Length:

151 km (West Pinjarra to South Yunderup: 10 km)

Termini:

Northern: Romeo Rd (unnumbered), Alkimos

Southern: Forrest Highway (former Old Coast Road) (NR1), Lake Clifton

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Birchmont, West Pinjarra and South Yunderup

Current: 2

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

H057 (Lake Clifton to South Yunderup)

General Information:

The Forrest Highway, Kwinana Freeway and Mitchell Freeway, are without a doubt one of the most important road systems in the Perth metropolitan area, and the southwestern part of the state.

Running in a north-south direction, the freeways link the north and southern suburbs of Perth together plus the southern city of Mandurah and the state's southwest, but also act as a coastal link between the northern and southern parts of the state. Built in stages from the late 1950s the route has seen enormous changes / extensions and is continuously undergoing expansion to this day.

Unique to the freeway sections is the passenger railway line down the median of the road corridor. This runs from The Spectacles to Perth, then from West Perth to Butler. The Mitchell Freeway at Nowergup features a railway stabling yard and depot in the median.

When first planned, the Mitchell Fwy was called the Yanchep Highway, as it is envisaged that eventually the route will connect to the town.

The section of State Route 2 south of Baldivis involved the design and construction of 70.5 kilometres of dual carriageway. The route was constructed as a single project and extended the dual carriageway from Safety Bay Road in Baldivis, around the eastern side of the Peel Inlet and Harvey Estuary to join the existing dual carriageway on Old Coast Road at Lake Clifton.

The route was constructed to freeway standard from Safety Bay Road to South Yunderup, a distance of 32 kilometres. The remainder of the route, 38 kilometres, was initially be built as a rural highway, with the ability to upgrade it in the future as traffic demands increase. The route links Perth and the South West, bypassing the heavily populated areas in Mandurah and the Dawesville Peninsula, and avoiding inland communities on the existing highway.

As part of the work, five interchanges were constructed at Safety Bay Road, Karnup Road, Paganoni Road, Lakes Road and Pinjarra Road. Nine intersections were constructed and have the capacity to be upgraded to interchanges in the future. They are located at Beacham Road, Greenlands Road, Paull Road, Mills Road, Herron Point Road, Old Bunbury Road, Dorsett Road, Old Coast Road and Peppermint Grove Road. In total, 19 bridges were built to grade separate the interchanges and extend the new Perth-Bunbury Highway over the Serpentine River, Nambeelup Brook, Murray River/Pinjarra Road, South Yunderup Road, Murray River floodplain, Harvey River and a number of Water Corporation drains. At the time, it was the largest infrastructure project ever undertaken by Main Roads Western Australia.

Forrest Highway:

December 2006: Works commence on the Forrest Highway. ²

20 September 2009: Opening of Forrest Highway from Lake Clifton to South Yunderup. ³

This page concentrates on construction photos between West Pinjarra and South Yunderup

Paull Road:

West Pinjarra

Construction Sign:

Works sign on Paull Rd, looking northwest, approaching the junction with Forrest Hwy. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Access Sign:

Remnant sign for temporary access from Paull Rd onto Forrest Hwy (SR2), West Pinjarra, November 2025.

Image © Paul Rands

Paull Road and Forrest Highway Junction:

Corner of Paull Road and Forrest Freeway at West Pinjarra. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Greenlands Road:

Northbound

Forrest Highway Junction:

Looking north at West Pinjarra. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound

Forrest Highway Junction:

Looking south at West Pinjarra. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Westbound

Greenlands Road Reconstruction:

As part of the works for the Forrest Hwy, Greenlands Rd at West Pinjarra was upgraded. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Works Depot:

Main works depot at West Pinjarra. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Works Depot:

Main works depot at West Pinjarra. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

South Yunderup Road:

Northbound

Northbound Ramp:

Northbound on-ramp to Forrest Hwy from South Yunderup Rd at South Yunderup. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound

Floodplain Crossing:

Forrest Hwy as it crosses the floodplain alongside South Yunderup Rd at South Yunderup. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Eastbound

South Yunderup Road Interchange:

Looking east along South Yunderup Road at South Yunderup. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Westbound

Construction Sign:

Sign announcing the Perth-Bunbury Highway works, South Yunderup Road at South Yunderup. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Pinjarra Road:

Eastbound

Portable VMS:

Portable variable message sign on Pinjarra Rd at North Yunderup. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Contraflow:

Contraflow at North Yunderup on Pinjarra Rd approaching the Forrest Hwy interchange. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Pinjarra Road Construction Zone:

Eastbound on Pinjarra Road at the Forrest Highway interchange. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Pinjarra Road Construction Zone:

Eastbound on Pinjarra Road at the Forrest Highway interchange. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Westbound

Portable VMS:

Portable variable message sign on Pinjarra Rd at Ravenswood near Old Mandurah Rd intersection. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Contraflow:

Contraflow at Ravenswood on Pinjarra Rd approaching the Old Mandurah Rd intersection. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

Pinjarra Road Construction Zone:

Westbound on Pinjarra Road at the Forrest Highway interchange. April 2009.

Image © Paul Rands

¹ WA Government, Main Roads Western Australia, Road Information Mapping System.
² Southern Gateway Alliance Fact Sheet - Project Facts 01.
³ Southern Gateway Alliance Media Release - Kwinana Freeway Extension and Forrest Highway Opening Celebration.
⁴ WA Government, Ministerial Media Statements - Sir John Forrest commemorated in naming of new highway, 14 March 2009.