Length:

1333 km (Sylvania to Waterfall: 21 km)

Termini:

Northern: Northern: Pacific Mwy (M1), Tweed Heads, at the NSW / QLD Border

Southern: Southern: Princes Hwy (A1), Timbillica, at the NSW / VIC Border

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Sylvania, Gymea, Kirrawee, Sutherland, Loftus, Engadine, Heathcote and Waterfall

Current: A1

Former: 1 1

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

HW1 (Waterfall to Kogarah)

General Information:

M1 / A1 is the principal coastal route through New South Wales, and forms part of the circumferential route around Australia.

The route varies greatly along its length and includes sections of rural highway, urban arterial road, divided rural highway and also motorway. The route also features several tunnels, located in the inner east, inner south and lower northern suburbs of Sydney and at Yelgun and Tweed Heads, at the northern end of the route in NSW. The route passes through forest, rural, residential, commercial and industrial areas.

The Princes Highway was formed from a string of roads linking Sydney to the Illawarra, and then forming a coastal route to Melbourne and into South Australia. The section covered by A1 is in 2 pieces - between Kogarah and Waterfall in Sydney, and then Kiama near Wollongong through to the Victorian Border. The route is a mix of urban arterial road, dual carriageway and also rural highway.

Princes Highway:

7 June 1926: The Princes Highway comes under a federal and state government £ for £ funding scheme, thus recognising the importance of the highway as major route.

August 1920: Official opening of Princes Highway performed at Warragul in Victoria. The formation of the Princes Highway is from existing roads being renamed, after the visit to Australia in 1920 of the Prince of Wales (later to become King Edward VIII, and after abdicating, the Duke of Windsor).

1 July 1928: Princes Highway became a state highway. ²

1929: Construction of Tom Uglys Bridge. ³

1939: By the middle of the year, 300 miles (or 50% of the then highway) had been paved with bituminous surface.

17 October 1987: Duplication of Tom Uglys Bridge complete. Southbound traffic assigned to the new bridge, and the old bridge was assigned to northbound traffic. ³

Sylvania to Waterfall

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Sylvania approaching Pt Hacking Rd, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Port Hacking Road:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Pt Hacking Rd at Sylvania, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Princes Hwy (A1) approaching Bates Dr at Sylvania, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Bates Drive:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Bates Dr at Sylvania, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Princes Hwy (A1) at Gymea, approaching The Boulevarde, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW The Boulevarde:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and The Boulevarde at Gymea, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on The Boulevarde approaching Princes Highway (A1) at Gymea, December 2013.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Princes Hwy (A1) approaching Waratah St at Gymea, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Waratah Street:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Waratah St, Gymea, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Gymea approaching The Kingsway, December 2013.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Kingsway:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Kingsway, Gymea, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Kirrawee, approaching Old Princes Hwy and Acacia Rd (A1 and unnumbered), January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Kirrawee, approaching Old Princes Hwy and Acacia Rd (A1 and unnumbered), January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Old Princes Highway & Acacia Road:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Acacia Rd (A1 and unnumbered) at Kirrawee. A1 turns left at this location, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Loftus, approaching Farnell Av, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Loftus, approaching Farnell Av, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Loftus, December 2013.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Old Bush Road:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Old Bush Rd at Engadine, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Anzac Avenue:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Anzav Av at Engadine, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Engadine, approaching Old Princes Hwy, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Old Princes Highway:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Old Princes Hwy at Engadine, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Wilson Pde and Heathcote Rd (A6) at Engadine, December 2013.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Heathcote Road & Wilson Parade:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Heathcote Rd (A6) and Wilson Pde at Heathcote, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Heathcote approaching Garvan Rd, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Waterfall approaching Kooraban St interchange, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Kooraban Street:

Princes Hwy (A1) at Waterfall at the Kooraban St interchange, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Princes Hwy (A1) at Waterfall approaching Princes Mwy (M1) and Old Princes Hwy (former SR60, ALT-NR1 and NR1), December 2013.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Princes Motorway & Old Princes Highway:

Princes Hwy (A1) at Waterfall at the interchange with Princes Mwy (M1) and Old Princes Hwy, January 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Click or tap here for the continuation of M1 between Waterfall and Gwynneville
Click or tap here for the continuation of M1 / A1 between Sydney and Sylvania

¹ NSW Government, Transport for NSW, Schedule of Classified Roads And State and Regional Roads, July 2022.
² Main Roads Board, Annual Report, Volume 1, Number 1, September 1929.
³ Roads & Maritime Services.

Last updated: [ 2024-12-25 20:36 ] This site © Paul Rands. All rights reserved. Some portions © (copyright) by their respective and credited owners. Permission must be obtained before using any images from this site. For details, please email by clicking or tapping here.