Road Photos & Information: New South Wales: Hume Highway (National Highway 31)

Road Photos & Information: New South Wales

Hume Highway (National Highway 31) - Goulburn To Yass (Decommissioned)

Statistics:

Length: 500 km (Goulburn to Yass: 83 km)
Northern Terminus: Narellan Road (Metroad 9) interchange at Mt Annan, near Campbelltown on the outskirts of southwestern Sydney.
Southern Terminus: NSW-Vic border at Albury
Miscellaneous: Continues as Hume Freeway (NH-M31) at the Victorian border and travels for 303 km to the Metropolitan Ring Road (M80).
Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Goulburn, Gunning and Yass

Route Numbering:

Former:
Decommissioned: 2013
Road Authority Internal Classification: HW2 1

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 National Highway section of the Hume Highway consists of almost 100% dual carriageway road, either rural expressway or motorway standard. Works to duplicate small sections of highway that are not dual carriageway are well underway.

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.

NH31 is 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.1

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

Here are some interesting statistics on the Hume Highway: 2

The Goulburn Bypass is 13 km of concrete dual carriageway.
The Cullerin Range Deviation consists of 34 km of dual carriageway.
17 km of dual carriageways between the Cullarin Range Deviation and the Yass Bypass.
The Yass Bypass, has 15 bridges and 18 km of dual carriageways.

History:

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. 1
1970: Dual carriageway and new bridges built, bypassing the old bridge from 1930s at Boxers Creek, north of Goulburn 1
1972: Completion of the grade separated interchange between Hume Hwy and Federal Hwy at Wollogorang, south of Goulburn. Also computer based roadsign design trialled for the first time. The first signs designed using the system were for installation on the Hume Hwy at Yass. 3
1992: Mittagong and Goulburn Bypasses open
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

Click here for photos of the former alignments between Goulburn and Yass
Click here for historic photos between Goulburn and Yass

Goulburn to Yass		Yass to Goulburn
Preview:	Description:	Preview:	Description:
	Run O' Waters Creek: Crossing Run O' Waters Creek via Futton's Crossing at Run O' Waters. December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on Hume Hwy (NH31) at Yarra for the U-turn bay to access the Federal Hwy (NH23) interchange, June 2013. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	RD Sign: Distance signage after Run O' Waters Creek at Run O' Waters, December 2009. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		U-Turn Bay: Hume Hwy (NH31) at Yarra at the U-turn bay to access the Federal Hwy (NH23) interchange, June 2013. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Tourist RD Sign: Southbound sign at Yarra denoting you're in Capital Country and indicating distances to major tourist destinations in the area, December 2009. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Distance Sign: RD sign after the Federal Hwy (NH23) interchange at Yarra, June 2013. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Old South Road: Hume Hwy (NH31) at Yarra at the junction of Old South Rd (former Hume Hwy alignment), December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign: Services sign for the French VC Rest Area, Yarra, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Southbound advance directional sign indicating the exit for the Federal Highway (NH23) at Yarra, near Coles Lane. January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Tourist RD Sign: Northbound sign at Yarra, near Coles Lane, denoting you're in Capital Country and indicating distances to major tourist destinations in the area, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Tourist Supplemental AD Sign: Southbound near Bakers Lane and approaching the Federal Highway interchange at Yarra, this sign is for the numerous wineries around Gundaroo, Bungendore and surrounds, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign: Services sign for the French VC Rest Area, Yarra, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Sign: Southbound advance directional sign indicating the exit for the Federal Highway (NH23) at Yarra. January 2010. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		French VC Rest Area: Hume Hwy (NH31) at Yarra at the junction with French VC Rest Area (and Old South Rd), December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Directional sign at Yarra for Southbound traffic heading to Canberra and Cooma via the Federal Highway, January 2010. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Yarra for the Hume St and Sydney Rd interchanges, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	AD Signs: Southbound advance directional signs just before the turn lane for the Federal Highway interchange at Yarra, January 2010. These have since been removed Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Yarra for the Hume St interchange, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Federal Hwy Interchange: Southbound at the Federal Highway interchange at Yarra, October 2010. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Yarra for the Hume St (former Hume Hwy) interchange, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Federal Hwy Overpass: Southbound as the Federal Hwy (NH23) passes over the Hume Hwy at Yarra, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Services Sign: Services sign incorporating tourism panel at Run O' Waters, approaching the Hume St interchange, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: Southbound after the Federal Highway interchange at Wollogorang, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Run O' Waters for the Hume St interchange, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the intersection with Cullerin Road, the former alignment of the Hume Hwy. Southbound at Wollogorang. December 2009. Image © Paul Rands		Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Run O' Waters for the Hume St interchange, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Cullerin Road Intersection: Looking through the intersection with Cullerin Road at Wollogorang. Southbound, December 2009. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands		Bypassed Town Sign: Sign at Run O' Waters indicating access to the bypassed town of Goulburn, June 2013. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the Collector Road interchange at Gunning. Southbound, December 2009. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Signage for services on offer in Gunning. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Sign indicating the large number of destinations available from the Collector Road interchange at Gunning. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Exit Sign: Sign for the Collector Road interchange at Gunning. Southbound, December 2009. Click here for a photo of the previous sign from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Bypassed Town Sign: Sign indicating access to the bypassed town of Gunning, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Collector Road Interchange: Approaching Collector Road interchange at Gunning. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Collector Road Interchange: Looking through the Collector Road interchange at Gunning. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Gunning Road: Hume Hwy (NH31) as it passes under Gundaroo Rd at Gunning, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Gunning. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Next Services Sign: Sign at Gunning indicating the next town with services such as fuel and food. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Services sign at Oolong for the Mundoonan Rest Area driver reviver, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Services sign at Oolong for the Mundoonan Rest Area, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Services Sign: Services sign at Oolong for the Mundoonan Rest Area, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Mundoonan Rest Area: Hume Hwy at Oolong at the interchange with Mundoonan Rest Area, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Jerrawa approaching Lade Vale Rd and Jerrawa Rd, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Lade Vale Road & Jerrawa Road: Hume Hwy (NH31) at the junction with Lade Vale Rd and Jerrawa Rd in Jerrawa, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD sign: Signage indicating access to the town of Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for the the Barton Highway (NH25) interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemental AD sign as you approach the Barton Hwy interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Historic Town and Services Sign: Sign indicating the historical significance of Yass and also the services on offer. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Tourism AD Sign: Supplemental AD sign for tourist attractions as you approach the Barton Hwy interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: Diagrammatic AD sign for the Barton Hwy interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Bypassed Town Sign: Sign indicating the bypassed town of Yass. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Barton Highway Exit: Signage indicating the interchange for Barton Hwy at Yass. Southbound, December 2009. Image © Paul Rands
	Barton Hwy Interchange: Overpass at the Barton Highway interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Distance Sign: RD sign located after the Barton Hwy interchange at Yass. Southbound, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Yellow Creek Road: The Hume Hwy as it passes under Yellow Ck Rd at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Yass Junction Road: Hume Hwy as it passes over Yass Junction Road at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD services sign for the Yass Service Centre, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for Yass Valley Way (former Hume Hwy) at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign for Yass Valley Way (former Hume Hwy) at Yass. Southbound, November 2010. Click here for a photo of this location from December 2007. Image © Rob Tilley
	Yass Valley Way Interchange: Heading into the interchange with Yass Valley Way at Yass. Southbound, November 2010. Image © Rob Tilley
	Yass Valley Way & Yass Service Centre: Lane allocation signage at Yass near the service centre. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Service Centre Entrance: ID signage as you enter the service centre at Yass from Yass Valley Way. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Signs: ID signs facing traffic re-entering Yass Valley Way from the service centre at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental AD Sign: Supplemental advance directional sign as you approach the interchange with the Hume Hwy at Yass from Yass Valley Way. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at the Yass Valley Way / Hume Highway interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Lane Allocation Signs: Sign gantry indicating which lanes are for which ramps to the Hume Hwy. Southbound at Yass, August 2011. Click here for a photo of this loction by Paul Rands from December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign for the Melbourne bound ramp at Yass Valley Way / Hume Highway interchange at Yass. Southbound, December 2007. Image © Paul Rands
Click here for the continuation of Hume Hwy (NH31) between Yass and Coolac Click here for the contination of Hume Hwy (NH31) between Goulburn and Sutton Forest

1 Roads and Traffic Authority
2 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
3 Department of Main Roads. The Roadmakers, A History of Main Roads in New South Wales, ISBN 0 7240 0439 4

Last updated: 27-Feb-2017 21:42

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