The two-lane sealed road between Halls Creek and Wyndham was also completed in 1978.
It involved the construction of 21 bridges, and extensive earthworks designed to blend the road into the terrain.
The section was opened on 23 July 1978 by the Minister for Transport, at a cost of over $20 million.
Meanwhile, work on sealing and upgrading the 476-kilometre-long (296 mi) section from Port Hedland and Broome began in 1976.
With up to five contractors and four Main Roads teams working throughout the project, it was completed at an extraordinarily rapid pace.
It opened in April 1981 at a cost of $56 million.
With the opening of this section, tourist traffic escalated.
Cape Keraudren, Eighty Mile Beach, and Broome became increasingly favoured destinations, especially for residents of the Pilbara.

Work accelerated in the 1980s as part of the Australian Bicentenary Road Development program.
From October 1982, the program provided $2.5 billion to upgrade the country's roads in the lead up to Australia's bicentenary in 1988.
By this time, the only sections of Great Northern Highway yet to be sealed were a 275-kilometre (171 mi) stretch from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek, and another 416 kilometres (258 mi) between Newman and Port Hedland.
Construction of the Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek section began in October 1981.
The route had been surveyed in 1979; with the collaboration of the Western Australian Museum, Main Roads ensured it would not impact important Aboriginal heritage sites.
After five years of work, including the construction of nine bridges, the widened and sealed section was completed on 7 September 1986.
At the time, this was the final section of the nationwide Highway 1 to be sealed, and there was national interest.
The media captured the completion on camera, while the federal Minister for Transport, Peter Morris, together with the Western Australian Minister for the North West, Ernie Bridge, rode on the bitumen truck for the final spray.
With this section completed, the Newman to Port Hedland section of Great Northern Highway was the only significant section of unsealed highway in Western Australia.
The two-lane sealed road between Halls Creek and Wyndham was also completed in 1978. It involved the construction of 21 bridges, and extensive earthworks designed to blend the road into the terrain. The section was opened on 23 July 1978 by the Minister for Transport, at a cost of over $20 million. Meanwhile, work on sealing and upgrading the 476-kilometre-long (296 mi) section from Port Hedland and Broome began in 1976. With up to five contractors and four Main Roads teams working throughout the project, it was completed at an extraordinarily rapid pace. It opened in April 1981 at a cost of $56 million. With the opening of this section, tourist traffic escalated. Cape Keraudren, Eighty Mile Beach, and Broome became increasingly favoured destinations, especially for residents of the Pilbara.
Work accelerated in the 1980s as part of the Australian Bicentenary Road Development program. From October 1982, the program provided $2.5 billion to upgrade the country's roads in the lead up to Australia's bicentenary in 1988. By this time, the only sections of Great Northern Highway yet to be sealed were a 275-kilometre (171 mi) stretch from Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek, and another 416 kilometres (258 mi) between Newman and Port Hedland. Construction of the Fitzroy Crossing to Halls Creek section began in October 1981. The route had been surveyed in 1979; with the collaboration of the Western Australian Museum, Main Roads ensured it would not impact important Aboriginal heritage sites. After five years of work, including the construction of nine bridges, the widened and sealed section was completed on 7 September 1986. At the time, this was the final section of the nationwide Highway 1 to be sealed, and there was national interest. The media captured the completion on camera, while the federal Minister for Transport, Peter Morris, together with the Western Australian Minister for the North West, Ernie Bridge, rode on the bitumen truck for the final spray. With this section completed, the Newman to Port Hedland section of Great Northern Highway was the only significant section of unsealed highway in Western Australia.
Great Northern Highway