Riverina Highway is a -long
state highway
A state highway, state road, or state route (and the equivalent provincial highway, provincial road, or provincial route) is usually a road that is either ''numbered'' or ''maintained'' by a sub-national state or province. A road numbered by a ...
located in the
Riverina
The Riverina
is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales, Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation ...
region of
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. With an area of , Australia is the largest country by ...
. The road was constructed over several decades with final
asphalt concrete sealing completed during the 1960s.
Route
The eastern terminus of Riverina Highway is located on the eastern shore of the
Hume Weir, which impounds the
Murray River
The Murray River (in South Australia: River Murray) (Ngarrindjeri: ''Millewa'', Yorta Yorta: ''Tongala'') is a river in Southeastern Australia. It is Australia's longest river at extent. Its tributaries include five of the next six longest ...
, immediately east of
Albury
Albury () is a major regional city in New South Wales, Australia. It is located on the Hume Highway and the northern side of the Murray River. Albury is the seat of local government for the council area which also bears the city's name – t ...
. The
Bethanga Bridge carries the highway across the weir as the highway generally heads west by northwest, following the
course
Course may refer to:
Directions or navigation
* Course (navigation), the path of travel
* Course (orienteering), a series of control points visited by orienteers during a competition, marked with red/white flags in the terrain, and corresponding ...
of the Murray River to reach its western terminus at
Deniliquin
Deniliquin () is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, close to the border with Victoria. It is the largest town in the Edward River Council local government area.
Deniliquin is located at the intersection of the Riverina ...
. West of Albury, the highway passes through or near the Riverina towns of and where it has a short
concurrency with
Newell Highway
Newell Highway is a national highway in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It provides the major road link between southeastern Queensland and Victoria via central NSW and as such carries large amounts of freight. At in length, the Newell is th ...
. From this point the highway follows the
Mulwala Canal westward until it reaches Deniliquin, terminating at its junction with
Cobb Highway
Cobb Highway is a state highway in the western Riverina and the far western regions of New South Wales, with a short section in Victoria, Australia, designated part of route B75.
Initially an amalgam of stock routes, the highway extends from ...
.
The highway passes irrigated farms, orchards and vineyards. It links this area to major markets in
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mounta ...
via the
Hume Highway
Hume Highway, inclusive of the sections now known as Hume Freeway and Hume Motorway, is one of Australia's major inter-city national highways, running for between Melbourne in the southwest and Sydney in the northeast. Upgrading of the route f ...
in Albury, and in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/ Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a metro ...
via the C371 in Berrigan or the
Cobb Highway
Cobb Highway is a state highway in the western Riverina and the far western regions of New South Wales, with a short section in Victoria, Australia, designated part of route B75.
Initially an amalgam of stock routes, the highway extends from ...
in Deniliquin. The highway is also a popular tourist route with scenic countryside, fishing and historic spots along its path.
History
The passing of the ''Main Roads Act of 1924'' through the
Parliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales is a bicameral legislature in the Australian state of New South Wales (NSW), consisting of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly (lower house) and the New South Wales Legislative Council (upper house). Each ...
provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (later the
Department of Main Roads, and eventually
Transport for NSW
Transport for NSW, sometimes abbreviated to TfNSW, and pronounced as Transport for New South Wales, is an agency of the New South Wales Government established on 1 November 2011, and is the leading transport and roads agency in New South Wales ...
). Main Road No. 131 was declared from Hopefield to Lowesdale (and continuing north via Daysdale to Urana),
and Main Road No. 212 was declared from the intersection with Hume Highway in Albury, via Howlong to Corowa (and continuing westwards via Tocumwal and Tuppal to the intersection with Moama-Booligal Road, today
Cobb Highway
Cobb Highway is a state highway in the western Riverina and the far western regions of New South Wales, with a short section in Victoria, Australia, designated part of route B75.
Initially an amalgam of stock routes, the highway extends from ...
, in
Deniliquin
Deniliquin () is a town in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, close to the border with Victoria. It is the largest town in the Edward River Council local government area.
Deniliquin is located at the intersection of the Riverina ...
),
on the same day, 8 August 1928.
The
Department of Main Roads, which had succeeded the New South Wales MRB in 1932, later truncated the western end of Main Road 212 to terminate at Tocumwal, and Main Road No. 331 was declared from Deniliquin via Finley to Berrigan on the same day, 21 February 1933.
Main Road No. 355 was declared on 23 September 1936, from Albury to the state border with Victoria at Bethanga.
State Highway 20 was declared on 16 March 1938, from the intersection with State Highway 17 (later known as
Newell Highway
Newell Highway is a national highway in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. It provides the major road link between southeastern Queensland and Victoria via central NSW and as such carries large amounts of freight. At in length, the Newell is th ...
) at Tocumwal via Corowa, Howlong and Albury to the state border with Victoria at Bethanga, subsuming Main Roads 212 and 355.
Its western end was re-aligned on 1 February 1950, running from Corowa via Hopefield, Lowesdale, Berrigan and Finley to Denilquin (subsuming Main Road 331);
Main Road 131 was truncated to Lowesdale as a result, and the former alignment to Tocumwal was re-declared as Main Road 86 (between the intersection with State Highway 20 just north of Corowa to the state border with Victoria just outside Wahgunyah) and Main Road 550 (between Corowa and Tocumwal).
State Highway 20 was named Riverina Highway on 15 September 1954,
after the Riverina region the highway runs through.
Riverina Highway was signed National Route 58 across its entire length in 1974. With the conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in 2013, this was replaced with route B58 between East Albury and Deniliquin; from East Albury eastwards to the Victorian border has been left unallocated.
Major junctions
See also
*
Highways in Australia
Highways in Australia are generally high capacity roads managed by state and territory government agencies, though Australia's federal government contributes funding for important links between capital cities and major regional centres. Prio ...
*
Highways in New South Wales
References
External links
Riverina
Highways in New South Wales
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