▁on ▁roads ▁that ▁would ▁eventually ▁be ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁Brand ▁Highway ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 9 . ▁Vari ous ▁segments ▁were ▁completed ▁as ▁the ▁need ▁arose , ▁until ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁there ▁was ▁a ▁new ▁link ▁between ▁Per th ▁and ▁Ger ald ton . ▁The ▁route ▁reduced ▁the ▁distance ▁between ▁the ▁cities ▁by ▁, ▁and ▁had ▁a ▁total ▁cost ▁of ▁$ 4 . 2 ▁million . ▁It ▁was ▁officially ▁opened ▁on ▁ 4 ▁April ▁ 1 9 7 5 ▁by ▁the ▁Minister ▁for ▁Transport , ▁Ray ▁O ' Con nor ▁at ▁E ne ab ba . ▁One ▁year ▁later , ▁the ▁road ▁was ▁named ▁Brand ▁Highway ▁after ▁Sir ▁David ▁Brand , ▁who ▁was ▁Premier ▁of ▁Western ▁Australia ▁from ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁also ▁held ▁the ▁local ▁elect or ate ▁of ▁Green ough ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁Ger ald ton ▁to ▁Port ▁Hed land ▁ ▁North ▁West ▁Coast al ▁Highway ▁was ▁created ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁from ▁existing ▁roads ▁and ▁tracks ▁through ▁remote ▁past oral ▁areas . ▁However , ▁it ▁was ▁a ▁ha z ard ous ▁route ▁that ▁could ▁be ▁dust y ▁in ▁the ▁dry ▁season , ▁and ▁bog gy ▁or ▁was hed ▁away ▁in ▁the ▁wet ▁season . ▁Econom ic ▁growth ▁and ▁development ▁in ▁northern ▁Western ▁Australia ▁prompt ed ▁initial ▁improvement ▁efforts ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 4 0 s , ▁and ▁a ▁se aled ▁road