Highways in Australia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This is a list of highways in Australia, listed alphabetically along with its route number and location. Note that some highways service more than one state or territory.
[edit] 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 initially mainly by sea and rail.
As the population increased, 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, although much freight still goes by rail.
[edit] National Route Numbering System
In 1955, the Australian National Route Numbering System was 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 distinct 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. National Routes often terminate at the metropolitan city limits rather than the individual city centres.
[edit] 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. They are recognised by blue shield markers. They were practically adopted in all states by the end of the 1980s. In some states, some less important National Routes had been downgraded to State Routes.
In New South Wales, they are also adopted in metropolitan areas of Wollongong and Newcastle using three-digit numbers instead of two-digit found elsewhere. In regional Victoria and South Australia, the blue shield state route numbers were superseded in the late 1990's with the alphanumeric system, which is also used in Tasmania. See below.
[edit] 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 and State Route Numbering Systems 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 the Melbourne metropolitan area where the blue-shield metropolitan route system is retained.
New South Wales is slowly preparing to introduce the alphanumeric system with new road signs being fitted with such numbers and then being "coverplated" with the existing route number. It has not been announced when this system will officially be introduced.
There are no plans to introduce such a system in Western Australia.
[edit] "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.
[edit] "A" Routes
Single carriageway interstate or interregional primary highways. Traffic volume less than "M" routes but with ample overtaking lanes, sealed shoulders and markings. They may pass through or bypass town centres.
[edit] "B" Routes
Secondary highways linking together major towns on different "A" routes including certain lesser important former national routes. In addition, they may include 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.
[edit] "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.
[edit] "D" Routes
Unsealed Roads linking very small remote towns. Only used in South Australia at present. Generally applied to unsealed roads & tracks or unsealed extensions of "B" or "C" routes. Roads/Tracks are of various quality for an unsealed road. Use of 4 Wheel Drive Vehicles are recommended for some "D" Routes. Alternatively, in New South Wales, "D" routes refer to detour routes. An example of this is the D5 which provides motorists with an alternate route when the M5 tunnel is closed.
[edit] Metropolitan Route Numbering System
In the 1990s in Sydney and Brisbane, urban route numbering system were streamlined in the new Metroad scheme. They are recognised by distinctive hexagonal 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.
Non-Metroads retain the earlier state route system.
[edit] National
[edit] Alphabetical listing
Below is the alphabetical listing of the highways. Highways spanning across multiple states are also listed. This list has over 150 entries.
| Contents: | Top - 0–9 A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
|---|
[edit] A
- Albany Highway (State 30), Western Australia
- Anne Beadell Highway, South Australia
- Anne Beadell Highway, Western Australia
- Arnhem Highway (State 36), Northern Territory
- Arthur Highway (State A9), Tasmania.
[edit] B
- Balonne Highway (State 49), Queensland
- Barkly Highway (National A2), Queensland
- Barkly Highway (National 66), Northern Territory
- Barossa Valley Highway (State B19), South Australia
- Barrier Highway (State A32), South Australia
- Barrier Highway (National 32), New South Wales
- Barton Highway (National 25), New South Wales
- Barwon Highway (State 85), Queensland
- Bass Highway (National 1), Tasmania.
- Bass Highway (State M420/B460), Victoria.
- Bellarine Highway (State B110), Victoria
- Birdsville Track (State D83), South Australia
- Borung Highway (State C234), Victoria
- Brand Highway (National 1), Western Australia
- Brisbane Valley Highway (National 17), Queensland
- Brockman Highway (State 10), Western Australia
- Brooker Highway (National 1), Tasmania.
- Brookton Highway (State 40), Western Australia
- Bruce Highway (National A1), Queensland
- Bruxner Highway (National 44), New South Wales
- Buchanan Highway (National 80), Northern Territory
- Bucketts Way, New South Wales
- Bunya Highway (State 49), Queensland
- Burwood Highway (Metro 26/State C412), Victoria
- Bussell Highway (State 10), Western Australia
- Bylong Valley Way, New South Wales
[edit] C
- Calder Highway (State M79/A79), Victoria
- Cann Valley Highway (State B23), Victoria
- Canning Highway, (State 6), Western Australia
- Canning Stock Route, Western Australia
- Capricorn Highway (National A4), Queensland
- Captain Cook Highway (State 44), Queensland
- Carnarvon Highway (National A7/A55), Queensland
- Carpentaria Highway (National 1), Northern Territory
- Castlereagh Highway (National A55), Queensland
- Castlereagh Highway (National 55), New South Wales
- Central Coast Highway, New South Wales
- Channel Highway (State A6), Tasmania
- Cobb Highway (National 75), New South Wales
- Connie Sue Highway, Western Australia
- Coolgardie-Esperance Highway (National 1/94), Western Australia
- Cunningham Highway (National 15/42), Queensland
[edit] D
- D'Aguilar Highway (National 17/State 85), Queensland
- Dawson Highway (State 60), Queensland
- Delamere Road, Northern Territory
- Dukes Highway (National A8), South Australia
- Duncan Road (National 80), Western Australia
[edit] E
- East Tamar Highway (State A8), Tasmania.
- Eastern Highway, Western Australia
- Esk Highway (State A4), Tasmania.
- Eyre Highway (National A1), South Australia
- Eyre Highway (National 1), Western Australia
[edit] F
- Federal Highway (National 23), New South Wales
- Flinders Highway (National 78), Queensland
- Flinders Highway (State B100), South Australia
- Fossickers Way (State 95), New South Wales
[edit] G
- Gary Highway, Western Australia
- Gary Junction Road, Western Australia
- Gibb River Road, Western Australia
- Glenelg Highway (B160), Victoria
- Gold Coast Highway (Metro 2), Queensland
- Golden Highway (State 84), New South Wales
- Gore Highway (National 85), Queensland
- Goulburn Valley Highway (State M39/A39/B340), Victoria
- Great Central Road, Western Australia
- Great Eastern Highway (National 94), Western Australia
- Great Northern Highway (National 1/95), Western Australia
- Great Ocean Road (State B100), Victoria *Not technically a highway
- Great Southern Highway (State 120), Western Australia
- Great Western Highway (National 32), New South Wales
- Gregory Highway (National 55), Queensland
- Gunbarrel Highway, Northern Territory
- Gunbarrel Highway, Western Australia
- Gwydir Highway (State 38), New South Wales
[edit] H
- Hamilton Highway (State B140), Victoria
- Henry Lawson Way , New South Wales
- Henty Highway (State A200/B200), Victoria
- Highway 1 (Australia)
- Hopkins Highway (State B120), Victoria
- Hume Highway (National M31), Victoria
- Hume Highway (National 31), New South Wales
- Hyland Highway (State C482), Victoria
[edit] I
- Illawarra Highway (National 48), New South Wales
- Irrigation Way, New South Wales
- Isis Highway (State 52/State 3), Queensland
[edit] K
- Kakadu Highway (State 21), Northern Territory
- Kamilaroi Highway (National 37), New South Wales
- Kennedy Highway (National 1/State 62), Queensland
- Kidman Way (State 87), New South Wales
- Kiewa Valley Highway (State C531), Victoria
- Kings Highway (National 52), New South Wales
[edit] L
- Lachlan Valley Way, (State 81), New South Wales
- Lake Highway (State A5), Tasmania.
- Landsborough Highway (National 66/A2), Queensland
- Lasseter Highway (State 4), Northern Territory
- Leach Highway (State 7), Western Australia
- Leichhardt Highway (National 39), Queensland
- Lincoln Highway (StateB100), South Australia
- Loddon Valley Highway (State B260), Victoria
- Lyell Highway (State A10), Tasmania.
[edit] M
- Main North Road (State B82), South Australia
- Mallee Highway (National B12), Victoria
- Mallee Highway (National B12), South Australia
- Maroondah Highway (State B300/B360), Victoria
- Matilda Highway, Queensland
- McIvor Highway (State B280), Victoria
- Melba Highway (State B300), Victoria
- Melton Highway (State C754), Victoria
- Midland Highway (Victoria) (State A300/B300), Victoria
- Midland Highway (Tasmania) (National 1), Tasmania
- Mid-Western Highway (National 24), New South Wales
- Mitchell Highway (National 71), Queensland
- Mitchell Highway (National 32/71), New South Wales
- Monaro Highway (Nationa B23), Victoria
- Monaro Highway, (National 23) New South Wales
- Moonie Highway (State 49), Queensland
- Moorooduc Highway (Metro 11), Victoria
- Mount Lindesay Highway (National 13), Queensland
- Mountain Highway (Metro 28), Victoria
- Muirs Highway (State 102), Western Australia
- Murchison Highway (State A2), Tasmania.
- Murray Valley Highway (State B400), Victoria
[edit] N
- Nepean Highway (Metro 3/State B110), Victoria
- New England Highway (National 15/A3), Queensland
- New England Highway (National 15), New South Wales
- Newell Highway (National 39), New South Wales
- North West Coastal Highway (National 1), Western Australia
- Northern Highway (National B75), Victoria
[edit] O
- Old Hume Highway, New South Wales
- Old Hume Highway, Victoria
- Olympic Highway (National 41), New South Wales
- Omeo Highway (State C543), Victoria
- Outback Highway, Northern Territory
- Outback Highway, Queensland
- Outback Highway, Western Australia
- Ovens Highway (State B500), Victoria
- Oxley Highway (National 34), New South Wales
[edit] P
- Pacific Highway (National 1), Queensland
- Pacific Highway (National 1), New South Wales
- Palmerston Highway (State 25), Queensland
- Peak Downs Highway (State 70), Queensland
- Plenty Highway (State 12), Northern Territory
- Port Wakefield Road (National A1), South Australia
- Princes Highway (National 1), New South Wales; (National 1/A1/M1), South Australia; (Metro 83; National Alt-1, State C101/M1/A1), Victoria
- Putty Road (State 69), New South Wales
- Pyrenees Highway (State B180), Victoria
[edit] R
- Reid Highway (State 3), Western Australia
- Riddoch Highway (State A66), South Australia
- Riverina Highway (National 58), New South Wales
- Roe Highway (State 3), Western Australia
- Roper Highway (State 20), Northern Territory
[edit] S
- Sandover Highway (State 14), Northern Territory
- Silver City Highway (National 79), New South Wales
- Snowy Mountains Highway (National 18), New South Wales
- South Coast Highway (National 1), Western Australia
- South Gippsland Highway (State M420/A440), Victoria
- South Western Highway (National 1), Western Australia
- Southern Ports Highway (State B101), South Australia
- Strzelecki Highway (State B460), Victoria
- Stuart Highway (National 87), Northern Territory
- Stuart Highway (National A87), South Australia
- Sturt Highway (National A20), Victoria
- Sturt Highway (National 20), New South Wales
- Sturt Highway (National A20), South Australia
- Summerland Way, (State 91), New South Wales
- Summerland Way, (State 91), Queensland
- Sunraysia Highway (State B220), Victoria
- Surf Coast Highway (State B100), Victoria
[edit] T
- Tablelands Highway (State 11), Northern Territory
- Tanami Road (State 5), Northern Territory
- Tasman Highway (State A3), Tasmania
- Thunderbolts Way, New South Wales
- Tod Highway (State B90), South Australia
- Tonkin Highway (State 4), Western Australia
[edit] V
- Vasse Highway (State 10/104), Western Australia
- Victoria Highway (National 1), Northern Territory
[edit] W
- Warburton Highway (State B380), Victoria
- Warrego Highway (National A2), Queensland
- Warrigal Highway (Metro 15), Victoria
- Waterfall Way (State 78), New South Wales
- West Tamar Highway (State A7), Tasmania.
- Western Highway (National A8/M8), Victoria
- Western Port Highway (Metro 65/State A780), Victoria
- Wide Bay Highway (State 49), Queensland
- Wimmera Highway (State B240/C240), Victoria
[edit] State listing
For state listings see:
- 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 Northern Territory
