Length:

498 km (Coolac to Holbrook: 121 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:

Coolac, Gundagai, South Gundagai, Tumblong, Mundarlo, Mount Adrah, Tarcutta, Kyeamba and Little Billabong

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.

1914: Sydney-Melbourne road (Great South Road) is declared a main road.

1928: Sections of Great South Road renamed to Hume Highway.

December 1938: Tumbalong-Tarcutta deviation construction, a major roadworks project which was partly funded under the significant Unemployment Relief Works Program. 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

1976: Completion of the 8 km Gundagai deviation and bridge over the Murrumbidgee River. ⁴

March 1977: The 1.1 kilometre Sheahan Bridge over the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai opened to traffic. ⁵

1983: The highway between Conroys Gap and Coolac, had most of the earlier alignment replaced, also a new Tarcutta deviation completed - 11.5 kilometres in length. This bypassed the bowstring arch across Hillas Creek from the 1930s. The new section of road featured a dual carriageway.³

2009: Hume Highway Duplication, Sturt Highway to Table Top completed. ⁵

May 2009: The duplicated Sheahan Bridge at Gundagai was officially opened by the Federal Minister for Transport. ⁵

2013: National Highway 31 decommissioned.

This page concentrates on the former alignment between Coolac and Holrook

Coolac to Holbrook

Divided Road Ends:

Signs warning the divided carriageway ends approaching Coolac. December 2007. These signs are now removed and the dual carriageway bypasses Coolac.

Image © Paul Rands

Coolac:

Hume Hwy entering Coolac, December 2007. Note the duplication works in the distance.

Image © Paul Rands

Single Carriageway:

Undivided Hume Highway passing through the hills north of Coolac. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Crash Zone Sign:

Sign indicating this section of the highway has a higher risk of head on crashes, Coolac, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Typical Conditions:

Southbound at Coolac, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Entering Coolac Town Centre:

Southbound as you enter the town centre of Coolac, which consists of a few buildings. December 2007. Note the heavy vehicle inspection bay sign in the distance.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Southbound at Coolac approaching Gundagai Road, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Town Centre:

Passing the Coolac store. southbound, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Southbound RD sign as you leave the town centre of Coolac, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Load Limits Signage:

Southbound sign for heavy vehicles indicating maximum vehicle masses. Coolac, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Leaving Coolac:

Southbound at Coolac on the concrete pavement, which at the time was being duplicated. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Southbound tourist based AD for the Dog On The Tuckerbox, 8 km north of Gundagai, December 2007. This section is now dual carriageway and features new signs.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Diagrammatic AD sign for Middle Street South Gundagai at the merge to single carriageway to cross the Murrumbidgee River, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Murrumbidgee River:

Crossing the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai, via Sheahan Bridge. Southbound, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Sheahan Bridge:

Crossing the Murrumbidgee River at Gundagai, December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands

Holbrook to Coolac

NEW Hillas Creek Bridge:

The bowstring arch bridge constructed over Hillas Creek in the 1930s, as viewed from the current Hume Highway alignment, October 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Former Hume Highway Alignment:

Annie Pyers Drive at Gundagai, which runs past the Dog On The Tucker Box and nearby services, March 2015. This section of road was once part of the Hume Highway.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Old Sight Board:

Old sight board Annie Pyers Drive at Gundagai, which runs past the Dog On The Tucker Box and nearby services. This section of road was once part of the Hume Highway., November 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Northbound RD sign leaving Coolac. December 2007.

Image © Paul Rands