Statistics:
- Length:
- 565 km
- Termini:
- Northern: NSW Border, Yelta.
- Southern: Tullamarine Fwy (M2), Airport West
- Miscellaneous:
- Continues as Calder Hwy (unnumbered) in NSW, and meets Silver City Hwy (B79) in Curlwaa. B79 in NSW terminates at Sturt Hwy (A20), Buronga. Presumably, the B79 routing allows through traffic to avoid using the single-lane Abbotsford Bridge over the Murray River.
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Yelta, Merbein, Mildura, Red Cliffs, Ouyen, Wycheproof, Charleton, Wedderburn, Inglewood, Bridgewater on Loddon, Marong, Bendigo, Ravenswood, Harcourt, Elphinstone, Malmsbury, Kyneton, Woodend, Macedon, Gisborne, Gisbourne South, Sunbury, Diggers Rest, Keilor North, Calder Park, Taylors Lakes, Keilor, Keilor Park and Airport West
Route Numbering:
- Current: M79 A79
- Multiplexed with: A20 A300 C246 C273
- Former: 79 F90
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 1530 (Ravenswood to Airport West)
- 6530 (NSW Border to Ravenswood)
General Information:
The M79 / A79 corridor is a major route in Victoria's road system, and consists of urban arterial, undivided rural highway, divided highway and freeway conditions. The Calder Highway and Freeway form a strategic link in Victoria's road network and carries a high volume of commuter, freight, business and tourist traffic between Melbourne, Bendigo and Mildura. 2
Multiplexes along the route include:
- A20, for 3 km, Mildura.
- A300, for 29 km, between Bendigo and Harcourt.
- C246, for 300 m, Sea Lake.
- C273, for 100 m, Wedderburn.
History:
- 1925: North Western Highway (which later became Calder Highway) declared. 2
- 1928: North Western Highway renamed Calder Highway. 2
- 1972: F90 route number introduced onto Calder Freeway between Tullamarine Freeway and Keilor Road. 3
- 1974: F90 route number extended to Erebus Street. 3
- 1982: F90 route number extended to Green Gully Road. 3
- 1984: F90 route number extended to Sunshine Avenue. 3
- 1987: F90 route number decommissioned. 3
- 1997: Conversion from NR79 to M79 / A79 as part of VicRoads alphanumeric route numbering scheme.
- 2005: Commencement of the construction of 43 km of four lane divided highway from Kyneton to Ravenswood commenced. New sections that have been completed and opened in stages include duplication of the existing highway north of Kyneton and at Ravenswood, and construction of new freeway lanes bypassing Malmsbury, Taradale and Elphinstone. 2
- 24 January 2005: Opening of upgrade works to the Calder Fwy at Kyneton North. 2
- May 2005: Ravenswood dual carriageway upgrade opens to traffic. 2
- 24 November 2005: Construction commences on the section of the Malmsbury segment of the Calder Highway duplication, with the Federal Minister for Local Government, Territories and Roads, Jim Lloyd, joining the Victorian Transport Minister, Peter Batchelor to turn the first sod. 2
- October 2006: Works begin on Harcourt South section of the Calder Highway duplication from Faraday to the Midland Highway at Harcourt. 2
- December 2007: Malmsbury East Road overpass opened by The Minister for Police and Emergency Services, Bob Cameron. 2
- April 2008: A 15 km section of the Malmsbury reconstruction stage opened. Also work commences on widen the Calder Fwy to 3 lanes in each direction between Keilor Park Drive and Melton Highway. 2
- October 2006: Opening of new inbound traffic lanes forming part of the upgraded Tullamarine-Calder Interchange. The opening of new inbound lanes meant Calder Freeway traffic no longer had to weave across Tullamarine Freeway traffic to access Bulla Road, instead they could use a dedicated exit lane. 2
1 VIC Government, VicRoads, Road Maintenance Plan 2020-2021, 07 December 2020.
2 VIC Government, VicRoads.
3 Viseth Uch.