Great Western Highway - Route Numbers

Route Numbers

When the national route numbering system was introduced in 1954, the full length of the Great Western Highway was designated as part of national route 32 (Sydney-Adelaide via Dubbo and Broken Hill), with the section from City Road to the Hume Highway (Liverpool Road) Summer Hill also being part of national route 31.

Current numbering is extremely confused, as follows: City Road to Hume Highway (Liverpool Road) Ashfield - state route 31, following the introduction of the 'Metroads' in the late 1990s. Before M5 East was opened in late 2001 it was Metroad 5.

Liverpool Road, Ashfield to Wattle Street, Haberfield - no route number since the diversion via Stage 3, City-West Link on 2 June 2000.

Wattle Street, Haberfield to M4 Western Motorway intersection at Strathfield - part of Metroad 4.

M4 Western Motorway intersection at Strathfield to Russell Street, Emu Plains - state route 44.

Russell Street-M4 at Lapstone (Knapsack Viaduct now closed) - no number.

M4 at Lapstone to intersection of Mitchell and Mid Western Highways in Bathurst (end of Great Western Highway) - national route A32.

National route A32 continues along the Mitchell Highway as far as Nyngan, then follows the Barrier Highway to Gawler, 25 km north of Adelaide, where it connects with the Sturt Highway (National Route A20). The Mid Western Highway is national route 24 over its full length of Bathurst to Hay, where it meets the Sturt Highway (national route 20) and Cobb Hwy (part of national route 75).