Henry Lawson Drive facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Henry Lawson DriveNew South Wales |
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| Henry Lawson Drive at Georges Hall | |
| General information | |
| Type | Road |
| Length | 19.9 km (12 mi) |
| Gazetted | October 1939 |
| Former route number |
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| Major junctions | |
| Northwest end | Woodville Road Lansdowne, Sydney |
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| Southeast end | Forest Road Peakhurst, Sydney |
| Location(s) | |
| Major suburbs | Georges Hall, Milperra, East Hills, Padstow Heights |
State Route 55 
Henry Lawson Drive is a main road in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is about 20 kilometers (12 miles) long. This road connects the areas of Lansdowne and Peakhurst. It runs through the south-western suburbs of Sydney.
The road is named after Henry Lawson (1867–1922). He was a very famous Australian poet.
Contents
Exploring Henry Lawson Drive's Path
Henry Lawson Drive starts in Lansdowne. Here, it meets Hume Highway and Woodville Road. This intersection is sometimes called the "Meccano Set." This is because of its many overhead structures.
Following the River's Edge
From Lansdowne, the road goes south. It has two lanes for traffic. For most of its length, it runs next to Prospect Creek and then the Georges River. You will pass Bankstown Airport and go through Milperra. The road then meets the South-West Motorway.
Later, the road turns east. It still mostly follows the river. It goes through Georges River National Park. Finally, it meets Alfords Point Road in Padstow Heights.
Road Widening and End Point
At Padstow Heights, the road gets wider. It becomes a six-lane road with traffic going in both directions. Henry Lawson Drive ends at the intersection with Forest Road in Peakhurst.
The road's highest point is about 61 meters (200 feet) above sea level. Its lowest point is about 1.65 meters (5.4 feet) above sea level.
How Henry Lawson Drive Was Built
The idea for Henry Lawson Drive was to create a nice drive. It was planned to follow the northern bank of the Georges River. People sometimes called it the "George's River feeder road" when it was being planned.
Early Construction and Naming
Most of the road was built between 1946 and 1955. Some parts in areas like Georges Hall and Milperra used old, unsealed roads. On October 18, 1939, it was officially named Main Road 508.
The full road was officially named Henry Lawson Drive on June 16, 1948.
Later Extensions and Upgrades
In 1963, the road was extended to Padstow Heights. A 53-meter (174-foot) bridge was built over Little Salt Pan Creek. In September 1964, the last part was finished. This included a 183-meter (600-foot) bridge over Salt Pan Creek.
Over time, sections of the road were made wider. The part from Alfords Point Road to Forest Road was widened to six lanes. The Salt Pan Creek Bridge was also widened to six lanes.
Recent Upgrades to the Road
Since the South-West Motorway opened in 1992, parts of Henry Lawson Drive have become very busy. The local council, City of Canterbury-Bankstown, has been working to fix this.
Ongoing Improvement Projects
The first part of the upgrade in Georges Hall was finished in May 2023. This added an extra lane for southbound traffic. It also included a new path for people walking.
Work is still happening on another section. This is from Tower Road (the road to Bankstown Airport) to Auld Avenue in Milperra. This part was already made wider to four lanes. Future plans aim to make the road even wider. They want to have two lanes in each direction from Hume Highway to the South-West Motorway.
Major Road Crossings
Henry Lawson Drive has several important intersections. These are places where it crosses or meets other main roads.
| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canterbury-Bankstown | Villawood–Lansdowne boundary | 0.0 | 0.0 | Woodville Road (north) – Woodville, Parramatta | This is where Henry Lawson Drive begins. |
 Hume Highway (A22) – Liverpool, Bankstown, Ashfield |
Known as the Meccano Set intersection. | ||||
| Bankstown Aerodrome | 5.1 | 3.2 |  Tower Road – Bankstown Airport |
This road leads to the airport. | |
| Bankstown Aerodrome–Milperra boundary | 5.4 | 3.4 |  Newbridge Road (A34 west) – Liverpool, Moore Park Milperra Road (A34 east) – Punchbowl, Canterbury |
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| Milperra–Panania boundary | 7.5 | 4.7 |  South-West Motorway (M5) – Liverpool, Campbelltown |
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| Picnic Point | 12.2 | 7.6 | Picnic Point Road – Panania | This is a roundabout. | |
| Picnic Point–Revesby Heights boundary | 15.7 | 9.8 | The River Road – Revesby | ||
| Padstow Heights | 17.2 | 10.7 |  Alfords Point Road (A6) – Alfords Point, Bangor, Lucas Heights |
You can only enter southbound here. | |
| Georges River | Peakhurst | 19.9 | 12.4 | Jacques Avenue (north) – Riverwood | |
| Forest Road – Lugarno, Hurstville, Arncliffe | This is where Henry Lawson Drive ends. | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
