highway route turns off at Victoria Highway, travelling past Kununurra to cross into the Northern Territory. Great Northern Highway, however, continues north-west without a route number, passing the eastern end of Gibb River Road after , and reaching Wyndham following another . The highway continues on for to reach the original townsite and the harbour, where it takes on the local names Odonnell Street, McPhee Street, and Harbour Road. History Highway origins The name Great Northern Highway was first proposed in October 1940 by the state's Nomenclature Advisory Committee, to describe the main route from Midland to Geraldton, Western Australia. This was following the naming of the Great Eastern and Great Southern highways. The Midland Junction Municipal Council approved the name, however at the Geraldton Municipal Council meeting, one councillor suggested that Great Midland Highway would be a better name. The reasoning was that Geraldton was in the centre of the state's coastline, not in the north. It was explained that the highway would continue north past Geraldton, and the council voted to approve the name. By July 1941, the Nomenclature Advisory Committee's proposal had expanded to three highway names for the roads in the state's northern areas: Great Northern Highway for "the road from Midland Junction Town Hall to Wyndham, via Walebing, Pithara, Wubin, Payne's Find, Mt. Magnet, Cue, Nannine, Meekatharra, Roy Hill, Nullagine, Marble Bar, Mulyee, De Grey, Pardoo, Wallal, Anna Plains, Le Grange, Broome, Derby, Noonkanbah, Fitzroy Crossing, Christmas Creek, Louisa Downs, Hall's Creek and Turkey Creek", North West Coastal Highway for "the road from Geraldton to De Grey, via Northampton, Galena, Carnarvon, Boolaganoo, Winning Pool, Giralia, Yanrey, Onslow, Peedamullah, Mardie, Karratha, Roebourne, Whim Creek, Mundabullangana and Port Hedland", and Geraldton Highway for "the road from Walebing to Geraldton via Mingenew". The proposal was well received by the local municipal councils and road boards. The name Great Northern Highway was gazetted on 10 March 1944, under section 10 of the Land Act, 1933–1939. However, the highway was mostly a series of tracks through remote pastoral areas, with the sealed road ending just past the Wheatbelt town of Miling in 1950. Driving was difficult and hazardous all year round. The road was very dusty in the dry season, and some sections of the road were effectively impassable sand, while other sections contained limestone outcrops that damaged tyres. During the wet season, when rivers flooded, sections of road were