Road Photos & Information: Western Australia
Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Mitchell Freeway
West Pinjarra to South Yunderup
Statistics:
- Length:
- 151 km (West Pinjarra to South Yunderup: 10 km)
- Termini:
- Northern: Romeo Rd (unnumbered), Alkimos
- Southern: Forrest Highway (former Old Coast Road) (NR1), Lake Clifton
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Birchmont, West Pinjarra and South Yunderup
Route Numbering:
- Current: 2
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- H057 (Lake Clifton to South Yunderup)
General Information:
The Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Mitchell Freeway, are without a doubt one of the most important road systems in the Perth metropolitan area, and the southwestern part of the state.
Running in a north-south direction, the freeways link the north and southern suburbs of Perth together plus the southern city of Mandurah and the state's southwest, but also act as a coastal link between the northern and southern parts of the state. Built in stages from the late 1950s the route has seen enormous changes / extensions and is continuously undergoing expansion to this day.
Unique to the freeway sections is the passenger railway line down the median of the road corridor. This runs from The Spectacles to Perth, then from West Perth to Butler. The Mitchell Freeway at Nowergup features a railway stabling yard and depot in the median.
When first planned, the Mitchell Fwy was called the Yanchep Highway, as it is envisaged that eventually the route will connect to the town.
The section of State Route 2 south of Baldivis involved the design and construction of 70.5 kilometres of dual carriageway. The route was constructed as a single project and extended the dual carriageway from Safety Bay Road in Baldivis, around the eastern side of the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary to join the existing dual carriageway on Old Coast Road at Lake Clifton.
The route was constructed to freeway standard from Safety Bay Road to South Yunderup, a distance of 32 kilometres. The remainder of the route, 38 kilometres, was initially be built as a rural highway, with the ability to upgrade it in the future as traffic demands increase. The route links Perth and the South West, bypassing the heavily populated areas in Mandurah and the Dawesville Peninsula, and avoiding inland communities on the existing highway.
As part of the work, five interchanges were constructed at Safety Bay Road, Karnup Road, Paganoni Road, Lakes Road and Pinjarra Road. Nine intersections were constructed and have the capacity to be upgraded to interchanges in the future. They are located at Beacham Road, Greenlands Road, Paull Road, Mills Road, Herron Point Road, Old Bunbury Road, Dorsett Road, Old Coast Road and Peppermint Grove Road. In total, 19 bridges were built to grade separate the interchanges and extend the new Perth-Bunbury Highway over the Serpentine River, Nambeelup Brook, Murray River/Pinjarra Road, South Yunderup Road, Murray River floodplain, Harvey River and a number of Water Corporation drains. At the time, it was the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by Main Roads Western Australia.
History:
- Forrest Highway:
- December 2006: Works commence on the Forrest Highway. 2
- 20 September 2009: Opening of Forrest Highway from Lake Clifton to South Yunderup. 3
Click or tap here for construction photos between West Pinjarra and South Yunderup
West Pinjarra to South Yunderup
Approaching Birchmont Road:
Forrest Hwy at Birchmont approaching Birchmont Rd. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Birchmont Road Intersection:
Corner of Birchmont Road and Forrest Highway (SR2) at Birchmont. September 2009. Forrest Highway was named after Sir John Forrest, Western Australia’s first Premier. 4
Image © Tim Cole
Approaching Mills Road:
Forrest Hwy approaching Mills Rd at Birchmont. November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Mills Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy and Mills Rd at Birchmont. November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Paull Road:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) approaching Paull Rd at West Pinjarra, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Paull Road:
Paull Rd intersection, West Pinjarra, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Greenlands Rd, West Pinjarra, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Greenlands Road:
Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra approaching Greenlands Rd. November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Greenlands Road Intersection:
Corner of Greenlands Rd and Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra. November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Greenlands Road Intersection:
Corner of Greenlands Rd and Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Greenlands Rd West at West Pinjarra. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Distance Sign:
RD sign at West Pinjarra, after the Greenlands Road junction. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Beacham Road:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) approaching Beacham Rd at West Pinjarra, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Beacham Road:
Corner of Forrest Hwy (SR2) and Beacham Rd, West Pinjarra, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at South Yunderup approaching Pinjarra Rd. December 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Murray River:
Northbound at South Yunderup approaching Pinjarra Rd and crossing Murray River. Note the indigenous name used on the sign. November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
South Yunderup to West Pinjarra
Murray River:
Southbound at Ravenswood near Pinjarra Rd and crossing Murray River. Note the indigenous name used on the sign, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Ravenswood, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
End Freeway Conditions:
End of freeway conditions means end of restrictions of vehicles on the road. Ravenswood, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Beacham Road:
Forrest Hwy approaching Beacham Rd at Ravenswood. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Beacham Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy and Beacham Rd at Ravenswood. November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Beacham Road Intersection:
Corner of Forrest Hwy and Beacham Rd at Ravenswood. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
SR2 Trailblazer:
State Route 2 trailblazer at West Pinjarra after Beacham Road intersection. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Sculptures:
Rest area sculptures at West Pinjarra. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at West Pinjarra approaching Greenlands Rd, November 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Greenlands Road:
Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra approaching Greenlands Rd. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Greenlands Road Intersection:
Corner of Greenlands Rd and Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Greenlands Road Intersection:
Corner of Greenlands Rd and Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Greenlands Road Intersection:
Corner of Greenlands Rd and Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Greenlands Road Intersection:
Corner of Greenlands Rd and Forrest Hwy at West Pinjarra, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
SR2 Trailblazer:
State Route 2 trailblazer at West Pinjarra after Greenlands Road intersection. September 2009.
Image © Tim Cole
Approaching Paull Road:
Forrest Hwy approaching the Paull Rd intersection at West Pinjarra. December 2012.
Image © Paul Rands
Paull Road Junction:
Forrest Hwy at the Paull Rd intersection at West Pinjarra, November 2012. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Tim Cole from September 2009.
Image © Paul Rands
Approaching Mills Road:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) approaching Mills Rd, West Pinjarra, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Mills Road:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) at the junction with Mills Rd, West Pinjarra, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Mills Road:
Forrest Hwy (SR2) at the junction with Mills Rd, West Pinjarra, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
Trailblazer:
SR2 trailblazer after Mills Rd at West Pinjarra, April 2016.
Image © Paul Rands
2 Southern Gateway Alliance Fact Sheet - Project Facts 01.
3 Southern Gateway Alliance Media Release - Kwinana Freeway Extension and Forrest Highway Opening Celebration.
4 WA Government, Ministerial Media Statements - Sir John Forrest commemorated in naming of new highway, 14 March 2009.