Expressway - The Australian Highway Site: Road Photos & Information: NSW: Decommissioned NH31 (Sutton Forest and Goulburn) (Former Alignment)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Hume Highway (National Highway 31)

Sutton Forest and Goulburn

Former Alignment

Statistics:

Length:: 498 km (Sutton Forest and Goulburn: 56 km)
Termini:: Northern: Narellan Rd (Metroad 9 and SR69), Campbelltown; Southern: NSW-VIC Border, Albury
Miscellaneous:: Continued as M31 in Victoria
Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:: Penrose, Paddys River, Wingello, Marulan, Boxers Creek and Goulburn

Route Numbering:

Current: None
Former: 31 31
Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹: HW2

General Information:

The Hume Highway is one of Australia's most vital highway links. Providing access between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's 2 largest cities. The route consisted of 100% dual carriageway road, either rural expressway or motorway standard.

In NSW, the highway in one form or another started life as the Great South Road, linking Sydney with the southern highlands and eventually beyond. The highway was named in 1928 after Hamilton Hume (1797-1873), a famous explorer in the early 19th century who, in 1824, 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.

National Highway 31 was the main freight and commuter route between Sydney and Melbourne and has gone through a massive amount of transformation over the past 30 or so years, with many towns being bypassed along its route as well and gradual upgrades to motorway standards. Since the 1960s, the road has either been duplicated, where alignments allow for it, and also large deviations have also been part of the upgrade process.

The route around the Mittagong area averages around 16 000 vehicles every day, in other sections the number drops off a little or closer to Sydney increases. ²

The route forms the Remembrance Driveway which honours war veterans.

Here are some interesting statistics on the Hume Highway bypasses: ³

: The Goulburn Bypass is 13 km of concrete dual carriageway.

History:

: 1914: Sydney-Melbourne road (Great South Road) is declared a main road.; 1928: Sections of Great South Road renamed to Hume Highway.; 1930s: The Marulan section of Hume Hwy was concreted from Mt. Otway to Marulan South.; 1931: Lorry checking station built at Marulan.³; 1939: 95% (557 km) of the Hume Highway paved with a bituminous surface. ⁴; 1950s: In 1952, a group of citizens met and formed a committee under Lt-General Sir Frank Berryman to create a national memorial to servicemen by using trees and shrubs as living memorials. The NSW Premier, J J Cahill, officially launched the scheme on 9 December 1953. The Remembrance Driveway project as it was called started on 5 February 1954, when trees were planted at either end of the Driveway at the War Memorial, Canberra, and in Macquarie Place, Sydney, by the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. By June 1959, 10 000 trees had been planted. Since then, planting of trees in avenues or groves has continued. When the M5 Motorway replaced the Hume Highway (and also Camden Valley Way) south of Liverpool, it became the focus for planting trees and shrubs in remembrance. ³; 1958 Truck weigh station built further out of Marulan along the highway, replacing the one built in 1931. ²; 1970: Dual carriageway and new bridges built, bypassing the old bridge from 1930s at Boxers Creek, north of Goulburn ³; 1986: Marulan Bypass opens, with new truck weigh stations (those were built in 1985). ⁵; 1992: Goulburn Bypass open.; 2013: National Highway 31 decommissioned.

This page concentrates on the former alignment between Goulburn

Wingello Area:

There are several former alignments littered through this area. Most of the segments have either ended up abandoned or repurposed as property access or local roads. The bypassed section of road renamed to Hanging Rock Road, more or less follows the current alignment but is quite undulating and has a few curves. It is a narrow 2 lane single carriageway road with one lane in each direction, now under local government control.

Sutton Forest to Goulburn

Old Highway:

Hanging Rock Road at Wingello, near its northern junction with the Hume Highway, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Typical Conditions:

Southbound on Hanging Rock Road at Wingello, July 2006, passing by farms located along the route.

Image © Paul Rands

Approaching Hume Highway Connector:

Heading south on Hanging Rock Road at Wingello towards the intersection that acts as a connector to the Hume Highway, July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Hume Highway Connector:

Southern end of Hanging Rock Road at Wingello, at the connection link to the current Hume Highway alignment, more of the old road goes straight ahead but is a no through road. July 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Marulan Area:

The former Hume Highway route at Marulan more or less follows the current alignment but it passes through the town centre of Marulan. Which by the time the bypass was opened in the mid 1980s, was becoming a traffic bottleneck. There is also a narrow old bridge over the main southern railway as well, which modern heavy vehicles would have trouble negotiating with other traffic. The bypassed route is a 2 lane single carriageway road with one lane in each direction and also a small section north of the town centre (near the old heavy vehicle inspection station) that is 4 lanes, divided with 2 lanes in each direction, all now under local government control. When Marulan was bypassed it caused a lot of concern and outrage with locals. Some of the businesses in town did close after the bypass opened, but some remain and others have opened since. Located on the 150th meridian, the town features many historical buildings and several relics from when the highway passed through town. Most of the signs indicating that this was once the Hume Highway have been removed by the DMR or RTA.

Sutton Forest to Goulburn

Old Highway:

George Street. Southbound, April 2006. Note the yellow line markings.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Heavy Vehicle Inspection Station Entrance:

Entry to old checking station which is now a local business, southbound, April 2006

Image © Paul Rands

Old Heavy Vehicle Inspection Station:

Old checking station which is now a local business, southbound, April 2006

Image © Paul Rands

ID Sign:

Recent intersection directional sign with incorrect SR31 shield on Brayton Road & George Street. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound on George Street:

Looking south as you cross over the main south railway line on an early 20th century bridge. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Marulan Town Centre:

Southbound on George Street, April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Highway:

Typical scene immediately south of the town centre, April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound at Marulan:

George Street as you approach the famous Truckstop 31. Once a very popular stop on the long trip from Sydney to Canberra or the snow fields. It's still open, serving great food and still caters for most of the truckies stopping at Marulan - it seems most tend to avoid the services on the highway itself. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Connection to NH31:

George Street continues further south to the highway service centre on the northbound carriageway, but to connect with the current alignment, you turn left here. Note the incorrect shield on the ID sign. April 2006, southbound.

Image © Paul Rands

Goulburn to Sutton Forest

Temporary Sign:

Old temporary sign from when the bypass was built in 1985, directing traffic to the current alignment. Northbound on George Street, April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Highway:

The furthest north you can go on the old roadway (George Street), part of the old road is now owned by a local plant nursery. April 2006. Note the yellow line markings.

Image © Paul Rands

Goulburn Area:

The bypassed section of the Hume Highway at Goulburn travels through the heart of the town centre using Old Hume Hwy, Sydney Rd, Lagoon St, Auburn St, Clinton St, Cowper St and Hume St. After Goulburn was bypassed in 1992, the locals were worried about business in the town, however, it's still thriving as before and many people passing through still use it as a major stop along their trip. When the highway was rerouted around the city, the council reduced the 2 lanes in each direction in the town centre to 1 lane in each direction to increase parking capacity and main street amenity.

Sutton Forest to Goulburn

Governor's Hill:

Southbound at Governor's Hill. Not much has changed along here, and it still resembles what the route did before the bypass opened. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Governor's Hill:

Southbound at Governor's Hill. Not much has changed along here, and it still resembles what the route did before the bypass opened. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Welcome Sign:

Council placed welcome sign, southbound on Governor's Hill. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound at North Goulburn:

Typical and unchanged conditions along the old highway at North Goulburn. April 2006

Image © Paul Rands

Fitzroy Bridge:

Southbound approaching the Fitzroy Bridge over the Mulwaree River, Goulburn, April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign for Union Street. April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Lagoon Street:

Southbound, April 2006

Image © Paul Rands

Auburn Street:

Southbound after the Auburn / Lagoon St intersection, April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Black Advance Directional Sign:

Nice black AD sign, southbound on Auburn Street, for the Goldsmith Street junction, April 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Southbound on Auburn Street:

Main shopping precinct on a Saturday afternoon, showing why Goulburn was by-passed, but this was once 2 lanes in each direction. April 2006.

Southbound on Auburn Street:

Post office clock tower in the distance. April 2006.

Black Directional Sign:

Old AD sign from the 70s or 80s showing the hard right turn the highway once took at Clinton Street, April 2006.

Westbound on Clinton Street:

Heading west after the signals on the corner of Auburn & Clinton Streets, April 2006.

Channelised Turn:

Turning left onto Cowper Street. As you can see the 2 southbound lanes were channeled to go south by default. The roundabout was an addition much later in the 1980s or 90s. April 2006.

Southbound on Cowper Street:

Arterial style roadway through the southern part of Goulburn, April 2006.

Milestone:

Old concrete milestone located southbound on Cowper Street in Goulburn, July 2006. 'Y' is for Yass and 'G' is for Goulburn. The distances point to the post offices as a reference point.

Milestone:

Old concrete milestone located southbound on Cowper Street in Goulburn, July 2006.

Black Distance Sign:

Remnant black RD sign outside the Workers Club Sports Arena, still in use in April 2006. Southbound, South Goulburn.

End of Old Highway:

Southern end of the old route, before it connects to the current alignment of the highway at South Goulburn. April 2006.

Goulburn to Sutton Forest

Black AD Sign:

Black advance directional sign, heading east along Clinton Street at Goulburn, July 2006.

Black Advance Directional Sign:

Nice black AD sign, northbound on Auburn Street, for the Goldsmith Street junction, April 2006.

Black Distance Sign:

Northbound RD sign just before the interchange with the current alignment, north of Goulburn, July 2006.

¹ NSW Government, Roads and Traffic Authority, Schedule of Classified Roads and State & Regional Roads, 31 January 2011.
² Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
³ NSW Government, Roads and Maritime Services.
⁴ NSW Government, Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4.
⁵ Argyle County website.