Bass Highway, Tasmania

The Bass Highway is a highway in Tasmania, Australia. It connects the three cities across the north of the state – Burnie, Devonport and Launceston. The road was named due to its proximity to the Bass Strait. It is a part of the National Highway, designated as National Highway 1, together with the Midland and Brooker highways in Tasmania.

Bass Highway Tasmania
The Bass Highway in Burnie
General information
Type	Highway
Length	273 km (170 mi)
Route number(s)	National Highway 1 Launceston – Burnie A2 Burnie – Marrawah
Former route number	State Route 2[1]
Major junctions
East end	Midland Highway Prospect, Launceston, Tasmania
	Meander Valley Road Illawarra Road Meander Valley Road Birralee Road Highland Lakes Road Mole Creek Road Railton Road Gilbert Street Port Sorell Road Stony Rise Road Turners Beach Road Castra Road Gawler Road Pine Road Mount Street Murchison Highway Mount Hicks Road Stanley Highway Irishtown Road
West end	Arthur River Road Comeback Road Marrawah, Tasmania
Location(s)
Region	Tasmania
Major settlements	Deloraine, Devonport, Ulverstone, Burnie, Wynyard, Smithton
Highway system
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in Tasmania

The highway passes through or past the following localities:

• Launceston
• Prospect and other Launceston suburbs
• Hadspen
• Carrick
• Hagley
• Westbury
• Exton
• Deloraine
• Elizabeth Town
• Sassafras
• Latrobe
• Devonport
• Forth
• Ulverstone
• Penguin
• Burnie

From here, the highway ceases to be part of the National Highway, but continues as the Bass Highway (A2) through the following towns:

• Somerset
• Wynyard
• Smithton
• Marrawah

Upgrades

The name "Bass Highway" was in use by 1938.^[2] Since the mid-1970s the highway has undergone significant upgrades that have included bypasses and deviations, duplications and grade separations, particularly between Burnie and Launceston. On 30 March 1977, ‘stage A’ of the ‘Burnie Highway System’ was opened to traffic. This stage connected the Bass Highway east of the town with Alexander Street by an elevated roadway over the port access road and rail lines.^[3] Shortly after, on 19 April 1977, the bypass of Devonport was completed with the opening of the final section between Middle Road, Devonport and Don, referred to in that year's Main Roads Annual Report as the ‘Devonport to Don Freeway’. This section was an extension of the earlier Victoria Bridge project.^[4] Three years later, the Ulverstone bypass was completed and opened to traffic in August 1980.^[5] The duplication of the highway from Wivenhoe, east of Burnie, to Chasm Creek was completed during the 1983–84 financial year,^[6] and was followed in May 1984 with the opening of 500 metres of ‘stage B' of the Burnie Highway System. This section duplicated the highway along North Terrace.^[7] In September 1986, all four lanes over the complete length of ‘stage B’ of the ‘Burnie Expressway’ (‘Burnie Highway System’) were brought into operation.^[8] Throughout 1986 and 1987, sections of the highway were progressively duplicated and opened to traffic between Don (Devonport) and the Forth River, with the last section completed in June 1987. This was followed by completion of duplication between Forth River and Ulverstone in late 1987.^[9] In 1988, at the eastern terminus of the Bass Highway, a new alignment was opened to connect directly to the then new Launceston Southern Outlet, which itself had opened to traffic in 1985. Known as the Prospect bypass, this alignment was opened to traffic on 23 January 1988.^[10] West of Burnie, the Smithton bypass was opened to traffic in May 1988.^[11] The Deloraine Bypass was opened on 8 June 1990. The project was carried out over five years and cost a total of A$19 million. The bypass opening was performed by the Federal and State ministers for Land Transport and Roads and Transport respectively.^[12]

Other bypasses have included Carrick and Hadspen in the late 1980s and the longest stretch of highway, the Hagley–Westbury bypass, which was completed in 2001. The 'old' highway alignment between Deloraine and Hadspen is now known as Meander Valley Road,^[13] and is promoted as a tourist route.

The Bass Highway is, like Bass Strait, named for explorer George Bass.

Major intersections

LGA	Location	km[14]	mi	Destinations	Notes
Launceston	Prospect	0	0.0	Midland Highway (National Highway 1) – north – Launceston / southeast – Hobart	Eastern end of Bass Highway. Continues south west as National Highway 1.
	Prospect / Prospect Vale midpoint	2.0– 2.8	1.2– 1.7	Meander Valley Road (B54) – northwest – Prospect Vale / southwest – Travellers Rest / Westbury Road – northeast – Prospect Vale	Eastbound exit via Westbury Road
Meander Valley	Travellers Rest	4.8– 5.0	3.0– 3.1	Meander Valley Road (B54) – west – Hadspen / northeast – Prospect / Pateena Road (C531) – south – Longford	No eastbound exit from or westbound entry to Bass Highway
South Esk River		8.9– 9.0	5.5– 5.6	Bridge over river (name not known)
Meander Valley	Carrick	10.8– 11.6	6.7– 7.2	Illawarra Road (B52) – northwest – Carrick / southeast – Longford
		14.9	9.3	Bishopsbourne Road (C513) – north – Carrick / south – Bishopsbourne
Liffey River		15.8	9.8	Bridge over river (name not known)
Meander Valley	Carrick	16.1– 17.1	10.0– 10.6	Oaks Road (C511) – northeast – Carrick / southwest – Bracknell
		18.3	11.4	Whitemore Road (C508) – northeast – Carrick / southwest – Whitemore
Whitemore Creek		21.8– 21.9	13.5– 13.6	Bridge over creek (name not known)
Meander Valley	Hagley	23.1– 23.5	14.4– 14.6	Hagley Station Lane (C507) – northeast – Hagley southwest – Whitemore	No eastbound exit from or westbound entry to Bass Highway
	Hagley / Westbury midpoint	26.0– 27.6	16.2– 17.1	Meander Valley Road (B54) – west – Westbury / east – Hagley	No westbound entry to Bass Highway
	Westbury	30.2– 30.9	18.8– 19.2	Birralee Road (B72) – northwest – Birralee / William Street (B72) – southeast – Westbury
	Deloraine	42.5– 43.2	26.4– 26.8	Lake Highway (A5) – south – Deloraine
Meander River		44.6	27.7	Bridge over river (name not known)
Meander Valley	Deloraine	46.3– 48.0	28.8– 29.8	Mole Creek Road (B12) – south – Mole Creek / Weetah Road (C710) – north – Weetah	Westbound entry via Emu Bay Road
	Elizabeth Town	52.8	32.8	Bengeo Road (C163) – south – Red Hills
		55.3	34.4	Railton Road (B13) – west – Railton
		55.3	34.4	Parkham Road (C711) – northeast – Parkham
Latrobe	Sassafras	77.0	47.8	Chapel Road (C713) – north – Harford
		80.1	49.8	East Sassafras Road (C706) – east – Sassafras / Cutting Road – west – Sassafras	From the eastern part of Sassafras, route C706 runs north on Greens Creek Road to Harford
		81.4	50.6	Native Plains Road (C153) – south – Railton
	Sassafras / Latrobe midpoint	82.4	51.2	Oppenheims Road (C704) – north, then east – Harford
	Latrobe	85.5	53.1	Gilbert Street to Mersey Main Road (B19) – west – Spreyton
		86.8– 87.0	53.9– 54.1	Moriarty Road (C702) – east – Moriarty / southwest – Latrobe
Devonport	Latrobe / East Devonport midpoint	90.7– 91.2	56.4– 56.7	Port Sorell Road (B74) – northeast – Port Sorell / southwest – Latrobe
	East Devonport	92.9– 93.4	57.7– 58.0	Tarleton Street – north – East Devonport / River Road – south – Ambleside
Mersey River		93.5– 93.7	58.1– 58.2	Victoria Bridge
Devonport	Devonport / Miandetta midpoint	93.9– 94.5	58.3– 58.7	Formby Road – north – Devonport / to Devonport Road – south – Miandetta
		95.1– 95.7	59.1– 59.5	Middle Road – north – Devonport / southwest – Miandetta
	Stony Rise	96.8– 98.0	60.1– 60.9	Stony Rise Road (B19) – southeast – Spreyton / northwest, then southwest as Forth Road – Forth / Don Road – northeast – Devonport
Don River		98.4	61.1	Bridge over river (name not known)
Central Coast	Leith	105.8	65.7	Leith Road (C132) – southwest, then south – Forth / Braddons Lookout Road (C189) – northeast, then south – Forth
Forth River		106.1– 106.2	65.9– 66.0	Bridge over river (name not known)
Central Coast	Turners Beach	107.3– 108.4	66.7– 67.4	Forth Road (B19) – south – Forth / Turners Beach Road – north – Turners Beach	Westbound entry via Westella Drive
	Ulverstone	110.5– 111.4	68.7– 69.2	Eastland Drive (C142) – north, then west – Ulverstone
		111.9– 112.1	69.5– 69.7	Main Street (B15) – northwest – Ulverstone / Castra Road (B15) – south – Upper Castra	No eastbound entry to or exit from Bass Highway
		113.8– 114.6	70.7– 71.2	Lovett Street (B17) – north – Ulverstone / Gawler Road (B17) – south – Gawler	Westbound entry via Adaihi Street
River Leven		115.1– 115.3	71.5– 71.6	Bridge over river (name not known)
Central Coast	West Ulverstone	116.5– 117.2	72.4– 72.8	South Road (C142) – east – Ulverstone
	Penguin	125.2– 125.8	77.8– 78.2	Pine Road (B17) – southwest – Riana / Mission Hill Road – north-east – Penguin
	Howth / Sulphur Creek midpoint	130.7	81.2	Nine Mile Road (C118) – northwest, then south – West Pine
	Heybridge	132.9	82.6	River Avenue (C117) – south, then southwest to Cuprona Road – Cuprona
Blythe River		133.4– 133.5	82.9– 83.0	Bridge over river (name not known)
Central Coast	Heybridge	133.9	83.2	Minna Road (C113) – southwest – Stowport
Burnie	Wivenhoe	138.1	85.8	Stowport Road (C102) – southwest – Stowport
Emu River		139.1	86.4	Bridge over river (name not known)
Burnie	South Burnie	139.2– 139.3	86.5– 86.6	Old Surrey Road (C112) – south – Emu Heights
	Burnie	141.2– 141.4	87.7– 87.9	Mount Street (B18) – south – Upper Burnie	Bass Highway changes from National Highway 1 to A2
	Parklands / Burnie midpoint	142.5	88.5	West Park Grove (C108) – southwest – Park Grove
	Camdale	147.3	91.5	East Cam Road (C109) – south – East Cam
Cam River		147.6– 147.7	91.7– 91.8	Bridge over river (name not known)
Waratah-Wynyard	Somerset	147.8	91.8	Murchison Highway (A10) – south – Queenstown
		149.0	92.6	Raglan Street to Seabrook Road (C241) – south, then west – Mount Hicks
	Doctors Rocks	153.8	95.6	Old Bass Highway (C240) – northwest – Wynyard
	Wynyard	156.7	97.4	Mount Hicks Road (B26) – south – Mount Hicks / Mount Hicks Road (no shield) – north – Wynyard
		160.8	99.9	Deep Creek Road (C239) – west, then south – Yolla
		161.8	100.5	Oldina Road (C237) – southwest – Oldina
		162.4	100.9	Calder Road (C235) – southwest – Calder
		162.8	101.2	Inglis Street (C240) – southeast – Wynyard
Inglis River		163.5	101.6	Bridge over river (name not known)
Waratah-Wynyard	Flowerdale	164.9	102.5	Preolenna Road (C229) – west – Preolenna
	Flowerdale / Table Cape / Boat Harbour tripoint	167.4	104.0	Tollymore Road (C234) – northeast – Table Cape
	Boat Harbour	168.3	104.6	Gates Road (C231) – south (to route C229) – Flowerdale
		171.6	106.6	Port Road (C232) – north – Boat Harbour Beach
	Sisters Creek	176.3	109.5	Myalla Road (C229) – south – Myalla	From Preolenna C229 turns west and then north, returning to the Bass Highway via Myalla
Circular Head	Rocky Cape	191.0	118.7	Rocky Cape Road (C227) – northeast – Rocky Cape
Detention River		192.3	119.5	Bridge over river (name not known)
Circular Head	Black River	204.4	127.0	Mawbanna Road (C225) – southeast – Mawbanna
Black River		205.8	127.9	Bridge over river (name not known)
Circular Head	Wiltshire	208.6	129.6	Back Line Road (C221) – south, then west – Forest
	Wiltshire / Forest / Stanley tripoint	212.3	131.9	Mengha Road (C219) – south – Mengha / Stanley Highway (B21) – north – Stanley
	Smithton / Forest midpoint	221.2	137.4	Back Line Road (C221) – east – Forest	From Forest C221 runs west, returning to the Bass Highway at the Smithton boundary
	Smithton	223.7	139.0	Irishtown Road (B22) – south – Irishtown
		224.4	139.4	Brittons Road – northwest – Smithton
		225.9	140.4	Trowutta Road (C217) – south – Edith Creek Nelson Street (C215) – north – Smithton	From Smithton C215 runs west as Montagu Road, eventually intersecting with C213 at Marrawah
Duck River		227.6	141.4	Bridge over river (name not known)
Circular Head	Redpa	265.6	165.0	Comeback Road (C213) – north, then west – Marrawah
	Marrawah	272.6	169.4	Arthur River Road (C214) – southwest, then south – Arthur River / Comeback Road (C213) – northeast, then east – Redpa	Western end of Bass Highway. From Redpa C213 runs west, returning to the Bass Highway in Marrawah.
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Incomplete access       Route transition

See also

• Australian Roads portal

• Highways in Australia
• List of highways in Tasmania

References

1. Former State Route Numbering System in Tasmania, Ozroads: the Australian Roads Website. Retrieved on 30 January 2008.^{[self-published source]}
2. "Damage by Floods Repaired". The Mercury. Vol. CXLVIII, no. 21, 015. Tasmania, Australia. 2 April 1938. p. 16. Retrieved 19 November 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
3. Report for year 1976–1977, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1978, p. 14
4. Report for year 1976–1977, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1978, p. 13
5. Report for year 1980–1981, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1982, p. 20
6. Report for year 1983–1984, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1985, p. 21
7. Report for year 1983–1984, Parliament of Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1985, p. 23
8. Annual Report 1986-1987, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1987, p. 24
9. Annual Report 1986-1987, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1987, p. 23
10. Annual Report 1987-1988, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1988, p. 30
11. Annual Report 1987-1988, Tasmania, Department of Main Roads, 1988, p. 37
12. Annual Report 1989-90, Tasmanian Government, Department of Roads and Transport, 1990, p. 5
13. "Tasmanian Road Routes – B54" (PDF). Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water & Environment. May 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 4 November 2018.
14. "Bass Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 4 November 2018.

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