An Australian Route 66?

Potential tourism and heritage trail opportunities for Australia similar to Route 66. John O'Donnell 20 March 2026

There are potential tourism and heritage trailopportunities for Australia similar to Route 66, these are outlined below after US Route 66 background information.

Introduction

In the US, Route 66 has become far more than a highway, it's a cultural symbol, an economic engine and a sought after adventure. Visitors pour into towns along the route, motels, cafés, museums and gift shops. Route 66 generates over $132 million in direct tourism spending

Australia can tap into that same opportunity.

US Route 66 information

People visiting Route 66 increase tourism numbers along the route and into the country, bringing considerable additional income to local businesses on Route 66.

U.S. Route 66 or U.S. Highway 66 (US 66 or Route 66) was one of the original highways in the United States Numbered Highway System. It was established on November 11, 1926, with road signs erected the following year.[4] The highway ran from Chicago, Illinois, through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before terminating in Santa Monica, California, covering a total of 2,448 miles (3,940 km).https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Route_66

The map below highlights the route between Chicago and Santa Monica:

The USA Route 66 Economic Impact Study concluded the total annual, direct economic activity related to Route 66 from various sources amounts conservatively to about $132 million annually and millions of additional dollars in multiplier benefits including $262 million in overall (direct and multiplier) economic output, $126 million in wealth creation (or gross domestic product), and $37 million in public tax revenues.

Potential Pacific Highway scenic and historic route

There are large opportunities to set up a Pacific Highway tourist, scenic and historic route along bypassed sections of the old Pacific Highway, there are many sections of bypassed Pacific Highway between Sydney and the Queensland border.

The bypassed sections of the Pacific Highway offer important scenic and historic routes and there are long sections that are very good drives, including all the old sections bypassed by the F3 between Sydney and Newcastle ## ; Raymond Terrace #; Old highway via Stroud, Gloucester etc ##; Karuah section #; Bulahdelah to Coolongolook (O'Sullivans area) ##; Taree section #; Coopernook section #; Lansdowne, Johns River and Kew sections ##; Kempsey ##; Eungai; Warrell Creek; Macksville #; Nambucca Heads; Urunga #; Bonville #; Woolgoolga; Grafton ##; Ulmarra ##; Woodburn ##; Broadwater/ Wardell ##; Ballina #; Bangalow; Brunswick Heads # and Murwillumbah (large section) ## (( # The drives/ opportunities with high scenic and historic potential. ## The drives/ opportunities with very high potential)).