Highway 15 (Australia)
Photo: Cgoodwin, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The New England Highway (A15), Hunter Expressway (M15) and Cunningham Highway (National Highway 15/A15/M15) which all make up Highway 15, is one of the two main road links for driving Sydney to Brisbane by car. The highway is an inland route connecting Newcastle (in New South Wales' Hunter Valley) and Ipswich, Queensland.
UnderstandIn a nutshell, the New England Highway is just an alternative route to the Pacific Highway/Motorway that links Sydney and Brisbane.
PrepareThere are no remote regions along the route, but it still pays to have a car in good mechanical condition, and food and water enough for several hours you could spend waiting for help to arrive if required.
Get inThere are many ways to get in and can be accessed at many points along the drive.
DriveThe Cunningham and Ipswich Highways form the first leg up from Queensland's capital. Note there is a steep, windy section at the Cunningham Gap.
Stay safeMost of the route is single carriageway with a 100 km/h speed limit with only an exception at Hunter Expressway (with a 110 km/h limit).
SleepThe main towns along the route are studded with motels and caravan parks that cater for the holiday traffic on this popular route. Prices are highest in the holiday season.
EatAs with sleeping options, eateries are also plentiful in the towns passed en route. See under the individual destinations for more detail.
Sources and licences
- Guide text adapted from the Wikivoyage article "Highway 15 (Australia)" by its contributors, available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read on Wikivoyage · Contributors · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Photo: Cgoodwin, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons