TWO upgraded rest areas either side of Tycannah on the Newell Highway south of Moree are now open to traffic.

Work on the upgrades started in October, with crews reconfiguring and asphalt surfacing both rest areas to better accommodate extra-long vehicles such as road trains, installing deceleration lanes at the rest area entries, extending the northbound rest area by 150 metres to increase capacity and providing separate parking for caravans, light vehicles and heavy vehicles.

Transport for NSW executive director partnerships and integration west, Damien Pfeiffer, said line-marking had been completed this week and four portable toilets taken to the site, with work to install permanent flushable toilets to be carried out later in the year.

“The Tycannah rest areas – about 17 kilometres south of Moree – have long served freight operators and tourists travelling in the state’s north-west but previously provided only very basic amenities with no toilets or turning lanes off the highway,” Mr Pfeiffer said.

“Work to upgrade these rest areas will greatly benefit all road users in the area and particularly heavy vehicle operators on the long-haul interstate freight route linking Melbourne and Brisbane.

An artist’s impression of the Tycannah rest areas.

“We live in a very big country and travelling long distances is a fact of life for many workers so the provision of well-planned rest areas that allow all drivers to take a break and manage their fatigue can be a lifesaver.

“Crews have not quite completed all the planned work at the rest areas but we’re pleased to get them open to the travelling public.”

Along with flushable toilets, crews will also install solar lighting, picnic shelters and extra rubbish bins when they return to the site in coming months.

Mature trees at the rest areas have been preserved during the upgrades and more than 120 native tree seedlings have been planted to provide additional shade in years to come. New signage has also been installed.

The Tycannah rest areas upgrade work has been funded by the Australian and NSW governments through the Australian Government’s Heavy Vehicle Rest Area initiative under the Safer Local Roads and Infrastructure Program.

A map showing the location of all New South Wales rest areas is available HERE.