Highways in Australia
The highways in Australia are listed here in alphabetical order, along with their number and the state in which they are located. Some of the highways also extend over several states.
history
Australia is a vast and sparsely populated country. The first highways were therefore built from the capitals on the coast in a spoke-shaped pattern inland to connect the first rural settlements with the capitals. At that time, transport between the capitals was mainly carried out by ship or rail.
Numbering system
National Route
In 1955, the Australian National Route Numbering Scheme was introduced to simplify navigation through Australia. You can recognize a National Route by the signs with black letters on a white background. This marking occurs on signposts, distance information and on the markings along the route. Basically, with only a few exceptions, the even numbers are intended for highways that run in a north-south direction, the odd numbers for the east-west direction. National Route 1 makes an exception here, as this name has been assigned to an entire network of roads that stretches 15,000 miles along the entire coast of Australia.
The National Highway Scheme was introduced in the 1970s . These highways are federally funded and easily identified by their green signs with gold lettering.
State routes
Major urban and regional connections that were not covered by either the National Highway or National Route categories were given the State Route classification , identifiable by the blue signs. They were introduced in all states by the late 1980s. In some states, National Routes have also been reclassified to State Routes.
In New South Wales , State Route numbering was also introduced in the metropolitan areas of Wollongong and Newcastle , but here with three-digit numbers instead of the usual two-digit numbers. The blue state route numbering signs were replaced by the alphanumeric system in the states of Victoria and South Australia in the late 1990s. The system was introduced in Tasmania as early as 1979 .
In contrast to other countries, the highways in Australia have a name in addition to their numbering and the highways are usually better known by these names than by their respective number. Most of the time, the names are derived from regional peculiarities, cities on the street or well-known personalities, often Australian explorers of the 19th century.
Alphanumeric numbering system
In the 1990s there was a profound change in the previous numbering scheme. Victoria and South Australia have completely revised their old system and replaced it with a new one. The old system of National Routes and State Routes disappeared and, following the example of Tasmania in the late 1970s, a new alphanumeric system was installed.
With the new system, the numbers of the old system are retained - with a few exceptions - but a letter is added to indicate the classification. For example, the Western Freeway is shown as the M8 to Ballarat , and then continues as the Western Highway at number A8. However, the new system will not be applied in Victoria to the Melbourne metropolitan area , which will retain its own system.
New South Wales is slowly preparing for the introduction of the alphanumeric system. A number of traffic signs have already been set up bearing the new numbers, but mostly they are covered with the old designations. As of 2011, no date has yet been given for the official introduction of the new system.
There are no plans to introduce the system in Western Australia .
M routes
Top category roads, usually called motorways . These are built like a motorway, with separate lanes for each direction and two or more lanes. The entrances and exits are mostly free of intersections. They usually connect the capital cities, but also larger cities, with each other or serve as city highways. The M-Routes are able to accommodate large traffic flows and are often designed as bypass roads around towns and cities.
A routes
Single-lane roads that do not have separate lanes, but are of national importance, often across several states. Traffic is lower than the higher-level M-Routes, but there are plenty of overtaking opportunities and a paved shoulder . They can lead through and around city centers.
B routes
Secondary highways that connect larger cities on various A-routes, but also less important earlier national routes, fall into this category. In addition, B-Routes are former sections of A and M- Routes, which have now been replaced by bypasses. Important tourist routes also fall into this category. The asphalting and marking is of good quality; the shoulder can, but does not have to be, paved.
C routes
Branch lines that connect smaller settlements and cities with A , B or M routes. The quality of the road surface is medium to poor. The streets often have no banquet.
D routes
D routes are unpaved roads that connect small towns in remote regions. This term is currently only in use in South Australia and is generally used here for unpaved roads or unpaved continuations of B or C routes. A four-wheel drive vehicle is recommended for some routes. The D routes have another meaning in New South Wales: They are used here to mark diversions.
Metropolitan Routes
In the 1990s, Sydney and Brisbane simplified their urban numbering scheme to the new Metroad system. The marking is done with easily recognizable, hexagonal signs and replaces the state and national route numbering. The Metroads mostly run radially from the city centers to the highways outside the city limits. Sometimes, however, ring roads within the urban areas are also marked as Metroads.
Australian highways
The national highways are listed below, followed by secondary highways, sorted by state and numbering.
National Highways
Canberra to Sydney
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Federal Highway | Canberra to Goulburn | 73 | |
Hume Highway | Goulburn to Sydney | 187 | |
260 kilometers |
Canberra to Melbourne
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Barton Highway | Canberra to Yass | 52 | |
Hume Highway | Yass to Albury | 294 | |
Hume Freeway | Wodonga to Melbourne (Thomastown) | 290 | |
Western Ring Road | Melbourne | 15th | |
651 kilometers |
Sydney to Melbourne
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Hume Highway | Sydney to Albury | 539 | |
Hume Freeway | Wodonga to Melbourne (Thomastown) | 290 | |
Western Ring Road | Melbourne | 15th | |
844 kilometers |
Sydney to Adelaide
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Hume Highway | Sydney to Tarcutta | 392 | |
Sturt Highway | Tarcutta to Buronga | 597 | |
Mildura after Hewett | 370 | ||
Gawler bypass | Hewett to Willaston | 3 | |
Northern Expressway | Willaston to Waterloo Corner | 23 | |
Port Wakefield Road | Waterloo Corner to Adelaide | 13 | |
1403 kilometers |
Sydney to Brisbane
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Sydney-Newcastle Freeway | Sydney to Newcastle | 127 | |
New England Highway | Newcastle to Wallangarra | 581 | |
Wallangarra to Warwick | 95 | ||
Cunningham Highway | Warwick to Ipswich | 127 | |
Ipswich Motorway | Ipswich to Brisbane | 14th | |
944 kilometers |
Melbourne to Brisbane
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Western Ring Road | Melbourne | 15th | |
Hume Freeway | Melbourne (Thomastown) to Seymour | 89 | |
Goulburn Valley Freeway | Seymour to Shepparton | 45 | |
Goulburn Valley Highway | Shepparton to Tocumwal | 110 | |
Newell Highway | Tocumwal to Goondiwindi | 1062 | |
Leichhardt Highway | Goondiwindi to North Goondiwindi | 21st | |
Gore Highway | North Goondiwindi to Toowoomba | 202 | |
Warrego Highway | Toowoomba to Ipswich | 97 | |
Ipswich Motorway | Ipswich to Brisbane | 14th | |
1655 kilometers |
Melbourne to Adelaide
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Western Ring Road | Melbourne | 15th | |
Western Freeway | Melbourne (Deer Park) to Ballarat | 115 | |
Western Highway | Ballarat to the VIC / SA border | 314 | |
Dukes Highway | VIC / SA border to Tailem Bend | 189 | |
Princes Highway | Tailem Bend to Murray Bridge | 25th | |
South Eastern Freeway | Murray Bridge to Crafers | 66 | |
Adelaide-Crafers Highway | Crafers to Adelaide | 10 | |
719 kilometers |
Adelaide to Darwin
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Main North Road | Adelaide to Gepps Cross | --- | |
Grand Junction Road | Gepps Cross to Regency Park | --- | |
South Road | Regency Park to Wingfield | --- | |
Salisbury Highway | Wingfield to Mawson Lakes | --- | |
Port Wakefield Road | Mawson Lakes to Snowtown | --- | |
Princes Highway | Snowtown to Port Augusta | --- | |
Stuart Highway | Port Augusta to the SA / NT border | --- | |
Stuart Highway | SA / NT border to Daly Waters | --- | |
Stuart Highway | Daly Waters to Darwin | --- | |
3.035 kilometers |
Perth to Adelaide
Route # | Surname | target | Distance (km) |
---|---|---|---|
Great Eastern Highway | Perth to Redcliffe | --- | |
Great Eastern Highway Bypass | Redcliffe to Hazelmere | --- | |
Roe Highway | Hazelmere to Midvale | --- | |
Great Eastern Highway | Midvale to Coolgardie | --- | |
Coolgardie-Esperance Highway | Coolgardie to Norseman | --- | |
Eyre Highway | Norseman after Eucla | --- | |
Eyre Highway | Eucla to Port Augusta | --- | |
Princes Highway | Port Augusta to Snowtown | --- | |
Port Wakefield Road | Snowtown to Gepps Cross | --- | |
Main North Road | Gepps Cross to Adelaide | --- | |
2700 kilometers |
Perth to Darwin
- Roe Highway Midvale (Perth) to Middle Swan (Perth)
- Great Northern Highway Middle Swan (Perth) to Port Hedland
- Great Northern Highway Port Hedland to Wyndham
- Victoria Highway Wyndham to Katherine
- Stuart Highway Katherine to Darwin
Brisbane to Darwin
- Ipswich Motorway Brisbane to Ipswich
- Warrego Highway Ipswich to Morven
- Landsborough Highway Morven to Cloncurry
- Barkly Highway Cloncurry to Camooweal
- Barkly Highway Camooweal to Tennant Creek
- Stuart Highway Tennant Creek to Daly Waters
- Stuart Highway Daly Waters to Darwin
Brisbane to Cairns
- Bruce Highway Brisbane to Cooroy
- Bruce Highway Cooroy to Cairns
Hobart to Burnie
- Brooker Highway Hobart to Granton
- Midland Highway Granton to Launceston
- Bass Highway Launceston to Burnie
State highways
-
- Gateway Motorway , Queensland
- Pacific Motorway , Queensland
- Monash Freeway , Victoria
- West Gate Freeway , Victoria
- Princes Freeway , Victoria
- CityLink , Victoria
- Southern Expressway , South Australia
-
- Eastern Freeway , Victoria
- EastLink , Victoria
- Princes Highway , South Australia; Victoria
- Princes Highway , South Australia
-
- Brand Highway , Western Australia
- Canning Highway , Western Australia
- Carpentaria Highway , Northern Territory
- Captain Cook Highway , Queensland
- Coolgardie-Esperance Highway , Western Australia
- Great Eastern Highway , Western Australia
- Great Northern Highway , Western Australia
- Gulf Developmental Road , Queensland
- Kennedy Highway , Queensland
- Kwinana Freeway , Western Australia
- Leach Highway , Western Australia
- North West Coastal Highway , Western Australia
- Old Coast Road , Western Australia
- Pacific Highway , New South Wales; Queensland
- Princes Highway , New South Wales
- Savannah Way , Northern Territory; Queensland
- South Coast Highway , Western Australia
- South Western Highway , Western Australia
- Bass Highway , Tasmania
- Gold Coast Highway , Queensland
- Tasman Highway , Tasmania
-
- Burnett Highway , Queensland
- D'Aguilar Highway , Queensland
- New England Highway , Queensland
-
- Reid Highway , Western Australia
- Roe Highway , Western Australia
- Isis Highway , Queensland
- Esk Highway , Tasmania
- Capricorn Highway , Queensland
-
- Lasseter Highway , Northern Territory
- Tonkin Highway , Western Australia
-
- Anzac Highway , South Australia
- Lake Highway , Tasmania
- Leichhardt Highway , Queensland
- Stirling Highway , Western Australia
-
- Davey Street , Tasmania
- Macquarie Street , Tasmania
- Southern Outlet , Tasmania
- Huon Highway , Tasmania
- Flinders Highway , Queensland
- Canning Highway , Western Australia
- West Tamar Highway , Tasmania
-
- Carnarvon Highway , Queensland
- Dawson Highway , Queensland
- Gregory Highway , Queensland
- Leach Highway , Western Australia
- East Tamar Highway , Tasmania
- Port River Expressway , South Australia
- Arthur Highway , Tasmania
-
- Lyell Highway , Tasmania
- Zeehan Highway , Tasmania
- Murchison Highway , Tasmania
-
- Brockman Highway , Western Australia
- Bussell Highway , Western Australia
- Vasse Highway , Western Australia
- Tablelands Highway , Northern Territory
- Mallee Highway , South Australia; Victoria
- Plenty Highway , Northern Territory
- Salisbury Highway , South Australia
-
- Mount Lindesay Highway , Queensland / New South Wales
- Mount Lindesay Road , New South Wales
- Sandover Highway , Northern Territory
-
- Alpine Way , New South Wales
- Murray Valley Highway , New South Wales
-
- Brisbane Valley Highway , Queensland
- D'Aguilar Highway , Queensland
- Barossa Valley Highway , South Australia
-
- Roper Highway , Northern Territory
- South Western Highway , Western Australia
- Kakadu Highway , Northern Territory
- Monaro Highway , Victoria
- Monaro Highway , New South Wales
- Mid-Western Highway , New South Wales
- Palmerston Highway , Queensland
- Albany Highway , Western Australia
-
- Barrier Highway , South Australia
- Main North Road , South Australia
-
- Barrier Highway , New South Wales
- Great Western Highway , New South Wales
- Mitchell Highway , New South Wales
- Oxley Highway , New South Wales
- Arnhem Highway , Northern Territory
- Kamilaroi Highway , New South Wales
- Gwydir Highway , New South Wales
- Brookton Highway , Western Australia
- Olympic Highway , New South Wales
- Cunningham Highway , Queensland
- Bruxner Highway , New South Wales
- Captain Cook Highway , Queensland
- Carnarvon Highway , New South Wales; Queensland
- Illawarra Highway , New South Wales
-
- Balonne Highway , Queensland
- Bunya Highway , Queensland
- Moonie Highway , Queensland
- Wide Bay Highway , Queensland
- Kings Highway , New South Wales
-
- Isis Highway , Queensland
- Gillies Highway , Queensland
- Castlereagh Highway , Queensland
- Castlereagh Highway , New South Wales
- Riverina Highway , New South Wales
- Dawson Highway , Queensland
- Kennedy Highway , Queensland
- Gregory Highway , Queensland
- Riddoch Highway , South Australia
- Peak Downs Highway , Queensland
- Mitchell Highway , Queensland
- Mitchell Highway , New South Wales
- West Coast Highway , Western Australia
- Northern Highway , Victoria
- Cobb Highway , New South Wales
- Calder Highway , Victoria
- Silver City Highway , New South Wales
- Buchanan Highway , Northern Territory
- Mulligan Highway , Queensland
-
- Barwon Highway , Queensland
- Brisbane Valley Highway , Queensland
- D'Aguilar Highway , Queensland
- Esk-Hampton Road , Queensland
- Gore Highway , Queensland
- Leichhardt Highway , Queensland
- New England Highway , Queensland
- Death Highway , South Australia
- Birdseye Highway , South Australia
-
- Goldfields Highway , Western Australia
- Great Eastern Highway , Western Australia
-
- Buntine Highway , Northern Territory
- Delamere Road , Northern Territory
- D'Aguilar Highway , Queensland
-
- Flinders Highway , South Australia
- Lincoln Highway , South Australia
- Southern Ports Highway , South Australia
- Muirs Highway , Western Australia
- Vasse Highway , Western Australia
- Great Southern Highway , Western Australia
- Henty Highway , Victoria
- Midland Highway , Victoria
-
- South Gippsland Freeway , Victoria
- South Gippsland Highway , Victoria
- Bass Highway , Victoria
- Bass Highway , Victoria
- South Gippsland Highway , Victoria
- Westernport Highway , Victoria
- Westernport Highway , Victoria
Main roads
-
- Main North Road , South Australia
- Fullarton Road , South Australia
- Glen Osmond Road , South Australia
- Nepean Highway , Victoria
- Cross Road , South Australia
- Great Western Highway , New South Wales
- Sir Donald Bradman Drive , South Australia
- Port Road , South Australia
- Pacific Highway , New South Wales
- Adelaide-Mannum Road , South Australia
- Boyer Road , Tasmania
- Marlborough Highway , Tasmania
- Moorooduc Highway , Victoria
- Mole Creek Road , Tasmania
-
- South Road , South Australia
- Victor Harbor Road , South Australia
-
- Tapleys Hill Road , South Australia
- Marion Road, South Australia
- Sheffield Road , Tasmania
- Castra Road , Tasmania
- Kindred Road , Tasmania
-
- Gawler Road , Tasmania
- Preston Road , Tasmania
- Gunns Plains Road , Tasmania
- South Riana Road , Tasmania
- Pine Road , Tasmania
- West Pine Road , Tasmania
- Ridgley Highway , Tasmania
- Forth Road , Tasmania
- South Road , South Australia
- Lyell Highway , Tasmania
-
- Zeehan Highway , Tasmania
- Henty Road , Tasmania
-
- Cambridge Road , Tasmania
- Richmond Road , Tasmania
- Colebrook Road , Tasmania
- Mud Walls Road , Tasmania
-
- Great Western Highway , New South Wales
- Liverpool Road , New South Wales
- East Derwent Highway , Tasmania
- South Arm Highway , Tasmania
- Lake Leake Highway , Tasmania
- Whitehorse Road , Victoria
- Goodwood Road , Tasmania
- Domain Highway , Tasmania
- Bells Line of Road , New South Wales
- Great Western Highway , New South Wales
-
- Poatina Road , Tasmania
- Cressy Road , Tasmania
- Great Eastern Highway , Western Australia
- Meander Valley Highway , Tasmania
- Princes Highway , New South Wales
-
- Main North Road , South Australia
- Wilmington-Ucolta Road , South Australia
-
- Princes Highway , New South Wales
- Wanneroo Road (Perth-Lancelin Highway) , Western Australia
- Gordon River Road , Tasmania
- Glenora Road , Tasmania
- Huon Road , Tasmania
-
- Sandy Bay Road , Tasmania
- Channel Highway , Tasmania
-
- Appin Road , New South Wales
- Putty Road , New South Wales
- Frankford Road , Tasmania
- Biralee Road , Tasmania
- Batman Highway , Tasmania
- Waterfall Way , New South Wales
- Wilmington-Ucolta Road , South Australia
- Lachlan Valley Way , New South Wales
- Main North Road , South Australia
-
- Central Coast Highway , New South Wales
- Pacific Highway , New South Wales
- Golden Highway , New South Wales
- Copper Coast Highway , South Australia
- Goldfields Way , New South Wales
- Yorke Highway , South Australia
- Castlereagh Highway , New South Wales
- Kidman Way , New South Wales
- St. Vincent Highway , South Australia
- Picton Road , New South Wales
-
- Camden Valley Way , New South Wales
- Camden Bypass , New South Wales
- Remembrance Drive , New South Wales
- Escort Way , New South Wales
- Summerland Way , New South Wales
- Burley Griffin Way , New South Wales
- Fossickers Way , New South Wales
- Surf Coast Highway , Victoria
-
- Bellarine Highway , Victoria
- Hollow Tree Road , Tasmania
- Nepean Highway , Victoria
- Pacific Highway , New South Wales
- Hopkins Highway , Victoria
- Geraldton-Mount Magnet Road , Western Australia
- Hamilton Highway , Victoria
- Glenelg Highway , Victoria
- Pyrenees Highway , Victoria
- Henty Highway , Victoria
- Sunraysia Highway , Victoria
- Wimmera Highway , Victoria
- Loddon Valley Highway , Victoria
- McIvor Highway , Victoria
-
- Goulburn Valley Highway , Victoria
- Maroondah Highway , Victoria
- Melba Highway , Victoria
- Midland Highway , Victoria
- Maroondah Highway , Victoria
-
- Goulburn Valley Highway , Victoria
- Maroondah Highway , Victoria
- Maroondah Highway , Victoria
- Warburton Highway , Victoria
-
- Bass Highway , Victoria
- Strzelecki Highway , Victoria
- Perth-Bunbury Highway (proposed) , Western Australia
Connecting roads
- Burwood Highway , Victoria
- Mountain Highway , Victoria
- Borung Highway , Victoria
- Borung Highway , Victoria
- Burwood Highway , Victoria
- Hyland Highway , Victoria
- Kiewa Valley Highway , Victoria
- Omeo Highway , Victoria
- Snowy River Road , Victoria
- Melton Highway , Victoria
- Barry Way , New South Wales
- Bathurst-Ilford Road , New South Wales
- Bucketts Way , New South Wales
- Bylong Valley Way , New South Wales
- Derby Highway , Western Australia
- Dampier Highway , Western Australia
- Goldfields Highway , Western Australia
- Goulburn-Oberon Road , New South Wales
- Grand Ridge Road , Victoria
- Henry Lawson Way , New South Wales
- Irrigation Way , New South Wales
- Lachlan Valley Way , New South Wales
- O'Connell Road , New South Wales
- Snowy River Way , New South Wales
- Thunderbolts Way , New South Wales
- Wombeyan Caves Road , New South Wales
Outback tracks
- Duncan Road , Western Australia
- Buntine Highway , Western Australia
- Anne Beadell Highway , South Australia; Western Australia
- Birdsville Track , Queensland; South Australia
- Canning Stock Route , Western Australia
- Cape Leveque Road , Western Australia
- Connie Sue Highway , Western Australia
- Duncan Road , Northern Territory
- Goombala Road , Victoria
- Gary Highway , Western Australia
- Gibb River Road , Western Australia
- Great Central Road , Western Australia
- Gunbarrel Highway , Northern Territory; South Australia; Western Australia
- Kalumburu Road , Western Australia
- Oodnadatta Track , South Australia
- Strzelecki Track , South Australia
- Tanami Road , Western Australia
- Tanami Track , Northern Territory
Tourist Roads
- Great Ocean Road , Victoria
- Murray Valley Highway , Victoria
- Phillip Island Road , Victoria
- Great Alpine Road , Victoria
See also
For the lists by state:
- List of highways in New South Wales
- List of highways in Victoria
- List of highways in Queensland
- List of highways in South Australia
- List of highways in Western Australia
- List of highways in Tasmania
- List of highways in the Northern Territory
Individual evidence
- ↑ SOUTH AUSTRALIA - Route numbering for the 21st century! , www.ozroads.com.au. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ^ Statewide Route Numbering Scheme - The MABC / Alphanumeric route numbering for regional Victoria , mrv.ozroads.com.au. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ↑ TASMANIA: Route Numbering , www.ozroads.com.au. Retrieved October 13, 2011.
- ↑ ALPHA-NUMERIC ROUTE NUMBERING FOR NSW - It is here! , www.ozroads.com.au. Retrieved October 13, 2011.