The Bass Highway is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. It connects the three cities across the north of the state – Burnie, Devonport and Launceston. The road was named due to its proximity to the Bass Strait. It is a part of the National Highway, designated as National Highway 1, together with the Midland and Brooker highways in Tasmania.
Bass Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| The Bass Highway in Burnie | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 273 km (170 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Former route number |  State Route 2[1] |
| Major junctions | |
| East end |  Midland Highway Prospect, Launceston, Tasmania |
| |
| West end |  Arthur River Road  Comeback RoadMarrawah, Tasmania |
| Location(s) | |
| Region | Tasmania |
| Major settlements | Deloraine, Devonport, Ulverstone, Burnie, Wynyard, Smithton |
| Highway system | |
The highway passes through or past the following localities:
- Launceston
- Prospect and other Launceston suburbs
- Hadspen
- Carrick
- Hagley
- Westbury
- Exton
- Deloraine
- Elizabeth Town
- Sassafras
- Latrobe
- Devonport
- Forth
- Ulverstone
- Penguin
- Burnie
From here, the highway ceases to be part of the National Highway, but continues as the Bass Highway (A2) through the following towns:
Upgrades
editThe name "Bass Highway" was in use by 1938.[2] Since the mid-1970s the highway has undergone significant upgrades that have included bypasses and deviations, duplications and grade separations, particularly between Burnie and Launceston. On 30 March 1977, ‘stage A’ of the ‘Burnie Highway System’ was opened to traffic. This stage connected the Bass Highway east of the town with Alexander Street by an elevated roadway over the port access road and rail lines.[3] Shortly after, on 19 April 1977, the bypass of Devonport was completed with the opening of the final section between Middle Road, Devonport and Don, referred to in that year's Main Roads Annual Report as the ‘Devonport to Don Freeway’. This section was an extension of the earlier Victoria Bridge project.[4] Three years later, the Ulverstone bypass was completed and opened to traffic in August 1980.[5] The duplication of the highway from Wivenhoe, east of Burnie, to Chasm Creek was completed during the 1983–84 financial year,[6] and was followed in May 1984 with the opening of 500 metres of ‘stage B' of the Burnie Highway System. This section duplicated the highway along North Terrace.[7] In September 1986, all four lanes over the complete length of ‘stage B’ of the ‘Burnie Expressway’ (‘Burnie Highway System’) were brought into operation.[8] Throughout 1986 and 1987, sections of the highway were progressively duplicated and opened to traffic between Don (Devonport) and the Forth River, with the last section completed in June 1987. This was followed by completion of duplication between Forth River and Ulverstone in late 1987.[9] In 1988, at the eastern terminus of the Bass Highway, a new alignment was opened to connect directly to the then new Launceston Southern Outlet, which itself had opened to traffic in 1985. Known as the Prospect bypass, this alignment was opened to traffic on 23 January 1988.[10] West of Burnie, the Smithton bypass was opened to traffic in May 1988.[11] The Deloraine Bypass was opened on 8 June 1990. The project was carried out over five years and cost a total of A$19 million. The bypass opening was performed by the Federal and State ministers for Land Transport and Roads and Transport respectively.[12]
Other bypasses have included Carrick and Hadspen in the late 1980s and the longest stretch of highway, the Hagley–Westbury bypass, which was completed in 2001. The 'old' highway alignment between Deloraine and Hadspen is now known as Meander Valley Road,[13] and is promoted as a tourist route.
The Bass Highway is, like Bass Strait, named for explorer George Bass.
Major intersections
edit| LGA | Location | km[14] | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Launceston | Prospect | 0 | 0.0 | Midland Highway (National Highway 1) – north – Launceston / southeast – Hobart | Eastern end of Bass Highway. Continues south west as National Highway 1. |
| Prospect / Prospect Vale midpoint | 2.0– 2.8 | 1.2– 1.7 |  Meander Valley Road (B54) – northwest – Prospect Vale / southwest – Travellers Rest / Westbury Road – northeast – Prospect Vale | Eastbound exit via Westbury Road | |
| Meander Valley | Travellers Rest | 4.8– 5.0 | 3.0– 3.1 | Meander Valley Road (B54) – west – Hadspen / northeast – Prospect /  Pateena Road (C531) – south – Longford | No eastbound exit from or westbound entry to Bass Highway |
| South Esk River | 8.9– 9.0 | 5.5– 5.6 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Meander Valley | Carrick | 10.8– 11.6 | 6.7– 7.2 |  Illawarra Road (B52) – northwest – Carrick / southeast – Longford | |
| 14.9 | 9.3 |  Bishopsbourne Road (C513) – north – Carrick / south – Bishopsbourne | |||
| Liffey River | 15.8 | 9.8 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Meander Valley | Carrick | 16.1– 17.1 | 10.0– 10.6 |  Oaks Road (C511) – northeast – Carrick / southwest – Bracknell | |
| 18.3 | 11.4 |  Whitemore Road (C508) – northeast – Carrick / southwest – Whitemore | |||
| Whitemore Creek | 21.8– 21.9 | 13.5– 13.6 | Bridge over creek (name not known) | ||
| Meander Valley | Hagley | 23.1– 23.5 | 14.4– 14.6 |  Hagley Station Lane (C507) – northeast – Hagley southwest – Whitemore | No eastbound exit from or westbound entry to Bass Highway |
| Hagley / Westbury midpoint | 26.0– 27.6 | 16.2– 17.1 | Meander Valley Road (B54) – west – Westbury / east – Hagley | No westbound entry to Bass Highway | |
| Westbury | 30.2– 30.9 | 18.8– 19.2 |  Birralee Road (B72) – northwest – Birralee / William Street (B72) – southeast – Westbury | ||
| Deloraine | 42.5– 43.2 | 26.4– 26.8 |  Lake Highway (A5) – south – Deloraine | ||
| Meander River | 44.6 | 27.7 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Meander Valley | Deloraine | 46.3– 48.0 | 28.8– 29.8 |  Mole Creek Road (B12) – south – Mole Creek /  Weetah Road (C710) – north – Weetah | Westbound entry via Emu Bay Road |
| Elizabeth Town | 52.8 | 32.8 |  Bengeo Road (C163) – south – Red Hills | ||
| 55.3 | 34.4 |  Railton Road (B13) – west – Railton | |||
| 55.3 | 34.4 |  Parkham Road (C711) – northeast – Parkham | |||
| Latrobe | Sassafras | 77.0 | 47.8 |  Chapel Road (C713) – north – Harford | |
| 80.1 | 49.8 |  East Sassafras Road (C706) – east – Sassafras / Cutting Road – west – Sassafras | From the eastern part of Sassafras, route C706 runs north on Greens Creek Road to Harford | ||
| 81.4 | 50.6 |  Native Plains Road (C153) – south – Railton | |||
| Sassafras / Latrobe midpoint | 82.4 | 51.2 |  Oppenheims Road (C704) – north, then east – Harford | ||
| Latrobe | 85.5 | 53.1 |  Gilbert Street to Mersey Main Road (B19) – west – Spreyton | ||
| 86.8– 87.0 | 53.9– 54.1 |  Moriarty Road (C702) – east – Moriarty / southwest – Latrobe | |||
| Devonport | Latrobe / East Devonport midpoint | 90.7– 91.2 | 56.4– 56.7 |  Port Sorell Road (B74) – northeast – Port Sorell / southwest – Latrobe | |
| East Devonport | 92.9– 93.4 | 57.7– 58.0 | Tarleton Street – north – East Devonport / River Road – south – Ambleside | ||
| Mersey River | 93.5– 93.7 | 58.1– 58.2 | Victoria Bridge | ||
| Devonport | Devonport / Miandetta midpoint | 93.9– 94.5 | 58.3– 58.7 | Formby Road – north – Devonport / to Devonport Road – south – Miandetta | |
| 95.1– 95.7 | 59.1– 59.5 | Middle Road – north – Devonport / southwest – Miandetta | |||
| Stony Rise | 96.8– 98.0 | 60.1– 60.9 | Stony Rise Road (B19) – southeast – Spreyton / northwest, then southwest as Forth Road – Forth / Don Road – northeast – Devonport | ||
| Don River | 98.4 | 61.1 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Central Coast | Leith | 105.8 | 65.7 |  Leith Road (C132) – southwest, then south – Forth /  Braddons Lookout Road (C189) – northeast, then south – Forth | |
| Forth River | 106.1– 106.2 | 65.9– 66.0 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Central Coast | Turners Beach | 107.3– 108.4 | 66.7– 67.4 | Forth Road (B19) – south – Forth / Turners Beach Road – north – Turners Beach | Westbound entry via Westella Drive |
| Ulverstone | 110.5– 111.4 | 68.7– 69.2 |  Eastland Drive (C142) – north, then west – Ulverstone | ||
| 111.9– 112.1 | 69.5– 69.7 |  Main Street (B15) – northwest – Ulverstone / Castra Road (B15) – south – Upper Castra | No eastbound entry to or exit from Bass Highway | ||
| 113.8– 114.6 | 70.7– 71.2 |  Lovett Street (B17) – north – Ulverstone / Gawler Road (B17) – south – Gawler | Westbound entry via Adaihi Street | ||
| River Leven | 115.1– 115.3 | 71.5– 71.6 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Central Coast | West Ulverstone | 116.5– 117.2 | 72.4– 72.8 | South Road (C142) – east – Ulverstone | |
| Penguin | 125.2– 125.8 | 77.8– 78.2 | Pine Road (B17) – southwest – Riana / Mission Hill Road – north-east – Penguin | ||
| Howth / Sulphur Creek midpoint | 130.7 | 81.2 |  Nine Mile Road (C118) – northwest, then south – West Pine | ||
| Heybridge | 132.9 | 82.6 |  River Avenue (C117) – south, then southwest to Cuprona Road – Cuprona | ||
| Blythe River | 133.4– 133.5 | 82.9– 83.0 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Central Coast | Heybridge | 133.9 | 83.2 |  Minna Road (C113) – southwest – Stowport | |
| Burnie | Wivenhoe | 138.1 | 85.8 |  Stowport Road (C102) – southwest – Stowport | |
| Emu River | 139.1 | 86.4 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Burnie | South Burnie | 139.2– 139.3 | 86.5– 86.6 |  Old Surrey Road (C112) – south – Emu Heights | |
| Burnie | 141.2– 141.4 | 87.7– 87.9 |  Mount Street (B18) – south – Upper Burnie | Bass Highway changes from National Highway 1 to A2 | |
| Parklands / Burnie midpoint | 142.5 | 88.5 |  West Park Grove (C108) – southwest – Park Grove | ||
| Camdale | 147.3 | 91.5 |  East Cam Road (C109) – south – East Cam | ||
| Cam River | 147.6– 147.7 | 91.7– 91.8 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Waratah-Wynyard | Somerset | 147.8 | 91.8 |  Murchison Highway (A10) – south – Queenstown | |
| 149.0 | 92.6 |  Raglan Street to Seabrook Road (C241) – south, then west – Mount Hicks | |||
| Doctors Rocks | 153.8 | 95.6 |  Old Bass Highway (C240) – northwest – Wynyard | ||
| Wynyard | 156.7 | 97.4 |  Mount Hicks Road (B26) – south – Mount Hicks / Mount Hicks Road (no shield) – north – Wynyard | ||
| 160.8 | 99.9 |  Deep Creek Road (C239) – west, then south – Yolla | |||
| 161.8 | 100.5 |  Oldina Road (C237) – southwest – Oldina | |||
| 162.4 | 100.9 |  Calder Road (C235) – southwest – Calder | |||
| 162.8 | 101.2 | Inglis Street (C240) – southeast – Wynyard | |||
| Inglis River | 163.5 | 101.6 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Waratah-Wynyard | Flowerdale | 164.9 | 102.5 |  Preolenna Road (C229) – west – Preolenna | |
| Flowerdale / Table Cape / Boat Harbour tripoint | 167.4 | 104.0 |  Tollymore Road (C234) – northeast – Table Cape | ||
| Boat Harbour | 168.3 | 104.6 |  Gates Road (C231) – south (to route C229) – Flowerdale | ||
| 171.6 | 106.6 |  Port Road (C232) – north – Boat Harbour Beach | |||
| Sisters Creek | 176.3 | 109.5 | Myalla Road (C229) – south – Myalla | From Preolenna C229 turns west and then north, returning to the Bass Highway via Myalla | |
| Circular Head | Rocky Cape | 191.0 | 118.7 |  Rocky Cape Road (C227) – northeast – Rocky Cape | |
| Detention River | 192.3 | 119.5 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Circular Head | Black River | 204.4 | 127.0 |  Mawbanna Road (C225) – southeast – Mawbanna | |
| Black River | 205.8 | 127.9 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Circular Head | Wiltshire | 208.6 | 129.6 |  Back Line Road (C221) – south, then west – Forest | |
| Wiltshire / Forest / Stanley tripoint | 212.3 | 131.9 |  Mengha Road (C219) – south – Mengha /  Stanley Highway (B21) – north – Stanley | ||
| Smithton / Forest midpoint | 221.2 | 137.4 | Back Line Road (C221) – east – Forest | From Forest C221 runs west, returning to the Bass Highway at the Smithton boundary | |
| Smithton | 223.7 | 139.0 |  Irishtown Road (B22) – south – Irishtown | ||
| 224.4 | 139.4 | Brittons Road – northwest – Smithton | |||
| 225.9 | 140.4 |  Trowutta Road (C217) – south – Edith Creek Nelson Street (C215) – north – Smithton | From Smithton C215 runs west as Montagu Road, eventually intersecting with C213 at Marrawah | ||
| Duck River | 227.6 | 141.4 | Bridge over river (name not known) | ||
| Circular Head | Redpa | 265.6 | 165.0 |  Comeback Road (C213) – north, then west – Marrawah | |
| Marrawah | 272.6 | 169.4 | Arthur River Road (C214) – southwest, then south – Arthur River / Comeback Road (C213) – northeast, then east – Redpa | Western end of Bass Highway. From Redpa C213 runs west, returning to the Bass Highway in Marrawah. | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
edit
References
edit- ^ Former State Route Numbering System in Tasmania, Ozroads: the Australian Roads Website. Retrieved on 30 January 2008.[self-published source]
- ^ "Damage by Floods Repaired". The Mercury. Vol. CXLVIII, no. 21, 015. Tasmania, Australia. 2 April 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 19 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
- ^ Report for year 1976–1977, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1978, p. 14
- ^ Report for year 1976–1977, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1978, p. 13
- ^ Report for year 1980–1981, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1982, p. 20
- ^ Report for year 1983–1984, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1985, p. 21
- ^ Report for year 1983–1984, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1985, p. 23
- ^ Annual Report 1986-1987, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1987, p. 24
- ^ Annual Report 1986-1987, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1987, p. 23
- ^ Annual Report 1987-1988, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1988, p. 30
- ^ Annual Report 1987-1988, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1988, p. 37
- ^ Annual Report 1989-90, Tasmanian Government, Department of Roads and Transport, 1990, p. 5
- ^ "Tasmanian Road Routes – B54" (PDF). Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment. May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
- ^ "Bass Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 4 November 2018.