South Western Highway

South Western Highway

Western Australia
View north of Harvey
General information
Type Highway
Length 406 km (252 mi)
Route number(s)
Major junctions
Northwest end Albany Highway (State Route 30), Armadale, Perth
 
Southeast end South Coast Highway (National Route 1), Walpole
Location(s)
Major settlements Serpentine, North Dandalup, Pinjarra, Waroona, Yarloop, Harvey, Brunswick Junction, Bunbury, Donnybrook, Bridgetown, Manjimup
Highway system

South Western Highway is a highway in the South West region of Western Australia connecting Perth's southeast with Walpole. It is a part of the Highway 1 network for most of its length. It is about 406 kilometres (252 mi) long.

Route description

Perth to Bunbury

From Perth, the highway, signed as State Route 20, starts from the Albany Highway junction in Armadale, 28 km from Perth, and follows a north–south route 20–30 km inland from the coast, passing through several agricultural and timber towns that sprang up in the 1890s when the nearby railway came through, such as Pinjarra, Waroona, Yarloop and Harvey.

In January 2016, the Samson Brook bridge, one of the highway bridges near Waroona, was damaged by a bushfire.

Just past Brunswick Junction, the highway heads southwest towards Western Australia's third-largest city, Bunbury. The typical scenery on this part of the highway includes small dairy farms and orchards, jarrah and marri remnant forests and pine plantations.

Until the 1980s, the Armadale-Bunbury section was part of National Highway 1, but following the upgrading of Old Coast Road and construction of the Mandurah bypass, Highway 1 now follows the coastal route via Kwinana Freeway and Old Coast Road to Bunbury passing through the resort town of Mandurah.

In Bunbury

The highway does not actually enter Bunbury – it stops at the industrial suburb of Picton, following Robertson Drive (Bunbury's ring road) for 1 km south before turning southeast past Bunbury Airport towards Boyanup. The highway actually used to follow what is now Boyanup-Picton Road from Picton via Dardanup, but changed to the present shorter route in the 1980s.

Bunbury to Walpole

From Bunbury, the highway goes through Boyanup and on to Donnybrook, the heart of WA's apple country. From then on the highway passes through thick forests featuring many native trees like jarrah, marri and karri. The region was settled much later than other parts of south western WA, under a soldier resettlement scheme beginning in 1919. Typical scenery is farmland interspersed with forests and small timber towns.

The highway then goes through Bridgetown (where it meets the Brockman Highway from Augusta and Nannup), Manjimup and finally to Walpole. This part of the highway, especially from Manjimup, is sparsely populated and very thickly forested, with abundant wildlife and wildflowers as well as many old growth trees, especially the giant karri.

From Walpole, the Highway 1 continues as South Coast Highway to Albany.

Major towns

Approximate road distances (in kilometres) of towns from Armadale
Approximate road distances (in kilometres) of towns from Bunbury

History

Following the establishment of the Swan River Colony, the earliest report of exploration of the district around what is now Bunbury is from Lieutenant H. W. Bunbury in December 1836. The route he – and later others – took was slow and hazardous, taking four days to cover around 80 miles (130 km), and crossing four rivers. The route began with passage from Perth to Pinjarra, before turning south-west and passing through low, open scrubland, and subsequently a medium-timbered area with low marshes. The first river to cross was the Harvey River, which could only be forded by horses at a single point, near the river mouth. Continuing south-westward, the northern tip of Leschenault Estuary was reached, and its shores followed before curving around into Bunbury. The last stretch of approximately 12 miles (19 km) was the most dangerous for many years, as it required precarious crossings at the Collie and Preston Rivers.

In an initial attempt to settle the area, the government declared the land open for pastoral settlement by ordinary settlers, but little progress was made. By 1840, the population was just fifty-three, and most of those were in or near Bunbury (then known as Port Leschenault). The settlement of Australind by the Western Australian Land Company in 1840–41 prompted the first real need for a good quality road to Perth. Throughout much of 1842, there was much debate and discussion over providing a new route to Bunbury. A coastal route from Fremantle had been proposed, while an alternative proposal published on 11 May 1842 was a new route from Pinjarra to Bunbury, via an upstream crossing of the Harvey River, where a bridge could easily be built. The coastal route would require a ferry to cross the Murray River's estuary, and did not go through Pinjarra, a significant settlement in the area; however, it would be shorter, had more water along the route, and did go through the village of Mandurah, with a population of twenty-nine people from six families. During the winter of 1842, the existing route became impassable, and Clifton decided to undertake the creation of the proposed coastal route. He sent his company's men to clear the path and make a road.

By the second half of the nineteenth century, the importance of the coast road was diminishing. For most of its length, the road went through well-timbered, sandy limestone country of little value to agriculture, and settlers in the vicinity of the road were scarce. In contrast, settlements had spread and prospered in the foothills of the Darling Scarp, and on 1 July 1853, Colonial Secretary Frederick Barlee announced a new proposal for a Perth–Pinjarra–Bunbury route along the foothills, with a one chain (66 ft; 20 m) width, mostly following the alignment of previous tracks. Between 1864 and 1876, two parties of convicts were involved in the making of the road.

A road from Bunbury to Boyanup, called the Blackwood Road, existed as early as 1864. A bi-weekly mail route from Boyanup to Bridgetown via Preston, Balingup, and Greenbushes was established by 1891; it also extended further south to Balbarrup on a weekly basis. Surveying of a direct Bridgetown–Albany route was requested in January 1871, so that an electric telegraph line could be established, but the government surveyors were overwhelmed by other work. Surveying of the route from Manjimup (south of Bridgetown, adjacent to Balbarrup) was undertaken in 1909 by Fred S. Brockman.

Following World War I, the government intended to settle returning servicemen in the far south-west of the state. To determine the public works required, a flying survey was undertaken. The route between Manjimup and Walpole (then known as Nornalup) was reported to be overgrown and impassable. The Public Works Department was tasked with clearing the route and forming a road, with works gradually progressing from c. 1919 onwards. By October 1921, £16,000 had been spent on upgrading the dirt track to a formed and gravelled road, with works expected to be completed over the 1921–22 summer at a cost of £2,000.

The road from Bunbury through Bridgetown to Manjimup was improved in 1926, as one of the Main Road Board's first projects. The worst segments were identified for reconstruction, as part of an ongoing process to create a high-quality highway.

The name South Western Highway was suggested for the road from Armadale to Pemberton in 1940 by the Under-Secretary for Lands. The name was in common usage by March 1941, and in July 1941, the name was officially applied to "the main road from Armadale to Pemberton via Pinjarra, Harvey, Picton Junction, Boyanup, Donnybrook, Bridgetown and Manjimup". The northern end was at the Perth–Albany road in Armadale, and the southern end was at Brockman Street, Pemberton.

Major intersections

Armadale to Picton

LGA Location km mi Destinations Notes
Armadale Armadale–Mount Nasura–Mount Richon tripoint 0 0.0 Albany Highway (State Route 14) north, east / Armadale Road (State Route 14) south – Perth, Cockburn Central, Williams, Albany Traffic light intersection; South Western Highway continues as Albany Highway north of this point. State Route 20 northern terminus.
Serpentine–Jarrahdale Byford–Darling Downs boundary 6.4 4.0 Thomas Road (State Route 21) – Kwinana Beach, Rockingham Traffic light intersection; current connection between South Western Highway and the southern terminus of Tonkin Highway (State Route 4)
Byford 8.3 5.2 Abernethy Road west / Beenyup Road east Traffic light intersection
Mundijong–Jarrahdale boundary 17.8 11.1 Watkins Road (State Route 22) – Mundijong, Rockingham State Route 22 northern concurrency terminus
Mundijong–Jarrahdale–Mardella tripoint 18.2 11.3 Jarrahdale Road (State Route 22/Tourist Drive 206) east – Jarrahdale, Mount Cooke / Shanley Road west State Route 22 southern concurrency terminus, Tourist Drive 206 northern concurrency terminus
Serpentine 24.6 15.3 Karnup Road west / Falls Road east – Baldivis, Serpentine National Park
Serpentine–Keysbrook boundary 29.1 18.1 Kingsbury Drive (Tourist Drive 206) – Karnet, Serpentine Dam Tourist Drive 206 southern concurrency terminus
Murray North Dandalup 42.6 26.5 South Street – Nambeelup, Mandurah Connection to Mandurah and the Kwinana Freeway via Lakes Road.
42.8 26.6 Del Park Road – Dwellingup
Pinjarra 57.5 35.7 Pinjarra–Williams Road – Dwellingup, Boddington, Williams, Narrogin Change of street name to George Street
58.1 36.1 Pinjarra Road – Ravenswood, South Yunderup, Mandurah Traffic light intersection
58.3 36.2 Peel Street northwest / Camp Road southeast Change of street name to McLarty Road.
Blythewood 60.7 37.7 Greenlands Road – West Pinjarra, Nirimba Roundabout, closest direct connection to Forrest Highway. McLarty Road reverts to South Western Highway 1 km further north.
63.4 39.4 Old Bunbury Road – Herron, Lake Clifton
Coolup 70.9 44.1 Murray Street west / Coolup Road East – West Coolup, Meelon
Waroona Waroona 82.4 51.2 McDowell Street – Nanga Brook
83.2 51.7 Coronation Road west / Thatcher Street East – Lake Clifton, Preston Beach, Nanga Brook
Harvey Yarloop 96.7 60.1 Johnston Road – Yarloop, Preston Beach
Cookernup 102 63 Riverdale Road west / Logue Brook Dam Road east – Myalup, Logue Brook
Harvey 111 69 Uduc Road west / Weir Road east – Myalup, Quindanning
Brunswick Junction 128 80 Marriott Road – Kemerton
132 82 Beela Road east / Clifton Road west – Beela, Australind Road changes name to Ommaney Road 1 km before the intersection, and reverts about 1 km afterwards.
Roelands 137 85 Coalfields Highway (State Route 107) east / Raymond Road west – Collie, Darkan, Australind
Bunbury Picton 150 93 Willinge Drive – Vittoria, Dardanup, Boyanup Traffic light intersection. Connection to Dardanup/Boyanup via Boyanup-Picton Road south of the intersection.
East Bunbury–Glen Iris boundary 153 95 Robertson Drive (National Route 1 / State Route 10) north and south / Picton Road west – Bunbury Traffic light intersection; State Route 20 southern terminus.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Davenport to Walpole

LGA Location km mi Destinations Notes
Bunbury Davenport 0 0.0 Robertson Drive (National Route 1 north / State Route 10 south) / Brittain Road west – Bunbury Traffic light intersection
4 2.5 Hinkler Drive – Bunbury Airport
Bunbury–Capel boundary Davenport–North Boyanup boundary 6 3.7 Bunbury Outer Ring Road – Picton, Dardanup Roundabout intersection
Capel Boyanup 17 11 Bridge Street – Dardanup, Picton Connects to Boyanup Picton Road
18 11 Trigwell Road – Stratham Connects to Boyanup West Road
Donnybrook–Balingup Donnybrook 33 21 Marmion Street – Paynedale, Capel Connects to Goodwood Road
34 21 Donnybrook–Boyup Brook Road – Mumballup, Boyup Brook
Balingup 64 40 Brockman Street (Tourist Drive 251) – Southampton, Nannup Blackwood River Tourist Drive
Bridgetown–Greenbushes Greenbushes–North Greenbushes boundary 72 45 Greenbushes–Grimwade Road – North Greenbushes, Grimwade
74 46 Stanifer Street – Greenbushes, Greenbushes mine
Bridgetown 90 56 Steere Street east – Boyup Brook / Henry Street west Connection to Bridgetown Boyup Brook Road. Note a street name change to Hampton Street
91 57 Brockman Highway (Tourist Drive 251) – Nannup, Augusta Blackwood River Tourist Drive
Manjimup Manjimup 125 78 Graphite Road west / Perup Road east – Nannup, Balbarrup
127 79 Muirs Highway (State Route 102) east / Pritchard Street west – Rocky Gully, Mount Barker
Jardee–Diamond Tree–Middlesex tripoint 135 84 Eastbourne Road (Tourist Drive 259) – Pemberton Karri Tourist Drive
Diamond Tree–Middlesex boundary 141 88 Vasse Highway – Pemberton
Quinninup–Crowea boundary 155 96 Wheatley Coast Road (Tourist Drive 259) – Northcliffe, Upper Warren Karri Tourist Drive
Shannon–Lake Muir boundary 176 109 Middleton Road (State Route 10) – Northcliffe, Augusta
Walpole 244 152 North Walpole Road – North Walpole
245 152 Vista Street Southern terminus. Continues as South Coast Highway (National Route 1) eastwards.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also