New South Wales
Photo Gallery

New South Wales Road Photo Gallery:
National Highway 31 (Hume Highway)
(Goulburn to Gundagai)

The Hume Highway (also known as the Hume Freeway in Victoria) is one of the most important roads in Australia, the shortest route linking the country's two largest cities - Sydney and Melbourne.

At the Sydney end of the Hume Highway, the last 10 km of road is also known as Liverpool Road, before it terminates at an intersection with Parramatta Road, in Summer Hill. At the Melbourne end, about 27 km north of Melbourne at the suburb of Craigieburn, the Craigieburn Bypass diverts the Hume Freeway (and the M31 designation) off to the east of the original highway to terminate with the Western and Metropolitan Ring Roads (M80) roughly 15 km north of Melbourne, which allows traffic to travel from Geelong, Pakenham or suburban Melbourne non-stop to Albury. The original alignment of the Hume Highway is Sydney Road, which runs straight south into the heart of Melbourne's CBD, bearing metropolitan route 55.

The Hume Highway travels through the states of New South Wales and Victoria and got its name in the 1920s during a nationwide highway naming scheme. Before this, the road was known as the "Great Southern Road" in New South Wales and "Sydney Road" in Victoria. In 1914 the highway was declared a main road. The road was named in 1929 after Hamilton Hume, a famous explorer in the early 19th century who in conjunction with William Hovell first found an overland route between Sydney and the infant colonial outpost of Port Phillip, the original name of Melbourne.

Over 80% is dual carriageway or motorway standard. The principal towns through which it passes are Liverpool, Campbelltown, Camden, Picton, Mittagong, Goulburn, Yass, Gundagai, Holbrook and Albury in New South Wales; and Wodonga, Wangaratta, Glenrowan, Benalla, Euroa, Seymour and Wallan in Victoria.

The route forms the Remembrance Driveway which honours war veterans, click here for the Remembrance Driveway web site.

Length (NSW): 567 km
Length (VIC): 291 km
Route Numbers: formerly
 

Directional Sign
ID sign on the roundabout with the old Hume Highway (south) interchange. July 2006 at Goulburn.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound On-Ramp
Looking down the southbound on-ramp at the old Hume Highway interchange at South Goulburn, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound at Run O' Waters
Hume Highway heading south through Run O' Waters. Before the road was duplicated, the southbound carriageway was the north-south alignment. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Run O' Waters Creek
Crossing Run O' Waters Creek via Futton's Crossing. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

RD Sign
Distance signage after Run O' Waters Creek, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Tourist ID Sign
Southbound sign denoting you're in Capital Country and indicating distances to major tourist destinations in the area, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

AD Sign
Fire damaged southbound advance directional sign indicating the exit for the Federal Highway (NH23). July 2006 at Yarra, near Coles Lane.

Image © Paul Rands

Tourist ID Sign
Northbound sign at Yarra, near Coles Lane, denoting you're in Capital Country and indicating distances to major tourist destinations in the area, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

ID Sign
Northbound intersection directional sign as you approach the crossover for the Federal Highway at Yarra, July 2006. Northbound traffic does't have grade separation if they wish to join the Federal Highway.

Image © Paul Rands

Tourist Sign
Southbound near Coles Lane and approaching the Federal Highway interchange at Yarra, this sign is for the numerous wineries around Gundaroo, Bungendore and surrounds, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

AD Sign
Southbound advance directional sign indicating the exit for the Federal Highway (NH23). July 2006 at Yarra.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign
Because the Federal Highway interchange is a major one and has some complexity about it, there is a lot of signage approaching it. This is southbound at Yarra, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Lane Allocation Sign
Directional sign for Southbound traffic heading to Canberra and Cooma via the Federal Highway, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

AD Signs
Southbound advance directional signs just before the turn lane for the Federal Highway interchange, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

ID Signs
Last lot of interchange signage, southbound at Yarra, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands