Length:

1333 km (Gerringong to Nowra: 34 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:

Gerringong, Toolijooa, Berry, Meroo Meadow, Bomaderry and Nowra

Current: 7

Former: A1 1

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

HW1 (Victorian border to Yallah and 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.

1881: Construction of the Nowra Bridge over the Shoalhaven River.

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

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

1981: Duplication of Nowra Bridge.

November 2011: Construction on the upgrade started at South Nowra to provide consistent four lane conditions on the Princes Highway between Bomaderry and Jervis Bay Road. ³

November 2012: Work started on Princes Hwy upgrade between Gerringong and Toolooja. ⁴

This page concentrates on the former alignment between Gerringong and Nowra.

Gerringong to Nowra

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Princes Hwy (A1) at Berry approaching Prince Alfred St (TD5), October 2010.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Woodhill Mountain Road:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Woodhill Mountain Rd, May 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign on Princes Hwy (A1) at Berry, December 2013.

Image © Michael Greenslade

NEW Entering Meroo Meadow:

Princes Hwy (A1) as it enters the town of Meroo Meadow, May 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign approaching Meroo Rd at Meroo Meadow, May 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Meroo Road:

Corner of Princes Hwy (A1) and Meroo Rd at Meroo Meadow, May 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Bomaderry approaching Cambewarra Rd (B73 / TD7 / TD8 and unnumbered), May 2017.

Image © Paul Rands