Ozroads: National Highway 15

National Highway Route 15
New England Highway

New England Highway heading south from the Fossickers Way junction near Wallabadah. Jan 2005.

In 2013, RMS will be implementing a new alpha-numeric route numbering system. For more information, visit the RMS Website.
Forthcoming alpha-numeric route number:		(Beresfield to Branxton section)
		(Branxton to Queensland Border section)

Length: 814km

Northern Terminus: Cunningham Hwy & Warrego Hwy & Ipswich Mwy, Riverview (QLD)

Southern Terminus: New England Hwy & John Renshaw Dr, Beresfield (NSW)

Route Names: Cunningham Highway, New England Highway

Focal Points: Brisbane, Warwick, Tenterfield, Glen Innes, Armidale, Tamworth, Muswellbrook, Singleton, Maitland, Newcastle

RTA Internal Classification: New England Hwy - State Highway 9

Route Overview:

National Highway 15 makes up most of the Sydney to Brisbane link of the now defunct National Highway System, which was replaced by 'Auslink' in July 2005. Despite efforts from the federal government to give it priority over the Pacific Hwy, it has always played second fiddle, with less funding, less traffic and most importantly, less dual carriageway. The recent Pacific Hwy improvements have seen the emphasis on NH15 as the primary route between Sydney and Brisbane almost disappear.

Within New South Wales, NH15 follows the New England Hwy south from the QLD border at Wallangarra to John Renshaw Drive at Beresfield. The remaining 4km of the New England Hwy was re-badged as National Route 1 in 1988, when National Highway 1 was routed through Kurri Kurri. Prior to this, NH15 extended an extra 4km along the New England Hwy to the Pacific Hwy at Hexham. In 1983, a proposal was floated to extend NH15 south along National 1 into Sydney, to give greater emphasis to its role as the preferred route between Sydney and Brisbane. This proposal is explained in greater detail HERE.

Within Queensland, NH15 follows the New England Hwy north to Warwick, then the Cunningham Hwy north-east into Brisbane. It seems the original idea for NR15 was for it to continue north along the New England Hwy through Toowoomba to Yarraman. However, it was clearly recognised that NR15 should serve the role as a route between Sydney and Brisbane, fulfilled by the New England Hwy until 1963 when it was re-routed to Toowoomba. In 1994/95 the Brisbane section of National Route 15 was re-badged as Metroad 2 and State Route 15.

Notable events in the history of NH15:

1954 - National Route 15 signposted between Woolloongabba (Brisbane) and Hexham
1974 - Proclaimed a National Highway between Riverview (Brisbane) and Hexham
1983 - NH15 signage appears on newly-opened section of the F3 (Kangy Angy-Doyalson)
1988 - National Highway 15 truncated at Beresfield
1994/95 - National Route 15 in Brisbane replaced by Metroad 2 and State Route 15