Cobb Hwy & Silver City Hwy upgrade program

Reviewed

Project overview

The NSW Government is providing $145 million to seal and upgrade all the remaining unsealed sections on the Cobb and Silver City highways in far western NSW.

Cobb Highway

This brings the total investment by the NSW Government to $195 million since 2011 which includes sealing 153 kilometres on the Silver City Highway and 132 kilometres on the Cobb Highway.

As of October 2023, all remaining sections of the Silver City Highway and Cobb Highway have now been completed.

Latest news

December 2023 - Community update

The final December Community Update (PDF, 810.28 KB) is now available. Read more about the completion of the works on the Cobb Highway from Ivanhoe to Wilcannia, improving freight access, flood immunity, regional development and road safety.

November - Project completion

NSW has a fully sealed highway road network for the first time in its history following completion of a mammoth $195 million project to bitumen seal two Outback highways. The historic milestone was reached after crews finished sealing the final 3.9-kilometre section of the Cobb Highway near Halfway Tree between Ivanhoe and Wilcannnia.

Read the full media release.

October 2023 - Project update

The last section at Halfway Tree has now been completed.

September 2023 - Project update

The Mount Manara section of the Cobb Highway project has now been sealed.
The last section at Halfway Tree will be completed by late 2023.

August 2023 - Project update

With Bushley now complete, there is only 7.8km of unsealed road remaining.

The last two sections at Halfway Tree and Mount Manara will be completed by late 2023.

May 2023 - Project update

Another 3.4 kilometres of the Cobb Highway has been sealed at Bushley.

The crews are to be congratulated on their huge efforts to keep this project on track.

Dec 2022 - Community update

The latest Commemorative Community Update is now available. Read more about the completion of the works on the Silver City Highway from Broken Hill to the Queensland border, proudly delivered earlier than scheduled, improving freight access, flood immunity, regional development and road safety.


Project information

Background

In June 2018, the NSW Government announced it will invest $145 million to seal and upgrade the remaining 209 kilometres of the Cobb and Silver City Highways by 2023. This brings the total investment in the highways to $195 million since 2011.

The Cobb Highway runs from Moama, on the Victorian border, to the Barrier Highway, near Wilcannia, via Ivanhoe and Hay.

The Silver City Highway connects Buronga, on the Victorian border with the Queensland border via Broken Hill and Tibooburra.

The Cobb and Silver City highways provide a north – south connection between north-western Victoria and north-western NSW. They are the only roads in the NSW State Highway network that are not sealed. Unsealed highways in this part of NSW can easily flood and there has been sections closed up to 70 days a year due to poor weather and often for weeks at a time, directly affecting local residents and businesses, essential services and interstate road users.

The final section of the Cobb Highway was officially sealed in October 2023, providing families and businesses with long- term access to safer and more reliable roads in western NSW.

Benefits

What does the project mean for the local and wider network?

  • Fewer highway closures – As part of the road upgrade, table drains will be established on both sides of the highways to remove water from the road during periods of heavy rainfall.
  • Greater economic opportunities for local and interstate businesses - The upgrade will provide a more secure transport route for local produce and industries.
  • More efficient travel – A sealed road will mean motorists have a smoother journey, better visibility of the road and a more direct route across western NSW.
  • Safer travel conditions - Gravel roads can be difficult for motorists to travel on due to their roughness and the amount of dust generated by vehicles. Sealing the highways leads to improvements in road safety.

Other benefits for locals and the wider community include:

  • More reliable access to schools and hospitals
  • Reduced travel times by up to 30 minutes
  • Improved connections for the freight and livestock industry in remote NSW
  • Reduced time, cost and resources used in road maintenance
  • Improved wet weather immunity and more reliable road access
  • Smother and safer road surface.

Project features

The key features of the sealing and upgrade work include:

  • Constructing north and southbound traffic lanes
  • Rebuilding and sealing the roads
  • Installing drainage structures to combat impacts of flooding
  • A new bridge at Packsaddle Creek, completed in April 2019
  • Installation a landing strip for the Royal Flying Doctor Service at Shannon’s Creek, completed in 2015.

Completed work

Silver City Highway:

As of December 2022, all remaining sections of the Silver City Highway have been completed.

Completed sealed sections on the Silver City Highway:

  • Tobooburra to Warri Gate Section 1 – 5.6 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 1.3 kilometres north of Tibooburra
  • Tibooburra to Warri Gate Section 2 – 15 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 6.9 kilometres north of Tibooburra
  • Tibooburra to Warri Gate Section 3 - 12.8 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 22 kilometres north of Tibooburra
  • Tibooburra to Warri Gate Section 4 – 9.8 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 35 kilometres north of Tibooburra
  • Tibooburra to Warri Gate Section 5 – 10 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 44 kilometres north of Tibooburra
  • Peak Hill Central – 3.4 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 284 kilometres north of Broken Hill
  • Peak Hill Causeway - 4.3 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 271 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • One Tree – 7.3 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 250 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Coally South – 5.2 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 245 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Salt Lake – 4.6 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 240 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Cobham Lake – 1.8 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 228 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Shannons Creek North Stage Two – 3.7 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 224 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Shannons Creek North Stage One – 3 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 221 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Williams Tank Stage Two – 3.6 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 204 kilometre north of Broken Hill
  • Milparinka – 4.9 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 292 kilometres north of Broken Hill
  • Warratta Creek – 8 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 298 kilometres north of Broken Hill
  • Milpa Flat – 5 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 195 kilometres north of Broken Hill
  • William’s Tank, Stage One – 3.6 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 200 kilometres north of Broken Hill
  • Packsaddle Bridge and approaches – 2.4 kilometre section and construction of a bridge on the Silver City Highway, 175 kilometres north of Broken Hill
  • Eight Mile Creek – 7.2 kilometre of the Silver City Highway, 87 kilometres north of Broken Hill.
  • Barons Creek, Stage Two – 1.2 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 181 kilometres north of Broken Hill, closing a gap between previously sealed sections north of Barons Creek.
  • Eight Mile Initial Seal – 7.2 kilometres of the Silver City Highway, 87 kilometres north of Broken Hill.
  • Shannon’s Creek – 13.4 kilometre section of road, 207 kilometres north of Broken Hill, including constructing a 1.5 kilometre emergency landing airstrip. Isolated communities now have access to emergency services including the Royal Flying Doctor Service.
  • Barons Creek Initial Seal, Stage One and Three - 4 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 181 kilometres north of Broken Hill.
  • Euriowie Creek – 13 kilometre section of the Silver City Highway, 70 kilometres north of Broken Hill.

Cobb Highway:

As of October 2023, all remaining sections of the Cobb Highway have been completed.

Completed sealed sections on the Cobb Highway Highway:

  • Halfway Tree – 3.9 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 88 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Mount Manara – 3.9 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 63 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Bushley – 3.4 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 87 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Tasman Road – 6 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 11 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Menindee Road North – 2 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 9 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Monivea – 5 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 17 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Eurella South – 6.4 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 22 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Baden Park – 3.6 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 39 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Gypsum Mine North – 5.5 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, – 43 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Springdale South – 2.9 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 48 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Springdale – 7 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 51 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Mount Manara South – 4.8 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 58 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Kerpa Station North – 4.9 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 71 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Glen Albyn South – 5.1 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 76 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Dromore – 6.1 kilometres of the highway, 81 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Rosewood - 5.2 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 96 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Rosewood – 4 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 100 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Yelta – 6.4 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 109 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Slamannon South – 3.1 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 115 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Slamannon – 5.4 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 118 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • White Elephant Tank Extension – 2 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 103 kilometres north of Ivanhoe
  • Teryawynia – 5.1 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 130 kilometres north of Ivanhoe.
  • Fairmount – 4.4 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 95 kilometres north of Ivanhoe.
  • Fairmount 1 – 5.2 kilometre section of the Cobb Highway, 135 kilometres north of Ivanhoe.
  • Eurella – 10 kilometre section of road and installing drainage improvements to provide flood immunity and reduce road closures due to wet weather.
  • Teryawynia South – 6.1 kilometre section of the Cobb highway, 124 kilometres north of Ivanhoe.
  • Mount Monara North – 3.9 kilometre section of the Cobb highway, 67 kilometres north of Ivanhoe.

 

Project documents

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Community updates

Media releases

Project documents

Contact us

For further information about this project, please contact:

Phone: 1800 167 499

Email:western.projects@transport.nsw.gov.au