Online Encyclopedia
List of Australian highways
This is a list of highways in Australia, sorted by states and territories and number of highways. Note that some highways service more than one state or territory.
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Route numbering systems
Australia is a vast and sparsely populated country. Its earliest highways radiate in a spoke-like pattern from capital cities in each State. These highways link major country towns to the capital cities. Intercapital transport was initialy mainly by sea and rail.
As Australia grew, roads connecting the towns located on different highways were constructed. Victoria, for example, has the largest highway network, with every major town linked directly to every other major town in the state. Increased demand for freight and passenger transport led to construction of intercity highways, altough much freight still goes by rail.
National Route Numbering System
In 1955, the Australian National Route Numbering System were introduced to simplify navigation across Australia. The National Route Numbers are marked by white shields which are present in directional signs, distance signs or trailblazers. The general rule is that odd-numbered highways travel in north-south directions and even-numbered highways in east-west directions, with only a few exceptions. National Route 1 was assigned to a network of highways and roads which together linked all capital cities and coastal towns circumnavigating the mainland.
In the 1970s the National Highway scheme was introduced. It is made up of highways that give the most direct point-to-point route between capitals. These highways are federally funded. They are recognised by their distict green and gold shields.
The National Route system initially linked the centres of towns and cities and terminated at the junction of other national routes. The growth of bypasses around towns and cities changes the situation somewhat. In the 1990s, with the introduction of internal metropolitan route system (or Metroads), National Routes terminate at the metropolitan city limits rather than the individual city centres.
State Route Numbering System
Important urban and inter-regional routes not covered by the National Highway or National Route systems were marked under the State Route system. The are recognised by blue shield markers. They are practically adopted in all states by the end of 1980s.In some states, some lesser important National Routes had their status downgraded to State Routes.
In the NSW, they are also adopted in metropolitan areas of Wollongong and Newcastle using three-digit numbers instead of two-digit found elsewhere.
Alphanumeric Route Numbering System
In the 1990s there was a major change to the route marking systems. Victoria and South Australia had completely overhauled their systems. They discarded the National Route Numbering System and introduced the alphanumeric marking scheme following the example set by Tasmania in the late 1970s.
The route numbers inherited from the original National Route Numbering System remains with a few exceptions, however they are now prefixed with letters denoting their grade. For example, Western Freeway is M8 until Ballarat and continues beyond as A8 Western Highway.
They are not used in metropolitan areas and instead the blue-shield state route system is retained.
"M" Routes
Primary highways. These are typically dual carriageway freeway standard highways. They connect capital cities to each other or to bigger rural cities and also applicable to major city freeways. Interchanges may either be graded or level. They carry high volume of traffic and bypass settlements, towns and sometimes cities.
"A" Routes
Single carriageway interstate or interregional primary highways. Traffic volume less than "M" routes but with ample overtaking lanes, sealed shoulders and markings. Constructed and built to excellent quality. They may pass through or bypass town centres.
"B" Routes
Secondary highways linking together major towns on different "A" routes including certain lesser important former national routes. In addition, they may include be major bypassed sections of former "A" or "M" routes and significant tourist routes. They are reasonably good quality sealed roads with shoulders either sealed or not.
"C" Routes
Roads linking smaller settlements and towns to "A" , "B" or "M" routes. May also be applied to short bypassed sections of former "A" routes. Fully sealed surface but of moderate to poor quality and may or may not have shoulders.
Metropolitan Route Numbering System
In the 1990s, urban route numbering system were streamlined in the new Metroad scheme. They are recognised by distinctive hexagon shields and superseded the state route, freeway and National Route schemes along their path. Metroads radiate in a spoke pattern from city centres to highways outside metropolitan limits. In addition, Metroads also cover major city ring roads. Metroads are made of urban highways, main roads and urban freeways. Currently Metroads are found in Sydney and Brisbane.
Non Metroads retain the earlier state route system.
National
Victoria
41 highways.
- Bass Highway (420/460)
- Bellarine Highway (110)
- Borung Highway (234)
- Burwood Highway (412 & Metro 26)
- Calder Highway (79)
- Chandler Highway (Metro 21)
- Glenelg Highway (160)
- Goulburn Valley Highway (39/340)
- Great Alpine Road (500)
- Great Ocean Road (100) *Not technically a highway
- Hamilton Highway (140)
- Henty Highway (200)
- Hopkins Highway (120)
- Hume Highway (31)
- Hyland Highway (482)
- Kiewa Valley Highway (531)
- Loddon Valley Highway (260)
- Mallee Highway (12)
- Maroondah Highway (300/360 & Metro 34)
- McIvor Highway (280)
- Melba Highway (300)
- Melton Highway (754)
- Midland Highway (300)
- Monaro Highway (23)
- Moorooduc Highway (Metro 11)
- Mountain Highway (Metro 28)
- Murray Valley Highway (400)
- Nepean Highway (110 & Metro 3)
- Northern Highway (75)
- Omeo Highway (500/543)
- Princes Highway (1/101 & Metro "Alt 1")
- Pyrenees Highway (180)
- South Gippsland Highway (420/440)
- Strzelecki Highway (460)
- Sturt Highway (20)
- Sunraysia Highway (220)
- Surf Coast Highway (100)
- Warburton Highway (380)
- Western Highway (8)
- Western Port Highway (780)
- Wimmera Highway (240)
In addition, several metropolitan roads have been given highway designation, mainly in Melbourne. For details see List of Melbourne highways.
Queensland
28 highways.
- Balonne Highway
- Barkly Highway
- Barwon Highway
- Brisbane Valley Highway
- Bruce Highway
- Bunya Highway
- Burnett Highway
- Capricorn Highway
- Captain Cook Highway
- Carnarvon Highway
- Castlereagh Highway
- Cunningham Highway
- D'Aguilar Highway
- Dawson Highway
- Flinders Highway
- Gold Coast Highway
- Gregory Highway
- Kennedy Highway
- Landsborough Highway
- Leichhardt Highway
- Matilda Highway
- Mitchell Highway
- Moonie Highway
- Mount Lindesay Highway
- New England Highway
- Pacific Highway
- Palmerston Highway
- Peak Downs Highway
- Warrego Highway
Western Australia
25 highways.
- Albany Highway
- Anne Beadell Highway
- Brand Highway
- Brockman Highway
- Brookton Highway
- Bussell Highway
- Canning Stock Route
- Connie Sue Highway
- Coolgardie-Esperance Highway
- Duncan Road
- Eastern Highway
- Eyre Highway
- Gary Highway
- Gary Junction Road
- Gibb River Road
- Great Central Road
- Great Eastern Highway
- Great Northern Highway
- Great Southern Highway
- Gunbarrel Highway
- Muirs Highway
- North West Coastal Highway
- South Coast Highway
- South Western Highway
- Vasse Highway
New South Wales
24 highways.
- Alpine Way
- Barrier Highway
- Barton Highway
- Bruxner Highway
- Castlereagh Highway
- Cobb Highway
- Federal Highway
- Great Western Highway
- Gwydir Highway
- Hume Highway
- Illawarra Highway
- Kamilaroi Highway
- Kings Highway
- Mid-Western Highway
- Mitchell Highway
- Monaro Highway
- Newell Highway
- New England Highway
- Olympic Way
- Oxley Highway
- Pacific Highway
- Princes Highway
- Silver City Highway
- Snowy Mountains Highway
- Sturt Highway
- Summerland Way
See also New South Wales Highways.
Northern Territory
15 highways.
- Arnhem Highway
- Barkly Highway
- Buchanan Highway
- Carpentaria Highway
- Delamere Road
- Gunbarrel Highway
- Kakadu Highway
- Lasseter Highway
- Plenty Highway
- Roper Highway
- Sandover Highway
- Stuart Highway
- Tablelands Highway
- Tanami Road
- Victoria Highway
South Australia
12 highways.
- Anne Beadell Highway
- Barossa Valley Highway
- Barrier Highway
- Birdsville Track
- Dukes Highway
- Eyre Highway
- Flinders Highway
- Lincoln Highway
- Mallee Highway
- Princes Highway
- Stuart Highway
- Sturt Highway
Tasmania
12 highways.
- Arthur Highway (A9)
- Bass Highway (1)
- Brooker Highway (1)
- Channel Highway (A6)
- East Tamar Highway (A8)
- Esk Highway (A4)
- Lake Highway (A5)
- Lyell Highway (A10)
- Midlands Highway (1)
- Murchison Highway (A2)
- Tasman Highway (A3)
- West Tamar Highway (A7)
See also
- Transportation in Australia
- List of roads and highways
- List of Australian airports
- List of Australian ports