Heading south into Pine Creek State Forest. Nov 2005.

This 10km section of Pacific Highway encompasses the Bonville Deviation project, which stretches from 9km to 19km south of Coffs Harbour. It links with the Lyons Road to Englands Road Upgrade project in the north and the Raleigh Deviation in the south. It is entirely dual carriageway with no at-grade intersections. Grade-separated interchanges are provided at Lyons Road (northern end), Archville Station Road, and Mailmans Track (southern end).

Upon gazettal, on 7 August 1928, State Highway No. 10 passed along the same alignment through Bonville as it does today. Being so close to the major regional centre of Coffs Harbour it has always attracted higher-than-average traffic volumes and thus demands a high standard of construction.

Following only minor improvements during the Depression, partly due to the lack of funds and partly due to the already reasonable state of the road, the Department of Main Roads delayed major reconstruction until after World War 2. A major reconstruction programme was commenced in 1946, which stretched all the way between Coffs Harbour and Raleigh. Involving only small realignments and the provision of a dust-free surface, the reconstruction programme through Bonville was completed in early 1949. Other large deviations at Repton and Boambee, also constructed as part of the same programme, were not completed until mid-1950.

Since then, no major changes have been made to the alignment of the highway through Bonville. In the early 1990s several overtaking lanes were added, as well as minor widening to allow protected right turn bays to be provided for turning traffic.

An upgrade of the highway at Bonville was included in the Pacific Highway Upgrading Programme, launched in September 1996, as a state-funded project. Official project planning commenced immediately and an Environmental Impact Statement and Species Impact Statement were publicly exhibited in September 1998. Following the publication of a Representations Report in 1999, the proposal was modified and thence approved by the Minister for Urban Affairs and Planning in March 2000. One of the key considerations in approving the proposal was the impacts on koala habitats in Pine Creek State Forest , where the new dual carriageways were to be constructed parallel to the existing highway before deviating to the east to bypass Bonville. Hence, one of the planning approvals was that koala activities be monitored prior to, during and after construction of the project. When monitoring revealed that “12 to 15 koalas a year”1 would die, extensive modifications to the length of the project within Pine Creek State Forest went ahead. A Review of Environmental Factors of the proposed modifications, which involved new fauna crossings, removal of a rest area and other minor changes to the road alignment, was completed in September 2002. Despite planning approval being granted in November 2003, it was three years before construction actually commenced, in November 2006. The seemingly unnecessary delays were a source of prolonged community and political anger, culminating with the Member for Coffs Harbour, Andrew Fraser, attacking the then Minister for Roads, Joe Tripodi, in Parliament.

Nonetheless, construction commenced in November 2006 and, after a two year construction period, the $245m dual carriageway Bonville Deviation was opened to traffic on 15 September 2008.

Photos of the Bonville section of Pacific Highway Northern end of Raleigh Deviation to Lyons Road, Boambee (9-19km south of Coffs Harbour)
	Pacific Highway looking south to the southern end of the Bonville Deviation and the northern end of the Raleigh Deviation. The southbound on-ramp from Mailmans Track marks the location where the old and new alignments of Pacific Highway rejoin. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking north at the Mailmans Track interchange. 'Keevers Drive' refers to the old alignment of Pacific Highway between this interchange and Raleigh. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking south to the koala overpass constructed north of the Mailmans Track interchange. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	AD sign southbound on Pacific Highway, 1km north of the Mailmans Track interchange. Keevers Drive is the old alignment of Pacific Highway from this interchange to Raleigh. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking south across Pine Creek. The lighting on the right is for the northbound heavy vehicle checking station. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking south from Archville Station Road interchange at Bonville. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking south to Archville Station Road interchange at Bonville. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking south to the East Bonville Road overbridge at Bonville. Source: Mark W, March 2009.
	Pacific Highway looking south to the Bonville Station Road overbridge at Bonville. Source: Mark W, March 2009.

Photos of the former route of Pacific Highway Northern end of Raleigh Deviation to Lyons Road, Boambee (9-19km south of Coffs Harbour)
	Looking north through Pine Creek State Forest. Note the fluoro reflective warning signs. Nov 2005.
	More fluoro reflective warning signs in Pine Creek State Forest. Nov 2005.
	Looking south through Pine Creek State Forest towards the junction with Overhead Bridge Road (the original route of Pacific Highway). Nov 2005.
	Incorrect NH1 shield at the Sid Burke Rest Area in Pine Creek State Forest. The rest area was closed to allow construction of the deviation. Aug 2004.
	Looking north towards the transition between State Forest and private property at Bonville. Nov 2005.
	Looking south across Pine Creek. Aug 2004.
	Looking south at the wooden overhead bridge at Bonville. Aug 2004.
	Looking north from Valery Rd at Bonville. Nov 2005.
	Looking south across Bonville Creek. Aug 2004.
	Heavy traffic looking north towards the North Bonville turnoff. Note how the speed limit has been reduced from 90km/h to 80km/h. Nov 2005.
	Distance sign heading south from Lyons Road, now removed, showing the NR1 shield and Pacific Highway name. Nov 2005.
	Old Pacific Highway looking north to where the old and new alignments rejoin, just south of Lyons Road. The old highway alignment has been deviated to connect with the Lyons Road interchange, running alongside the current highway alignment for a short distance. Source: Mark W, March 2009.