Illawarra Highway New South Wales |
|
---|---|
Type | Highway |
Length | 62 km (39 mi) |
Route number(s) |
|
Former route number |
|
West end | |
for full list see major intersections | |
East end |
|
Major settlements | |
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in New South Wales |
The Illawarra Highway is a state highway in New South Wales, Australia. It connects Wollongong to the Southern Highlands and links the Princes Highway and Hume Highway.
It is named after the geographical area it crosses, the Illawarra region. Typical scenery is beautiful as it crosses the Macquarie Valley (Shellharbour) and the spectacular Macquarie Pass, with many hairpin bends and steep gradients, unsuitable for large and articulated vehicles. Trucks are instead advised to use the Mount Ousley Road (Route B88), also known as Picton Road. The pass has one of the southernmost stands of Australia's sub tropical rainforest.
The main towns en route are Albion Park in the Shellharbour area and Robertson and Moss Vale on the Southern Highlands. Spectacular National Parks surrounds them. Both Robertson and Moss Vale are quaint country towns with 19th-century buildings still intact, While Albion Park is an inland town of Shellharbour