Ozroads: NSW State Route 78

NSW STATE ROUTE 78
Waterfall Way

Distance sign heading east from Armidale. Jan 2005.

Length: 167km

Eastern Terminus: Pacific Hwy, Raleigh Deviation

Western Terminus: New England Hwy, south end of Armidale Bypass

Route taken: Waterfall Way (Barney St, Dangar St, Kentucky St, Uralla Rd through Armidale)

Focal Points: Tamworth, Armidale, Coffs Harbour (Bellingen is also used for westbound traffic)

RTA Internal Classification: Main Road No. 76

State Route 78 is the east-west route named Waterfall Way, connecting the New England Highway at Armidale with the Pacific Highway near Coffs Harbour. Passing through heavily timbered areas, including large sections of rainforest, the route carries a high volume of tourist traffic. Two waterfalls are actually adjacent to the road as it winds it way across the mountains between Dorrigo and Bellingen. For the easternmost 28km of its journey, State Route 78 meanders along the very beautiful Bellinger River valley.

Waterfall Way is sealed but relatively narrow and has steep, winding sections. In recent years storms and associated flash flooding have washed away sections of the roadway where it rises to the ranges, leading to traffic being limited to one lane until remedial work was completed.

The Waterfall Way developed not as a single through route but as conglomeration of smaller connecting routes through the early part of the 20th century. In conjunction with an extensive construction programme, the Department of Main Roads declared Trunk Road No. 74 (Grafton-Nymboida-Ebor-Armidale) and Trunk Road No. 76 (Ebor-Dorrigo-Bellingen-Raleigh) during the 1930s. As can be seen with these proclamations, the original focus was not an Armidale-Coffs Harbour route but one from Armidale to Grafton. The change of emphasis to a purely east-west route was finally reflected on 2 February 1996 when the Ebor-Armidale section of Waterfall Way was redeclared as part of Main Road No. 76 (Trunk Road classifications were abolished by the State Roads Act 1986 and incorporated into the ordinary Main Roads classification).

State Route 78 - the Waterfall Way's signed route marker, was introduced in 1974, running between the New England Hwy in Armidale and the Pacific Highway at Raleigh. In association with subsequent bypasses of Armidale (December 1994) and Raleigh (December 1997), State Route 78 has been extended west to meet the southern end of the Armidale Bypass and truncated about 50m to the west at the Pacific Highway (Raleigh Deviation).

The names of the two waterfalls adjacent to State Route 78 between Dorrigo and Bellingen reflect the effect that the Department of Main Roads has had on the development of the area - Newell Falls and Sherrard Falls are both named after former Commissioners for Main Roads.

	Northbound AD sign on New England Hwy approaching the beginning of State Route 78 at the southern end of the Armidale Bypass. Jan 2005.
	Southbound AD sign on New England Hwy approaching the northern end of the Armidale Bypass. The State Route 78 shield on this sign is erroneous as SR78 meets the New England Hwy at the southern end of the bypass. "To SR78" would be more appropriate. Jan 2005.
	Southbound 2km AD sign for the Armidale Bypass on New England Hwy. It is a bit hard to make out (because the photo was taken before 7am) but SR78 is shown heading east from Armidale to Coffs Harbour. Jan 2005.
	Erroneous SR78 shield on a distance sign heading southeast from the northern end of the Armidale Bypass. This section of the old New England Hwy is not actually part of SR78 - it is TD18. Jan 2005.
	Finally! The correct beginning of State Route 78 at the southern end of the Armidale Bypass. Jan 2005.
	Distance sign on Waterfall Way heading southeast from Armidale towards the New England Hwy. Note the SR78 shield is missing. Jan 2005.
	Incorrect roundabout AD sign at the Dangar St/Barney St intersection showing TD18 and not SR78. Also note the incorrect use of a white patch for the hospital. Jan 2005.
	This sign, southbound on Marsh St, shows that SR78 begins by splitting off from TD18 (which is the old alignment of New England Hwy through Armidale). However, a new sign installed on the eastern approach to this intersection indicates that SR78 does indeed go to the southern end of the Armidale Bypass. Jan 2005.
	The new sign I just mentioned, heading west on Waterfall Way to the intersection with Marsh St in Armidale. Note the SR78 shield is on a coverplate over an alpha-numeric route marker. Jan 2005.
	Unusual design (i.e. non-standard) for this fingerboard sign at Short Cut Rd, 4km west of the Pacific Hwy. Aug 2004.
	Typical road standard between Pacific Hwy and Bellingen. This view is looking east between Short Cut Rd and Pacific Hwy. Aug 2004.
	Distance sign heading west from Pacific Highway. Aug 2004.
	Very non-standard roundabout diagrammatic AD sign heading west approaching the beginning of SR78 and Waterfall Way at Pacific Hwy. Aug 2004.
	Southbound AD sign on Pacific Hwy approaching SR78 at Raleigh. Nov 2005.
	Northbound AD sign on Old Pacific Hwy at Raleigh, approaching the former eastern terminus of SR78 (only about 50m east of the existing terminus :p) Aug 2004.
	Dual ID signs at former eastern terminus of Waterfall Way/SR78 (Od Pacific Hwy) at Raleigh. The current terminus is a mere 50m west of here. Aug 2004.

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