Road Photos & Information: New South Wales
Hume Highway (National Highway 31)
Yass to Coolac
Statistics:
- Length:
- 498 km (Yass to Coolac: 76 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:
- Bowning, Bookham, Berremangra and Jugiong
Route Numbering:
- Current: M31
- 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.
- The Jugiong Bypass, features 13 km of dual carriageways.
History:
- 1914: Sydney-Melbourne road (Great South Road) is declared a main road.
- 1928: Sections of Great South Road renamed to Hume Highway.
- 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
- 1979: The area south of Connors Creek near Bookham was rebuilt with the earthworks being done for a second carriageway, which was built in 1994.
- 1983: The highway between Conroys Gap and Coolac, had most of the earlier alignment replaced.3
- 1994: Most of the highway route between Breadalbane, west of Goulburn, and Derringullen Creek, west of Yass, was deviated. This included a bypassing of the Cullerin Range.
- 2013: National Highway 31 decommissioned.
Yass to Coolac
Advance Directional Sign:
Hume Hwy (NH31) at Bowning approaching Lachlan Valley Way (SR81). SR81 connects the Hume Hwy with Boorowa, Cowra, Canowindra and Molong. The route also provides access to the Mitchell Hwy (NR32), The Escort Way, Mid Western Hwy (NR24) and Olympic Hwy (NR41), August 2011. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from November 2010.
Image © Paul Rands
Lachlan Valley Way Intersection:
Hume Hwy (NH31) approaching the intersection with Lachlan Valley Way (SR81) at Bowning, November 2010. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Lachlan Valley Way Junction:
Corner of Hume Hwy (NH31) and Lachlan Valley Way (SR81) at Bowning, November 2010. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
RD sign as you head westbound at Bowning, November 2010. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Temporary Signs:
Signs indicating the the turnoff to Burley Griffin Way has been changed, Bowning, November 2007.
Image © Tim Cole
Services Sign:
Westbound approaching Bowning. December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
AD Sign:
Advance directional sign approaching Bowning Road at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Bowning Rd Intersection:
Looking through the intersection with Bowning Road at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Bowning Rd Intersection:
Looking through the intersection with Bowning Road at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
Sign facing Bowning Road traffic at Bowning, November 2010. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
Westbound RD sign after the Bowning Road intersection at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Supplementary AD Sign:
Supplemental AD sign approaching Burley Griffin Way (SR94) at Bowning. The route is named after Walter Burley Griffin, the original designer of Canberra and the country town of Griffith. November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Diagrammatic AD Sign:
Advance directional sign approaching Burley Griffin Way (SR94) at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign for the Burley Griffin Way intersection, at Bowning. November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Burley Griffin Way at Bowning, westbound, November 2010. SR94 connects the Hume Hwy with Binalong, Harden, Temora, Ardlethan, and Griffith. It also connects with Olympic Hwy (NR41), Newell Hwy (NH39), Goldfields Way (SR85), and Kidman Way (SR87). Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
Burley Griffin Way Intersection:
Heading westbound at Bowning as you approach Burley Griffin Way, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Burley Griffen Way Junction:
The intersection with Burley Griffin Way at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
RD sign located after the Burley Griffen Way intersection at Bowning, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Conroys Gap:
Heading over Conroys Gap at Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Tourism / Services Sign:
Heading southwest at Bookham approaching Burrinjuck Road, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
Looking southwest approaching Burrinjuck Road and Bookham, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Burrinjuck Road Intersection:
Travelling southwest at Burrinjuck Road in Bookham, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign located after the Burrinjuck Road intersection at Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Conroy Street in Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Conroy Street:
Hume Hwy (NH31) at Conroy St, Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Conroy St Intersection:
Looking westbound at Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing Conroy St, Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Childow Rd and Illalong Rd at Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at Childow Rd and Illalong Rd at Bookham, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
RD sign between Bookham and Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at Berremangra Rd at Berremangra, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Stop Revive Survice Sign:
Sign warning motorists to take a break at Jugiong, December 2007.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Diagrammatic AD sign for the Riverside Dr (Old Hume Hwy) at Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Services Sign:
Services sign for Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Supplemental AD Sign:
Sign listing destinations available from the Jugiong turn off, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign for Riverside Dr (Old Hume Hwy) at Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Bypassed Town Sign:
Typical NSW bypassed town signage at Jugiong, westbound, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Approaching River Side Drive:
Westbound at Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
River Side Drive:
ID sign at River Side Dr, Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
Westbound AD sign approaching Dunnolly Road at Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign for the other end of Riverside Drive at Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Riverside Drive Intersection:
Intersection with the western end of Riverside Drive at Jugiong, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Distance Sign:
RD sign as you leave Jugiong near Belmont Rd, November 2010.
Image © Rob Tilley
Welcome to The Riverina:
Tourism orientated distance sign at Jugiong, November 2010. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2007.
Image © Rob Tilley
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.