List of Australian highways

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.

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.

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. 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. They are recognised by blue shield markers. They were practically adopted in all states by the end of the 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. This was also the case in regional Victoria, until they were eventually superseded with the alphanumeric system.

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

• Highway 1
• National Highway (Australia)

Alphabetical listing

Below is the alphabetical listing of the highways. Highways spanning across multiple states are also listed. This list has over 150 entries.

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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 (A9), Tasmania.

B

• Balonne Highway (State 49), Queensland
• Barkly Highway (National 66/A2), Queensland
• Barkly Highway (National 66), Northern Territory
• Barossa Valley Highway (B19), South Australia
• Barrier Highway (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 181/M420/B460), Victoria.
• Bellarine Highway (State 91/B110), Victoria
• Birdsville Track (D83), South Australia
• Borung Highway (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
• Broome Highway (National 1), Western Australia
• Bruce Highway (National 1), Queensland
• Bruxner Highway (National 44), New South Wales
• Buchanan Highway (National 80), Northern Territory
• Bunya Highway, Queensland
• Burley Griffin Way (State 94), New South Wales
• Burnett Highway (National 17), Queensland
• Burwood Highway (Metro 26/C412), Victoria
• Bussell Highway (State 10), Western Australia

C

• Calder Highway (M79/A79), Victoria
• Cann Valley Highway (B23), Victoria
• Canning Highway, Western Australia
• Canning Stock Route, Western Australia
• Capricorn Highway (National 66/A4), Queensland
• Captain Cook Highway (State 44), Queensland
• Carnarvon Highway (National 46/55), Queensland
• Carpentaria Highway (National 1), Northern Territory
• Castlereagh Highway (National 55), Queensland
• Castlereagh Highway (National 55), New South Wales
• Channel Highway (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

D

• D'Aguilar Highway (National 17, State 85), Queensland
• Dawson Highway (State 60), Queensland
• Delamere Road, Northern Territory
• Double Bay Highway (State 49), Queensland
• Dukes Highway (A8), South Australia
• Duncan Road (National 80), Western Australia

E

• East Tamar Highway (A8), Tasmania.
• Eastern Highway, Western Australia
• Esk Highway (A4), Tasmania.
• Eyre Highway (A1), South Australia
• Eyre Highway (National 1), Western Australia

F

• Federal Highway (National 25), New South Wales
• Flinders Highway (National 78), Queensland
• Flinders Highway (B100), South Australia

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 (M39/A39/State 168/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 100/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

H

• Hamilton Highway (B140), Victoria
• Henty Highway (A200/B200), Victoria
• Highway 1 (Australia)
• Hopkins Highway (B120), Victoria
• Hume Highway (M31), Victoria
• Hume Highway (National 31), New South Wales
• Hyland Highway (C482), Victoria

I

• Illawarra Highway (National 48), New South Wales

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 (C531), Victoria
• Kings Highway (National 52), New South Wales

L

• Lake Highway (A5), Tasmania.
• Landsborough Highway (National 66/A2), Queensland
• Lasseter Highway (State 4), Northern Territory
• Leach Highway, Western Australia
• Leichhardt Highway (National 39), Queensland
• Lincoln Highway (B100), South Australia
• Loddon Valley Highway (State 141/B260), Victoria
• Lyell Highway (A10), Tasmania.

M

• Mallee Highway (National 12/B12), Victoria
• Mallee Highway (National 12/B12), South Australia
• Maroondah Highway (State 34/B300/B360), Victoria
• Matilda Highway, Queensland
• McIvor Highway (State 141/B280), Victoria
• Melba Highway (State 153/B300), Victoria
• Melton Highway (Metro 54/C754), Victoria
• Midland Highway (State 149/A300/State 153/B300), Victoria
• Midlands Highway (National 1), Tasmania.
• Mid-Western Highway (National 24), New South Wales
• Mitchell Highway (National 71), Queensland
• Mitchell Highway (National 71), New South Wales
• Monaro Highway (Nationa 23/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, Western Australia
• Murchison Highway (A2), Tasmania.
• Murray Valley Highway (State 16/B400), Victoria

N

• Nepean Highway (Metro 3/B110), Victoria
• New England Highway (National 15/42), Queensland
• New England Highway (Nation 15), New South Wales
• Newell Highway (National 39), New South Wales
• North West Coastal Highway (National 1), Western Australia
• Northern Highway (National 75/B75), Victoria

O

• Old Hume Highway, New South Wales
• Old Hume Highway, Victoria
• Olympic Way (National 41), New South Wales
• Omeo Highway (C543), Victoria
• Outback Highway, Northern Territory
• Outback Highway, Queensland
• Outback Highway, Western Australia
• Oxley Highway (National 34), New South Wales

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 1/A1), South Australia
• Princes Highway (Metro 83; National Alt-1, C101/M1/A1), Victoria
• Princes Highway (National 1), New South Wales
• Princes Highway (National 1/A1/M1), South Australia
• Pyrenees Highway (B180), Victoria

R

• Riddoch Highway (A66), South Australia
• Roe Highway, Western Australia
• Roper Highway (State 20), Northern Territory

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 180/M420/A440), Victoria
• South Western Highway (National 1), Western Australia
• Strzelecki Highway (State 182/B460), Victoria
• Stuart Highway (National 87), Northern Territory
• Stuart Highway (National 87/A87), South Australia
• Sturt Highway (National 20/A20), Victoria
• Sturt Highway (National 20), New South Wales
• Sturt Highway (National 20/A20), South Australia
• Summerland Way, (State 91), New South Wales
• Summerland Way, (State 91), Queensland
• Sunraysia Highway (B220), Victoria
• Surf Coast Highway (B100), Victoria

T

• Tablelands Highway (State 11), Northern Territory
• Tanami Road (State 5), Northern Territory
• Tasman Highway (A3), Tasmania
• Tod Highway (B90), South Australia
• Tonkin Highway, Western Australia

V

• Vasse Highway (State 10/104), Western Australia
• Victoria Highway (National 1), Northern Territory

W

• Warburton Highway (State 174/B380), Victoria
• Warrego Highway (National 54/A2), Queensland
• Warrigal Highway (Metro 15), Victoria
• Waterfall Way (State 78), New South Wales
• West Tamar Highway (A7), Tasmania.
• Western Highway (National 8/A8/M8), Victoria
• Western Port Highway (Metro 65/M780/A780), Victoria
• Wimmera Highway (State 130/B240/C240), Victoria

State listing

For state listings see:

• List of New South Wales highways
• List of Victoria (Australia) highways
• List of South Australian highways
• List of Western Australian highways
• List of Queensland highways
• List of Northern Territory highways
• List of Tasmania highways

See also

• Transportation in Australia
• List of roads and highways
• List of Australian airports
• List of Australian ports