Southern region

Oak Flats to Dunmore

Open to traffic

The $108 million Oak Flats to Dunmore upgrade of the Princes Highway was opened to traffic on 21 October 2009. The new roadway provides four lanes divided carriageway, two lanes in each direction with a grade separated interchange linked to Shellharbour Road.

Shellharbour Road has also been upgraded to four lanes, matching the remainder of its link to Wollongong.

The new highway now links the Oak Flats Interchange to the North Kiama Bypass providing a high standard four lane highway from Sydney to south of Kiama.

This project is fully funded by the NSW Government.

Community celebration walk

The local community celebrated the nearing of completion with a community event held on Sunday 11 October 2009.

Over 300 community members attended the day, which was officially launched by the Minister for Transport and Roads, David Campbell MP.

The local community walked along the new upgrade and viewed the new Flinders Interchange before it opened to traffic. Families enjoyed face painting, acts by a circus performer and a jumping castle. Donations from a sausage sizzle went to the Rural Fire Service who also had fire trucks and Smokey the Bear on hand to entertain children.

This event was an opportunity to thank the local community for their patience during the works and to recognise the efforts of all who have been involved in the upgrade.

Construction

Construction took two and a half years to complete with key components including:

  • A new 5.5km alignment the Princes Highway.
  • Four new bridges, including one that spans the South Coast Railway Line.
  • Widening Shellharbour Road for a distance of 2km.
  • A new grade separated interchange linking Shellharbour Road and the Princes Highway.

The project benefits include:

  • Increased safety for motorists, removing the twisting Dunmore Bends.
  • Reduced travel times, especially during holiday periods.
  • On road cycleways in both directions for the length of the project, which ties into existing infrastructure at Oak Flats and the North Kiama Bypass
  • Closure of the Railway Level crossing to traffic at Dunmore, with Dunmore Road (formerly Shellharbour Road at this location) converted into a Cul-de-Sac.
Tabbitta road bridge with girders in place Interchange and Lindsays Lane Twin bridges and railway bridge – Flinders Interchange Dunsters Lane Dunsters Lane Flinders Interchange Tabbitta Road Twin Bridges and Railway Bridge Dunmore Road and Fliders Interchange Flindes Interchange looking towards Shellharbour Oak Flats Interchange looking south Tabbitta Road Dunmore Road Dunsters Lane Finders Interchange James Road Dunmore Road and Flinders Interchange Flinders Interchange Bridges Shellharbour Road Tabbitta Road Interchange Flinders Interchange Shellharbour Road View looking south at Dunmore Straight View looking south near Dunsters Lane Official opening ceremony with Minister for Transport and Roads Official ribbon cutting with Minister for Transport and Roads, Member for Kiama and Member for Shellharbour Looking north towards the new Flinders Interchange Lions Club of Minnamurra providing food and drinks for visitors Looking south at community day festivities Cyclists travelling along the new cycleway Families enjoying the free entertainment Looking north under the new Shellharbour Road Aerial view of new road View north of Flinders Interchange View south of Flinders Interchange and Dunmore straight View east of Flinders Interchange and Shellharbour Road Flinders Interchange View looking south near Tabbitta Road View looking west from Shellharbour Road View near Dunsters Lane View looking north near James Road View looking south-east near Lindsays Lane
Earthworks at Dunster’s Lane Earthworks near site office with Flinders in the background Drainage at the northern end of Dunmore straight Drainage northern end Dunmore straight Interchange with completed piles Earthworks at Dunster’s Lane Northern end of Dunmore straight View looking south with Oak Flats Interchange in the foreground Earthworks north of Dunster’s Lane Drainage at northern of Dunmore straight General View with the interchange in the foreground and Lake Illawarra in the background Closer view of the interchange Closer view of the interchange Looking north from Dunmore North of the interchange looking northwards Shellharbour Road and Tabbitta Road at Dunmore Looking north with Tabbitta Road on the left and Shellharbour Road on the right Bridge construction at the interchange Interchange bridge construction Bridge construction with arrival of large crane for railway bridge girder erection Bridge construction with arrival of large crane for railway bridge girder erection View north towards Dunsters Lane Dunsters lane closed on the east and relocated on the west Railway bridge with girders in place Shellharbour Road and Tabbitta Road Location of new southbound bridge over Tabbitta Road Interchange with pavement works underway in the background New Shellharbour Road construction Tabbitta and Shellharbour Roads Dunsters Lane Interchange bridges Twin bridges over the new Highway Interchange and Lindsay’s Lane Tabbitta and Shellharbour Roads Dunsters Lane Concrete pour of the first of the twin bridges over the Highway Interchange and Lindsays Lane Tabbitta and Shellharbour Roads Dunsters Lane Interchange and Lindsays Lane Twin bridges and railway bridge – Flinders Interchange
Constructing Sediment ponds Site Office and location for new interchange Looking north from Dunmore Lindsay’s Lane and site office looking towards the existing Princes Highway Site office, topsoil stripping and commencement of earthworks Drainage mats north of the site office Constructing drainage mats at the northern end of the Dunmore Straight Site office and interchange location Drainage mats under construction Looking north towards interchange Site office and interchange location looking east with Bass Point in the background Start of piped drainage construction just south of Dunster’s Lane Lindsay’s Lane, site office and Flinders in the background Looking south west with Flinders in the foreground and the existing Princes Highway Norfolk Island pines in the background Looking north towards Dunster’s Lane Looking North with Dunster’s Lane in the distance Drainage construction at the northern end of Dunmore straight Commencement of drainage construction east of the railway for the interchange Drainage works northern end of Dunmore straight Northern end of Dunmore straight with school oval construction in the foreground, east of the railway line Looking south from the interchange with Dunmore in the distance