09. Great North Road

An old dirt road, lined by trees and grass, and two tall electricity poles

Punt Road is a small part of the original Great North Road, a 240km convict-built road of national significance constructed between 1826 and 1836 to link Sydney to the Hunter Valley and Newcastle.

Surveyor General Major Thomas Mitchell ordered surveyor Henage French to identify a line of road from Bedlam Point to Ryde in 1828 but crossing the Parramatta River was not achieved until a punt was installed in 1832.

From the Bedlam Point Wharf, the road climbed up the hill to the Government Flagstaff and continued north-west, running along the line of today's Victoria Road to St Anne's Church, Ryde. Beyond the church, the road turned north to travel through Eastwood and on to Pennant Hills and another road followed the line of present-day Victoria Road to Parramatta.

Location

Punt Road, Gladesville 2111  View Map

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