Major roads in the Pilbara region of Western Australia
Main Roads Western Australia controls the major roads in the state's Pilbara region.[1] There are two main highways in the region: Great Northern Highway, which travels north through the region to Port Hedland and then north-west along the coast, as well as North West Coastal Highway, which heads south-west from Port Hedland. A series of main roads connects towns to the highways, and local roads provide additional links. The majority of these roads service the western half of the region, with few located in the various deserts east of the Oakover River. Roads are often named after the towns or areas they connect.[2][3]
The region's main roads are important for multiple aspects of the Pilbara's economy. These activities include mining (despite most products being transported by rail), agriculture and pastoral leases, and tourism, especially to the national parks at Karijini, Millstream-Chichester, and Rudall River.[4]
Bingarn Road
Bingarn Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Tom Price |
| Length | 0.9 km[5] (0.56 mi; 3,000 ft) |
Bingarn Road is the main access road connecting Tom Price to the wider Pilbara region since 2020.[6] It commences at the intersection of Manuwarra Red Dog Highway and Paraburdoo–Tom Price Road and terminates at the intersection of Willow and Central Roads in central Tom Price. It was originally known as Mine Road prior to the naming of the Manuwarra Red Dog Highway replacing the original Bingarn Road alignment. The original Bingarn Road was a major north–south road in the Pilbara connecting Tom Price north to Nanutarra Munjina Road at Mount Sheila.[2][7].
Burrup Road
Burrup Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Burrup Peninsula |
| Length | 9.25 km[7] (5.75 mi) |
Burrup Road,
Dampier Road
Dampier Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Karratha – Dampier |
| Length | 19.27 km[7] (11.97 mi) |
Dampier Road,
The road was completed in the late 1960s as a major link between Karratha and Dampier.
Duplication between Balmoral Road West and Burrup Peninsula Road, turning the road into a dual carriageway, was completed on 28 February 2013.[9]
Great Northern Highway
Great Northern Highway | |
|---|---|
| Location | Pardoo |
| Length | 609.34 km[7] (378.63 mi) |
| Route number | |
Great Northern Highway is a main highway through the Pilbara region, and part of the Perth to Darwin national highway. From the southern edge of the region at
De Witt Road
De Witt Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Karratha |
| Length | 6.57 km[7] (4.08 mi) |
De Witt Road (formerly Karratha Rd) is a main north–south road in the Pilbara region, linking Karratha to the North West Coastal Highway. It travels from the highway to the town centre along the eastern edge of Stove Hill, terminating at Dampier Road.[2]
Karijini Road
Karijini Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Juna Downs – Mount Sheila |
| Length | 108.66 km[7] (67.52 mi) |
Karijini Road,[1] also known as Karijini Drive,[2][3] is a major east–west road through the Karijini National Park. It connects Great Northern Highway, on the eastern side of the park, to Mount Sheila, near Tom Price, west of the park.[2]
Madigan Road
Madigan Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Karratha |
| Length | 5.78 km[7] (3.59 mi) |
Madigan Road is a major north–south road in the Pilbara region. It runs north from the Karratha Roadhouse on North West Coastal Highway, linking traffic to Dampier and Karratha via Dampier Road.[2]
Manuwarra Red Dog Highway
Manuwarra Red Dog Highway | |
|---|---|
| Location | Karratha – Tom Price |
| Length | 275.26 km[7] (171.04 mi) |
Manuwarra Red Dog Highway is a major north-west to south-east road in the Pilbara region currently being constructed between Karratha and Tom Price. Originally known as Karratha-Tom Price Road, it acquired its new name in September 2020 after community consultation.
The road is constructed from renamed sections of Warlu Road, Roebourne-Wittenoom Road and Bingarn Road along with a portion of the service road originally constructed to service the Hamersley & Robe River railway.
Marble Bar Road
Marble Bar Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Strelley |
| Length | 433.94 km[7] (269.64 mi) |
| Route number |  State Route 138 |
Marble Bar Road is a main north–south road in the Pilbara region. From
Coongan Gorge
The project for realignment and reconstruction works was completed in mid 2019 at a total cost of $34.5 million.[11]
Nanutarra Munjina Road
Nanutarra Munjina Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Karijini |
| Length | 417.12 km[7] (259.19 mi) |
| Route number |  State Route 136 |
Nanutarra Munjina Road is a major east–west road in the Pilbara region. From
North West Coastal Highway
North West Coastal Highway | |
|---|---|
| Location | Yannarie – Mundabullangana |
| Length | 570.26 km[7] (354.34 mi) |
| Route number |  National Route 1 |
North West Coastal Highway is a highway that follows the southern half of the Pilbara coastline. From the Gascyone region at Burkett Road, a turnoff for Exmouth, the highway enters the Pilbara region at Yannarie. It heads north-easterly, gradually moving closer to the coast until it reaches the access roads to Dampier and Karratha, Madigan Road and Karratha Road. From here the highway moves runs to Roebourne and then over to Whim Creek, where it curves back to the north east to meet Great Northern Highway at Mundabullangana, south of Port Hedland.[2]
Onslow Road
Onslow Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Cane – Onslow |
| Length | 79.40 km[7] (49.34 mi) |
Onslow Road is a major road in the Pilbara region. From North West Coastal Highway at Cane, north of the Nanutarra Roadhouse, it heads north-west to the town of Onslow on the coast.[2]
Paraburdoo–Tom Price Road
Paraburdoo–Tom Price Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Rocklea – Tom Price |
| Length | 130.78 km[7] (81.26 mi) |
Paraburdoo–Tom Price Road,[1] also known as Paraburdoo Tom Price Road[2] or Paraburdoo Road (west of Paraburdoo) and Tom Price Road (east of Paraburdoo),[7] is a major road in the Pilbara region. From Nanutarra Munjina Road in Rocklea, the road heads south-east to Paraburdoo. It then curves round to the north, meeting Karijini Road, before heading a short distance north-west to Tom Price, where Manuwarra Red Dog Highway completes the loop back to Nanutarra Munjina Road. Paraburdoo–Tom Price Road is part of the sealed road link between North West Coastal Highway and Great Northern Highway in the southern half of the Pilbara.[2]
Point Samson–Roebourne Road
Point Samson–Roebourne Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Point Samson – Roebourne |
| Length | 18.41 km[7] (11.44 mi) |
Point Samson–Roebourne Road,[1] also known as Point Samson Roebourne Road,[2] is a major north–south road in the Pilbara region. It links Point Samson on the coast via Wickham to North West Coastal Highway at Roebourne.[2]
Ripon Hills Road
Ripon Hills Road | |
|---|---|
| Location | Marble Bar |
| Length | 130.94 km[7] (81.36 mi) |
Ripon Hills Road is a major east–west road in
Ripon Hills Road was opened in November 1999 to replace the unsealed Woodie Woodie Road between Marble Bar townsite and the Telfer Mine Road turnoff as the main road through the region. At the time Ripon Hills Road was opened, Woodie Woodie Road carried over 500 Thousand tonnes of freight.[13]
Wilson Street
Wilson Street | |
|---|---|
| Location | Port Hedland |
| Length | 10.38 km[7] (6.45 mi) |
Wilson Street is a major road in Port Hedland, in the Pilbara region. It connects the coastal townsite to Great Northern Highway.[2]
See also
- Australian Roads portal
Western Australia portal
- List of highways in Western Australia
- List of road routes in Western Australia
- List of major roads in rural Western Australia
- Major roads in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia
- Major roads in the Kimberley region of Western Australia
- Major roads in the Mid West region of Western Australia
- Major roads in the Wheatbelt region of Western Australia
- Tourist Drives in Western Australia
References
- ^ a b c d e f Main Roads Western Australia (17 December 2013). "Regional Roads". Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 11 November 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Main Roads Western Australia (13 August 2013). Upper Regions map – Kimberley, Pilbara and Gascoyne (PDF) (Map). 1:3,000,000. Version 1.0. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 29 August 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2014.
- ^ a b Main Roads Western Australia (28 February 2011). "Pilbara Network" (Map). Intergrated Service Arrangement. 1:3,092,784. Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 3 August 2013. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ Main Roads Western Australia (2013). "Pilbara Regional Profile" (PDF). Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2014. Retrieved 26 April 2014.
- ^ "SOS Specialized Office Services to Tom Price". Google Maps. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ "Confirmed Public Minutes OCM 13 October 2020" (PDF). Shire of Ashburtion. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Main Roads Western Australia. Road Information Mapping System (Map). Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 24 December 2013.
- ^ "Pluto LNG". Woodside. Archived from the original on 7 February 2014. Retrieved 14 February 2014.
- ^ a b Main Roads Western Australia (20 December 2013). "Dampier Highway Duplication". Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 21 October 2013. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
- ^ "Karratha-Tom Price Road officially named Manuwarra Red Dog Highway". Government of Western Australia. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 12 September 2021.
- ^ "Marble Bar Road - Coongan Gorge". Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications. 14 January 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Roads 2030 Strategies for Significant Local Government Roads – Pilbara Region" (PDF). Retrieved 24 October 2021.
- ^ "Official opening of Ripon Hills Road in east Pilbara". 3 November 1999. Archived from the original on 24 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
