▁from ▁its ▁j unction ▁in ▁N ors eman . ▁The ▁N ors eman – Es per ance ▁portion ▁( National ▁Route   1 ) ▁is ▁a ▁part ▁of ▁Australia ' s ▁Highway ▁ 1 . ▁The ▁scen ery ▁changes ▁to ▁agricult ural ▁land , ▁and ▁on ▁approach ▁to ▁Es per ance ▁it ▁passes ▁near ▁la kes ▁and ▁hills ides . ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁Western ▁Australian ▁gold ▁r ush es ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 8 9 0 s , ▁a ▁track ▁developed ▁between ▁C ool g ard ie ▁and ▁Es per ance , ▁the ▁closest ▁har bour ▁to ▁the ▁gold fields . ▁A ▁road ▁was ▁constructed ▁along ▁this ▁track ▁in ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 2 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁From ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 3 0 s ▁attention ▁turned ▁to ▁se aling ▁the ▁road , ▁but ▁it ▁took ▁until ▁ 1 9 6 0 ▁before ▁a ▁single - lane ▁se al ▁was ▁constructed ▁between ▁C ool g ard ie ▁and ▁Es per ance . ▁The ▁road ▁was ▁gaz ett ed ▁as ▁C ool g ard ie – Es per ance ▁Highway ▁three ▁years ▁earlier , ▁on ▁ 1 6 ▁August ▁ 1 9 5 7 . ▁Further ▁work ▁occurred ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁and ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁providing ▁a ▁two - lane ▁se aled ▁road ▁for ▁the ▁length ▁of ▁the ▁highway . ▁ ▁Route ▁description ▁ ▁C ool g ard ie – Es per ance ▁Highway ▁comm ences ▁at ▁Great ▁Eastern