A critical connection for Australia’s east coast transport network.
Delivered more than a year ahead of schedule by the John Holland Gamuda Joint Venture, the 10-kilometre Black Hill to Tomago southern section of the M1 Pacific Motorway extension to Raymond Terrace completes a critical missing link in Australia's east coast transport network, strengthening connections across the Hunter region and the Sydney to Brisbane corridor.
Together with the five-kilometre northern section, the project has delivered a seamless 15-kilometre connection between the M1 Pacific Motorway at Black Hill and Raymond Terrace, diverting up to 25,000 vehicles a day around the notorious Hexham bottleneck and other congestion points along the old route.
A standout feature of the project is the 2.6-kilometre viaduct spanning the Hunter River floodplain, Main North Rail Line and New England Highway. Carefully planned and staged construction enabled works to be delivered with minimal disruption to rail services, road users and local communities.
The extension will transform the way people move to and from the Hunter and NSW North Coast, and will improve travel times for commuters travelling from Sydney to Brisbane, strengthening one of Australia’s most important transport corridors and supporting regional growth for decades to come.
What we delivered:
- 10 kilometres of dual carriageway motorway with two lanes in each direction
- eight bridges including major new interchanges at Black Hill and Tomago
- a 2.6km viaduct over the Hunter River and floodplain, the Main North Rail Line and the New England Highway
- improved local road connections.
- Customer
Transport for NSW - Location
Hunter Region, NSW - Specialisation
Roads & bridges - Start
2023 - End
2026
The 2.6km viaduct is one of the project’s most striking engineering achievements, requiring carefully staged construction to minimise disruption to rail services and road users throughout delivery.
By bypassing five sets of traffic lights, the M1 extension to Raymond Terrace will create smoother and more reliable journeys across the Hunter region.
Motorists travelling from Sydney to Brisbane will save up to nine minutes of travel time during peak periods.
