Lawrence Hargrave Drive, part of theGrand Pacific Drive, is a scenic coastal road and populartourist drive connecting the northernmost suburbs ofWollongong,New South Wales, Australia, to Wollongong, in the south, andSydney, in the north across the scenicSea Cliff Bridges. It was named afterLawrence Hargrave, an Australian aviation pioneer who lived nearby.
Lawrence Hargrave Drive | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Lawrence Hargrave Drive | |
  North end South end | |
| Coordinates | |
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 19.5 km (12 mi)[1] |
| Gazetted | August 1928[2] |
| Major junctions | |
| North end | OldPrinces Highway Helensburgh, New South Wales |
| Lady Wakehurst Drive | |
| South end |  Princes HighwayThirroul, New South Wales |
| Location(s) | |
| Major suburbs | Stanwell Park,Coalcliff,Clifton,Austinmer |
Route
editThe road begins at the OldPrinces Highway,Helensburgh[3] (Princes Motorway exit) and passes throughStanwell Tops to descend the steepIllawarra Escarpment atBald Hill, the site of a spectacular lookout andhang gliding area. The road then passes south throughStanwell Park andCoalcliff to cross theSea Cliff Bridge and adjoining Lawrence Hargrave Drive Bridge. Together, the Sea Cliff Bridge and Lawrence Hargrave Drive Bridge construction were completed in December 2005, replacing the former cliff-hugging route which was prone to rockfalls and consequent closures.[4] Remnants of the former road can still be seen to this day, including some of the guard rail and most of the road section which is now overgrown with trees and ridden with boulders and rocks that have fallen freely since the roads closure, essentially acting as a ditch.
The road then winds its way through the coastal villages ofClifton,Scarborough,Wombarra,Coledale,Austinmer and finallyThirroul where it meets thePrinces Highway at the bottom ofBulli Pass.[3]
History
editThe road was originally constructed in the 1870s asLower Coast Road. It was renamedLawrence Hargrave Drive afterLawrence Hargrave, an Australian aviation pioneer and explorer who had a house at Stanwell Park and flew his devices from Bald Hill, on 18 December 1946.[5]
The passing of theMain Roads Act of 1924[6] through theParliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through theMain Roads Board (laterTransport for NSW). Main Road No. 185 was declared along Lower Coast Road on 8 August 1928, from the intersection withPrinces Highway in "The Dummies", via Bald Hill, Stanwell Park, Clifton, Austinmer, and Thirroul to the intersection withPrinces Highway at the foot of Bull Pass;[2] with the passing of theMain Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929[7] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this was amended to Main Road 185 on 8 April 1929. Main Road 185 was later extended north along the former Princes Highway alignment toWaterfall on 25 October 2002.[8]
The passing of theRoads Act of 1993[9] updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Lawrence Hargrave Drive retains its declaration as part of Main Road 185.[10]
Major intersections
editLawrence Hargrave Drive is entirely contained within theCity of Wollongonglocal government area.
| Location | km[1] | mi | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Helensburgh | 0.0 | 0.0 | Princes Highway –Waterfall,Bulli,Wollongong | Northern terminus of road | |
 Princes Motorway (M1) –Heathcote,Mount Pleasant,Dapto,Kiama | Southbound exit and entrance only | ||||
| Stanwell Tops | 3.4 | 2.1 | South Coast railway line | ||
| 3.9 | 2.4 | Lady Wakehurst Drive –Otford,Lilyvale | |||
| Coalcliff | 8.5– 8.8 | 5.3– 5.5 | Lawrence Hargrave Drive Bridge | ||
| Clifton | 9.0– 9.6 | 5.6– 6.0 | Sea Cliff Bridge | ||
| Thirroul | 18.5 | 11.5 | South Coast railway line | ||
| Thirroul–Bulli boundary | 19.5 | 12.1 | Princes Highway (B65) –Fairy Meadow,Wollongong | Southern terminus of road | |
| |||||
See also
edit
References
edit- ^ab"Lawrence Hargrave Drive" (Map).Google Maps. Retrieved19 August 2022.
- ^ab"Main Roads Act, 1924-1927".Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 110. National Library of Australia. 17 August 1928. pp. 3814–20.Archived from the original on 3 August 2022. Retrieved1 August 2022.
- ^abWollongong Street Directory, 18th Edition. UBD (A Division of Universal Publishers Pty Ltd). 2006.ISBN 0-7319-1706-5.
- ^"Lawrence Hargrave Drive".Roads and Traffic Authority, NSW. Archived fromthe original on 13 February 2009. Retrieved3 January 2009.
- ^"Main Roads Act, 1924-1945".Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 12. National Library of Australia. 17 January 1947. p. 78.Archived from the original on 7 June 2023. Retrieved7 June 2023.
- ^State of New South Wales,An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads BoardArchived 11 August 2022 at theWayback Machine 10 November 1924
- ^State of New South Wales,An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the Main Roads Board; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith.Archived 12 August 2022 at theWayback Machine 8 April 1929
- ^"Roads Act 1993"(PDF).Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 189. Legislation NSW. 25 October 2002. p. 9185.Archived(PDF) from the original on 31 March 2019. Retrieved7 June 2023.
- ^State of New South Wales,An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes.Archived 11 August 2022 at theWayback Machine 10 November 1924
- ^Transport for NSW (August 2022)."Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads"(PDF). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved1 August 2022.
External links
edit- "Map of Lawrence Hargrave Drive, NSW".Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. Retrieved3 January 2009.
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