Macquarie Pass
Encyclopedia
Macquarie Pass is a 8 kilometre long section of the Illawarra Highway
passing through Macquarie Pass National Park
. It was opened in 1898.
Macquarie Pass links the Southern Highland
town of Robertson
to the coastal town of Albion Park, descending the Illawarra Escarpment
via a very narrow bitumen roadway, which has several single lane sections, and for the most part is two lanes with double "no overtaking" lines. It is in the Shellharbour LGA.
This section of roadway is very steep, and contains a large number of hairpin bends, resulting in buses and trucks needing to reverse on some of the bends. The pass is quite notorious for accidents due to its nature, and drivers and riders are required to be cautious.
After heavy rain, the Macquarie Pass can be closed due to flooding on the top half of the pass. Cars and motorbike riders may opt to use Jamberoo Mountain Road between Robertson
and Jamberoo
, while trucks are advised to use Mount Ousley Road (Southern Freeway
) and Picton Road
as an alternative.
On weekends and public holidays, the road is also very popular with motorcyclists, resulting in a number of councils and the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority
issuing a safety brochure titled Motorcycling Macquarie Pass.
to Robertson
(adjacent to Yellow Rock). Due to a lack of funds, the proposal was scrapped.
north to Mount Ousley), many people in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands favour a new multi-lane highway over the escarpment to connect the ever expanding Shellharbour City to the Highlands and Hume Highway. However, neither State or Federal Governments have shown any interest in such a project.
Illawarra Highway
Illawarra Highway connects Wollongong to NSW Southern Highlands. It links Princes Highway and Hume Highway and signed as National Route 48.It is named after the geographical area it crosses, the Illawarra region...
passing through Macquarie Pass National Park
Macquarie Pass National Park
Macquarie Pass National Park is a national park in New South Wales , 90 km southwest of Sydney. It is located around the pass of that name, which is on the Illawarra Highway....
. It was opened in 1898.
Macquarie Pass links the Southern Highland
Southern Highlands, New South Wales
The Southern Highlands, also locally referred to as the Highlands, is a geographical region and district in New South Wales, Australia and is 110 km south-west of Sydney. The entire region is under the local government area of the Wingecarribee Shire...
town of Robertson
Robertson, New South Wales
Robertson is a small town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located on the edge of an elevated plateau about 35 km from the coast. At the 2006 census, Robertson had a population of 1,206 people.Robertson is known for its high annual...
to the coastal town of Albion Park, descending the Illawarra Escarpment
Illawarra escarpment
The Illawarra Escarpment is the fold created cliffs and plateau eroded outcrop mountain range west of the Illawarra coastal plain south of Sydney, Australia, enclosing the region known as the Illawarra which stretches from Stanwell Park in the north to Kiama, Gerringong and the Shoalhaven river in...
via a very narrow bitumen roadway, which has several single lane sections, and for the most part is two lanes with double "no overtaking" lines. It is in the Shellharbour LGA.
This section of roadway is very steep, and contains a large number of hairpin bends, resulting in buses and trucks needing to reverse on some of the bends. The pass is quite notorious for accidents due to its nature, and drivers and riders are required to be cautious.
After heavy rain, the Macquarie Pass can be closed due to flooding on the top half of the pass. Cars and motorbike riders may opt to use Jamberoo Mountain Road between Robertson
Robertson, New South Wales
Robertson is a small town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located on the edge of an elevated plateau about 35 km from the coast. At the 2006 census, Robertson had a population of 1,206 people.Robertson is known for its high annual...
and Jamberoo
Jamberoo, New South Wales
Jamberoo is a small picturesque village approx 11 km inland from Kiama on the South Coast of New South Wales, Australia in the Municipality of Kiama. At the 2006 census, Jamberoo had a population of 935 people...
, while trucks are advised to use Mount Ousley Road (Southern Freeway
Southern Freeway
Southern Freeway is a freeway linking Sydney to Wollongong. It currently is designated as part of National Route 1, however was formerly signposted as F6 under a former route numbering system, and is commonly known by this latter name...
) and Picton Road
Picton Road
Picton Road is a New South Wales highway linking Picton and Wollongong. It provides an important link between the Hume and Southern freeways. From Picton, the highway runs in the southeastern direction, crosses the Hume Highway and continues over grass-forested ranges east of Wilton until it meets...
as an alternative.
On weekends and public holidays, the road is also very popular with motorcyclists, resulting in a number of councils and the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority
Roads and Traffic Authority
The Roads and Traffic Authority is a former New South Wales government agency that was responsible for major road infrastructure, licensing of drivers, and registration of motor vehicles. The RTA directly managed State roads and provided funding to local councils for regional and local roads...
issuing a safety brochure titled Motorcycling Macquarie Pass.
Planning of Caloola Pass
During the 1980s, an alternative route was proposed - ascending the Illawarra Escarpment from Albion ParkAlbion Park, New South Wales
Albion Park is a suburb in the City of Shellharbour, which is in turn one of the three local government areas that comprise the Wollongong Metropolitan Area, New South Wales, Australia...
to Robertson
Robertson, New South Wales
Robertson is a small town in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, Australia, in Wingecarribee Shire. The town is located on the edge of an elevated plateau about 35 km from the coast. At the 2006 census, Robertson had a population of 1,206 people.Robertson is known for its high annual...
(adjacent to Yellow Rock). Due to a lack of funds, the proposal was scrapped.
Future of Macquarie Pass
While debate continues as to whether the road should be closed to trucks (diverting all trucks bound for the Highlands and CanberraCanberra
Canberra is the capital city of Australia. With a population of over 345,000, it is Australia's largest inland city and the eighth-largest city overall. The city is located at the northern end of the Australian Capital Territory , south-west of Sydney, and north-east of Melbourne...
north to Mount Ousley), many people in the Illawarra and Southern Highlands favour a new multi-lane highway over the escarpment to connect the ever expanding Shellharbour City to the Highlands and Hume Highway. However, neither State or Federal Governments have shown any interest in such a project.