forms part of the Mitchell Hwy, established through the 1800's initally as mailing routes and servicing the remote properties and the tiny outback settlements. Within NSW, the route was proclaimed part of State Highway 7 in 1928, as one the original 13 state highways. In October 1936 it was named Mitchell Hwy after former surveyor-general Sir Thomas Livingstone Mitchell who explored much of the area in 1845.

In 1954 when National Routes were handed out, this route was designated National Route 71. Following the signing of NR32 as far as Nyngan, NR71 signs were erected on the still partially unsealed Mitchell Hwy between Nyngan and Cunnamulla. In 1968 the erection of route marking signs all the way north to Barcaldine was completed despite the route being still largely unsealed. Interestingly, one of the NAASRA maps shows that the Lansborough Hwy was planned to be National Route 60 but was changed to NR71 before the erection of route markers was completed.

In 2002, as part of the Queensland Heritage Trails project, the whole Brisbane-Darwin National Highway link within QLD was re-badged as A2, so the Landsborough Hwy section of NR71 was replaced and the Mitchell Hwy section north of Charleville became Alt-A2.

Notable events:

1878 - Bridge over Darling River at North Bourke (replaced)
1928 - Proclaimed State Highway No. 7 in NSW - named North Western Hwy
Oct 1936 - Named Mitchell Hwy in both states
1960 - NR71 signs erected Nyngan-Cunnamulla
1968 - NR71 signs erected Cunnamulla-Barcaldine
Nov 1972 - Sealing completed in NSW
Nov 1974 - Landsborough Highway portion of route proclaimed a National Highway (Augathella-Barcaldine)
Late 1980s - Mitchell Hwy fully sealed in QLD
Sep 1997 - Gateway Bridge over Darling River, North Bourke
2002 - Route truncated at Charleville (north of Charlesville the route was replaced by NH-A2 and Alt-A2)

Further Reading (Off-site):

Mitchell Hwy (NSW) - Michael Greenslade

Photos of National Route 71
	The only remnant of National Highway 71 - approaching the Landsborough Hwy on Dawson Developmental Rd at Tambo. Jan 2005.
	Mitchell Hwy (Alt-A2) southbound approaching the Warrego Hwy and the beginning of NR71 in Charleville. Jan 2005.
	Warrego Hwy heading west, apporoaching the beginning of NR71 at the Mitchell Hwy in Charleville. Jan 2005.
	ID signs facing westbound traffic at the same intersection. Note that Alt-A2 is on a coverplate over NR71. Jan 2005.
	"End NR71" trailblazer, northbound on Mitchell Hwy approaching the Warrego Hwy at Charleville. Note how the Alt-A2 is on a coverplate over National Route 71 (straight) and State Route 14 (right). Jan 2005.
	The first RD sign southbound in Charleville. Jan 2005.
	A sign of whats to come? (what a clever pun! :p) "A71" trailblazer northbound on Mitchell Hwy 60km from Charleville. Jan 2005.
	Heading north from Cunnamulla. Jan 2005.
	Sign assembly at the intersection with the Bulloo Developmental Rd (SR49) at Cunnamulla. Jan 2005.
	Heading east from Cunnamulla on NR71/SR49. Jan 2005.
	Heading west from the Balonne Highway. Jan 2005.
	Approaching Mitchell Hwy from the Balonne Hwy. Jan 2005.
	Heading north to the Balonne Hwy. Jan 2005.
	Heading south from Balonne Hwy. Barringun is nothing more than a roadhouse with no accommodation. Jan 2005.
	Typical outback QLD fingerboard signage leans more towards the council blade style as seen here. Jan 2005.
	Trailblazer and kilometre post pairing 180km north of Bourke. In western QLD the trailblazer usually accompanies the kilometre plate every 20km. Jan 2005.
	Northbound RD sign at the NSW/QLD Border. Jan 2005.
	Matilda Highway sign at the border stopping bay. Jan 2005.
	Old style NSW border sign with a new (Sep 2003) Tourism NSW sign in the background. Jan 2005.
	Heading south from Barringun. Jan 2005.
	Typical Mitchell Hwy - straight, flat and oh so red. Jan 2005.
	Fingerboard signage at the turnoff to Fords Bridge. Jan 2005.
	Capital letters and a missing shield are the problems with this fingerboard sign at the turnoff to Lednappers Crossing. Jan 2005.
	Sigh NR32 doesnt join the Mitchell Hwy for another 250km south. Tsk Tsk. Jan 2005.
	Rare black painted AD sign at the Weilmoringle turnoff. Jan 2005.
	Erroneous NH71 shield on the road from Weilmoringle. Jan 2005.
	This type of sign is very common in outback NSW to inform motorists of the often long distances between services on the major highways. This particular sign is heading out of North Bourke. Jan 2005.
	The RD sign proper heading north from North Bourke. Note the unusual design and peeling shield. Jan 2005.
	Incorrect sign at the turnoff to Wanaaring in North Bourke - NR71 should be pointing left only. Jan 2005.
	Horribly designed sign with captial letters on the Wanaaring Rd at North Bourke. Jan 2005.
	The 1878 bridge across the Darling River at North Bourke. This bridge was bypassed in 1997 by the Gateway Bridge. Jan 2005.
	The old bridge's antiquated opening span from the new bridge. Jan 2005.
	The old highway on the southern approach to the old bridge. Jan 2005.
	Approaching the Kamilaroi Hwy in Bourke. Stupid road train had to park there didnt it! Jan 2005.
	Westbound on the Kamilaroi Hwy - note the incorrect NR75 shield. Jan 2005.
	Eastbound approaching the Kamilaroi Hwy. Jan 2005.
	Heading south through Bourke on Richard St. Jan 2005.
	Erroneous NH71 shield on what looks like a makeshift ID sign made by chopping a double-chevron sign in half. Jan 2005.
	Shockingly designed signage at the Kidman Wat intersection in Bourke. Note the absence of a SR87 shield. Jan 2005.
	Beautiful old black painted ID sign at the Kidman Way intersection. Jan 2005.
	Northbound on Kidman Way approaching the Mitchell Hwy. Another poorly designed sign. Jan 2005.
	Just about the only correctly-designed sign in the whole town - and it happens to be a very old DMR one. Jan 2005.
	Heading south from Bourke. Jan 2005.
	Looking south about 1km from Nyngan. Oct 2004.
	The first northbound distance sign on National Route 71 - heading north from its junction with National Route 32 at Nyngan. Oct 2004.
	This sign marks the southern terminus of National Route 71, straight and right both take you onto National Route 32. Oct 2004.
	Barrier Hwy (NR32) approaching the junction with the Mitchell Hwy. As you can see from the sign, NR32 goes right and NR71 left. Oct 2004.
	Confusing double-chevron ID sign, would be less confusing if the route shields were on the outside of the focal points. Oct 2004.
	Mitchell Hwy (NR32) northbound approaching the beginning of NR71 at Nyngan. Oct 2004.

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