▁the ▁Kim ber ley . ▁Const ruction ▁of ▁a ▁se aled ▁road ▁from ▁Per th ▁to ▁Wy nd ham , ▁including ▁numerous ▁brid ges ▁to ▁reduce ▁the ▁impact ▁of ▁season al ▁flo oding , ▁took ▁many ▁years ▁to ▁complete . ▁The ▁last ▁section ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁and ▁received ▁national ▁media ▁coverage . ▁However , ▁by ▁then ▁many ▁older ▁sections ▁were ▁either ▁worn ▁out ▁or ▁not ▁up ▁to ▁modern ▁standards . ▁Vari ous ▁up gr ades ▁have ▁been ▁carried ▁out ▁in ▁small ▁sections , ▁across ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁highway , ▁with ▁further ▁works ▁planned . ▁ ▁Lake ▁Arg yle ▁to ▁the ▁Northern ▁Territ ory ▁ ▁Origin ally ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁un formed ▁tracks ▁linking ▁past oral ▁hold ings , ▁the ▁route ▁was ▁developed ▁as ▁a ▁gra vel ▁road ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 0 s ▁to ▁aid ▁the ▁be ef ▁industry . ▁Im prov ements ▁took ▁place ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 6 0 s ▁which ▁tied ▁in ▁with ▁the ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁Ord ▁Ir rig ation ▁Sch eme , ▁which ▁enabled ▁the ▁introduction ▁of ▁road ▁trains . ▁It ▁was ▁designated ▁as ▁National ▁Highway ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁was ▁fully ▁re construct ed ▁and ▁se aled ▁to ▁a ▁good ▁standard ▁by ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 9 0 s . ▁ ▁Major ▁inter sections ▁▁ ▁C ool g ard ie - Es per ance ▁Highway ▁( National ▁Highway ▁ 9 4 ) ▁▁ ▁New deg ate - R aven st