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Building the Pacific Highway through Berowra
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DetailsTHE PACIFIC HIGHWAY THROUGH BEROWRA OPENED 90 YEARS AGO
The section of the “Great Northern Highway”, between Hookhams Corner and Kangaroo Point (Hawkesbury River), opened for the use of traffic on 2nd June 1930.
When the Great Northern Highway was fully completed it reduced the overland trip between Newcastle and Sydney by 80 kilometres. The full construction cost was £1,250,000 and it was the first road in Australia specifically designed to take motor vehicle traffic. At the time, it was the largest roadwork project in the history of the entire Commonwealth.
In May 1931 the Great Northern Highway became part of the 790 kilometres linking Sydney to Brisbane and was renamed the Pacific Highway.
When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being built a new road, through northern Sydney and on to Gosford, Newcastle and further north, was needed to link with the new bridge. The Great Northern Highway project was very important and given significant government funding. The area of Berowra/Cowan received a very welcome boost as the project employed many locals. It also brought hundreds of additional workers to the area, most of whom lived in camps that were established along the route of the new road.
Building a road over very isolated and rugged country was extremely challenging. By far the most difficult section, between Berowra and Hawkesbury River, was the responsibility of Hornsby Council, falling under the charge of council’s Chief Engineer, T.A. Donaldson. All other sections of the new road were constructed by the Main Roads Board.
The carriageway was formed between August 1925 and the end of 1928. The road was sealed with concrete between 1929 and early 1930.
Between Berowra to the Hawkesbury it was said that, “Some of the heaviest engineering works in the history of road construction in NSW had to be carried out”. Cliffs had to be exploded away to achieve the required gradient of nothing steeper than 1 in 20. Successful completion of the new road’s carriageway, in just over three years, was extraordinary and, in my opinion, Hornsby Shire Council’s finest ever achievement.
Crossing the Hawkesbury was still a challenge in 1930, as the road was opened without a bridge. From May 1930 two ferries named, “George Peat” and “Francis Peat”, commenced taking vehicles across Hawkesbury between Kangaroo Point and Mooney Mooney, with a carrying capacity of 32 vehicles each. These ferries operated for 15 years including through the War.
Construction of the Pacific Highway Bridge over the Hawkesbury River started in 1938 but because of the War it was not completed until 5th May 1945. When it opened the road-bridge cut down travel time considerably as delays to cross by ferry had increased unbearably with the increase in the number of vehicles on the road. It was said, some days, during the holiday period, the traffic waiting to cross the Hawkesbury by ferry, would be backed up all the way to Berowra. To help with the cost of the road-bridge a toll was put on until it was paid off in 1954. The toll booths were situated on the Mooney Mooney side of the bridge. In more recent years the bridge was named "Peats Ferry Bridge".CreatorNathan TilburyKeywordsBerowraPacific Highway
DetailsTHE PACIFIC HIGHWAY THROUGH BEROWRA OPENED 90 YEARS AGOThe section of the “Great Northern Highway”, between Hookhams Corner and Kangaroo Point (Hawkesbury River), opened for the use of traffic on 2nd June 1930.
When the Great Northern Highway was fully completed it reduced the overland trip between Newcastle and Sydney by 80 kilometres. The full construction cost was £1,250,000 and it was the first road in Australia specifically designed to take motor vehicle traffic. At the time, it was the largest roadwork project in the history of the entire Commonwealth.
In May 1931 the Great Northern Highway became part of the 790 kilometres linking Sydney to Brisbane and was renamed the Pacific Highway.
When the Sydney Harbour Bridge was being built a new road, through northern Sydney and on to Gosford, Newcastle and further north, was needed to link with the new bridge. The Great Northern Highway project was very important and given significant government funding. The area of Berowra/Cowan received a very welcome boost as the project employed many locals. It also brought hundreds of additional workers to the area, most of whom lived in camps that were established along the route of the new road.
Building a road over very isolated and rugged country was extremely challenging. By far the most difficult section, between Berowra and Hawkesbury River, was the responsibility of Hornsby Council, falling under the charge of council’s Chief Engineer, T.A. Donaldson. All other sections of the new road were constructed by the Main Roads Board.
The carriageway was formed between August 1925 and the end of 1928. The road was sealed with concrete between 1929 and early 1930.
Between Berowra to the Hawkesbury it was said that, “Some of the heaviest engineering works in the history of road construction in NSW had to be carried out”. Cliffs had to be exploded away to achieve the required gradient of nothing steeper than 1 in 20. Successful completion of the new road’s carriageway, in just over three years, was extraordinary and, in my opinion, Hornsby Shire Council’s finest ever achievement.
Crossing the Hawkesbury was still a challenge in 1930, as the road was opened without a bridge. From May 1930 two ferries named, “George Peat” and “Francis Peat”, commenced taking vehicles across Hawkesbury between Kangaroo Point and Mooney Mooney, with a carrying capacity of 32 vehicles each. These ferries operated for 15 years including through the War.
Construction of the Pacific Highway Bridge over the Hawkesbury River started in 1938 but because of the War it was not completed until 5th May 1945. When it opened the road-bridge cut down travel time considerably as delays to cross by ferry had increased unbearably with the increase in the number of vehicles on the road. It was said, some days, during the holiday period, the traffic waiting to cross the Hawkesbury by ferry, would be backed up all the way to Berowra. To help with the cost of the road-bridge a toll was put on until it was paid off in 1954. The toll booths were situated on the Mooney Mooney side of the bridge. In more recent years the bridge was named "Peats Ferry Bridge".
CreatorNathan TilburyKeywordsBerowraPacific HighwayRelated
CollectionNathan TilburyLocationBerowra
LocationBerowra
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Nathan Tilbury, Building the Pacific Highway through Berowra. Hornsby Shire, accessed 24/10/2026, https://hornsbyshire.recollect.net.au/nodes/view/5352