Road Photos & Information: Victoria
Great Alpine Road (B500)
Statistics:
- Length:
- 307 km
- Termini:
- Northern: Wangaratta Road (C314) and Ashmore St (unnumbered), Wangaratta
- Southern: Princes Highway (A1), Lucknow
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Wangaratta, Tarrawingee, Everton, Gapsted, Myrtleford, Ovens, Eurobin, Porepunkah, Bright, Smoko, Harrietville, Mt Hotham, Dinner Plain, Conbungra, Omeo, Tongio, Swifts Creek, Doctors Flat, Ensay, Tambo Crossing, Bruthen, Wiseleigh, Sarsfield and Lucknow
Route Numbering:
- Current: B500
- Former: 156 195
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 4005
General Information:
The Great Alpine Road stretches from the Gippsland coast at Bairnsdale across Victoria's alpine country and ends in Wangaratta.
The route is rural highway standard is quite windy through the mountainous regions it passes through. Sections of the route were formerly known as Omeo Highway between Lucknow and Omeo, formerly known as Ovens Highway between Bright and Wangaratta. B500 was the first B-route to be introduced into Victoria. 2
History:
- 1925: The section between Lucknow and Omeo (former Omeo Hwy) was gazetted. 3
- November 2004: Plans announced for a safety upgrade between Porepunkah and Bright. 4
Lucknow to Wangaratta
Start B500:
Sign indicating start of Great Alpine Rd (B500) at Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Lucknow approaching Eastwood Rd and Lanes Rd, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Eastwood Road & Lanes Road:
ID sign on the roundabout with Eastwood Rd & Lanes Rd, Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Eastwood Road & Lanes Road:
ID sign on the roundabout with Eastwood Rd & Lanes Rd, Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Tourism Sign:
Tourism sign for Great Alpine Rd (B500) at Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Road Conditions Sign:
Road conditions sign at Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Nicholson River:
Gt Alpine Rd (B500) crossing Nicholson River at Sarsfield, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Mossiface approaching Swan Reach Rd (C605), May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Mossiface approaching Swan Reach Rd (C605), May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Swan Reach Road:
Corner of Gt Alpine Rd (B500) and Swan Reach Rd at Mossiface, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Bruthen approaching Bruthen-Nowa Nowa Rd (C620), May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Bruthen approaching Bruthen-Nowa Nowa Rd (C620), May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Bruthen-Nowa Nowa Road:
Gt Alpine Rd (B500) at the junction with Bruthen Nowa-Nowa Rd at Bruthen, May 2011. B500 turns left at this location.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Bruthen, December 2013.
Image © Michael Greenslade
Wangaratta to Lucknow
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Wangaratta, January 2008.
Image © Viseth Uch
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Wangaratta East approaching the interchange with Hume Fwy (M31), January 2008.
Image © Viseth Uch
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the Hume Fwy (M31) interchange at Wangaratta East, January 2008.
Image © Viseth Uch
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the Hume Fwy (M31) interchange at Wangaratta East, January 2008.
Image © Viseth Uch
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at the Hume Fwy (M31) interchange at Wangaratta East, January 2008.
Image © Viseth Uch
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Porepunkah, September 2018.
Image © Dean Sherry
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Bright, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Bright Area:
B500 as it passes through the Bright area, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Snow Poles Sign:
Sign at Mt Hotham near Dargo High Plains Rd explaining the use of orange poles to show the road route in snowy conditions, April 2005. Also note the yellow road markings, to show the road lanes in snowy conditions.
Image © Viseth Uch
Mt Hotham Area:
Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Mt Hotham Area:
Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Mt Hotham Area:
Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Distance Sign:
RD sign at Mt Hotham, with yellow text for snowy conditions, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Mt Hotham Area:
Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Dinner Plain Area:
B500 as it passes through the Dinner Plain area, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Accident Zone Warning Sign:
Sign between Dinner Plain and Omeo indicating a section of road prone to crashes, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Omeo approaching Swifts Creek-Omeo Road, April 2005.
Image © Viseth Uch
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Bruthen approaching Bruthen-Nowa Nowa Rd (C620), December 2013. B500 turns right at this intersection.
Image © Michael Greenslade
Bruthen Town Centre:
Great Alpine Rd (B500) as it passes through Bruthen, December 2013.
Image © Michael Greenslade
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Bruthen, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Swan Reach Road:
Corner of Gt Alpine Rd (B500) and Swan Reach Rd at Mossiface, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Swan Reach Road:
Corner of Gt Alpine Rd (B500) and Swan Reach Rd at Mossiface, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Entering Sarsfield:
Gt Alpine Rd (B500) as it enters the town of Sarsfield, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Fruit Fly Control Sign:
Quarantine restriction sign at Sarsfield, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Fruit Fly Control Sign:
Quarantine restriction sign at Sarsfield, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Nicholson River:
Gt Alpine Rd (B500) crossing Nicholson River at Sarsfield, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Tourism Sign:
Tourism sign at Sarsfield, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Visitor Radio Sign:
Sign indicating frequency for the local tourism radio station, Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Lucknow approaching Eastwood Rd and Lanes Rd, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Entering Bairnsdale City:
Sign indicating Bairnsdale City as Gt Alpine Rd (B500) enters the suburb of Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Eastwood Road & Lanes Road:
ID sign on the roundabout with Eastwood Rd & Lanes Rd, Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Eastwood Road & Lanes Road:
ID sign on the roundabout with Eastwood Rd & Lanes Rd, Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Entering Lucknow:
Gt Alpine Rd (B500) entering the suburb of Lucknow, May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Lucknow approaching Princes Hwy (A1), May 2011.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign on the roundabout with Princes Hwy (A1) at Lucknow, May 2011. This is the southern terminus of B500.
Image © Paul Rands
2 Viseth Uch.
3 Victorian Heritage Database, Cobungra River Bridge.
4 Minister of Public Transport, Media Release, $397,000 Safety Upgrade for Great Alpine Road, 30 November 2004.