Length:

513 km (Prestons to Wilton: 38 km)

Termini:

Northern: Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5) at Prestons

Southern: NSW-VIC Border at Albury

Miscellaneous:

Continues as Hume Freeway (M31) at the Victorian border

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Campbelltown, Wilton, Tahmoor, Bargo, Mittagong, Berrima, Sutton Forest, Marulan, Goulburn, Gunning, Yass, Jugiong, Coolac, Gundagai, Tarcutta, Holbrook and Albury.

Current: M31

Former: 5 31 31 F5

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 National Highway section of the Hume Highway consists 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.

M31 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. ³

The route forms the Remembrance Driveway which honours war veterans.

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

1928: Razorback Range deviation construction. ⁴Sections 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. ²

1951: Upgrade of old timber Cabramatta Creek Bridge, also known as Ireland's Bridge, at Cabramatta, to then modern standards. Also planning for the F5 Freeway (South Western Fwy) commenced. ³

1956: Duplication of the Landsdowne Bridge at Carramar to carry southbound traffic. ⁴

1957: An additional carriageway for the highway was completed at Lansvale. ²

1959: an experiment using advisory speed signs on curves on the Hume Highway between Camden and Berrima was successful and was extended to other roads. ²

December 1962: A major project on traffic management was the completion of a set of overhead traffic signs and signals at Villawood where Woodville Road, Henry Lawson Drive and the Hume Highway met. Due to large traffic volumes at this intersection, it was selected as a suitable location to install the system. The site has become known over the years, as the "Meccano set". ²

1970s: Construction of high standard 4 lane freeway between Campbelltown and Prestons.

26 March 1973: Governor of NSW, Sir Roden Cutler opened the Macarthur Bridge and Hume Highway deviation (now Camden Bypass) to traffic, covering 8 km, it acted as a bypass of Narellan and Camden town centres. ⁴

26 October 1973: A six mile (9.7 km) section of the South Western Freeway (formerly F5, now Hume Mwy (M5)) from Cross Roads to Raby Road opened. ²

1974: South Western Freeway extended to Narellan Road near Campbelltown.

December 1980: Opening of freeway between Campbelltown and Yanderra north of Mittagong. This section of the Hume Hwy features the highest bridge ever built in NSW, which was the Pheasants Nest Bridge across the Nepean River, which is 76 metres above water level. ³ When this section was built, it formed part of the longest freeway in Australia at the time and won the DMR world wide design and engineering awards.

February 2009: Widening of Hume Motorway between Brooks Road and St Andrews Road commenced. ⁵

June 2009: Works begin on widening Hume Mwy to four lanes in each direction between St Andrews Road and Raby Road. ⁵

September 2010: Widening to three lanes in each direction between Raby Road and Narellan Road on Hume Motorway began. ⁵

June 2011: Widening to 4 lanes each way of Hume Motorway between Brooks Road and St Andrews Road completed. Also a new single lane northbound on-ramp to the freeway from Raby Road was opened to traffic. ⁵

December 2011: Widening works between St Andrews Rd and Raby Rd on Hume Mwy completed. ⁵

January 2012: Completion of the upgrade of the single lane southbound exit ramp to Campbelltown Road to two lanes. ⁵

March 2012: Widening of Hume Mwy between Raby Rd and Narellan Rd completed. ⁵

2013: National Highway 31 replaced by M31.

2016: Trial implementation of exit numbering between Aylmerton and Prestons.

Prestons to Wilton

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Hume Mwy (M31) at Glenfield approaching Brooks Rd interchange, August 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Hume Mwy (M31) at Ingleburn approaching Brooks Rd interchange, August 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Brooks Road:

Hume Hwy (M31) at Brooks Rd, Ingleburn, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Brooks Road:

Hume Hwy (M31) at Brooks Rd, Ingleburn, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Brooks Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under Brooks Rd in Ingleburn, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

RD sign at Ingleburn, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Campbelltown Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under Campbelltown Rd at Ingleburn, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at St Andrews near the St Andrew Rd overpass approaching the Campbelltown Rd interchange, August 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at St Andrews approaching the Campbelltown Rd interchange, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at St Andrews approaching the Campbelltown Rd interchange, August 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Lane Allocation Sign:

Sign at St Andrews showing lane layout approaching Campbelltown Rd, August 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Raby Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under Raby Rd at St Andrews, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Campbelltown Road Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at St Andrews at the interchange with Campbelltown Rd, August 2016. This location was once the end of the motorway. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Campbelltown Road Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at St Andrews at the interchange with Campbelltown Rd, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Skye Winter Bridge:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under the Skye Winter Bridge pedestrian overpass, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Blair Athol approaching Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Blair Athol approaching Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, August 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Blair Athol approaching Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Narellan Road Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange in Blair Athol, September 2013. This was once the end of the motorway.

Image © Paul Rands

Narellan Road Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange in Blair Athol, September 2013. This was once the end of the motorway.

Image © Paul Rands

Narellan Road Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange in Blair Athol, September 2013. This was once the end of the motorway.

Image © Paul Rands

Intersection Directional Sign:

ID sign on Narellan Rd (B69) at the Hume Mwy (M31) interchange at Campbelltown, November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Campbelltown, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Glenlee Road:

Glenlee Rd carried over the Hume Mwy (M31) by the Mark Evans Bridge at Mengangle Park, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Menangle Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under Menangle Rd at Menangle Park, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Nepean River:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes over Nepean River via Menangle Bridge, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Moreton Park Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) at Menangle as it passes under Moreton Park Rd, near the AD sign for Partridge VC Rest Area, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Moreton Park Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) at Douglas Park as it passes under Moreton Park Rd for the second time, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Nepean River:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes over Nepean River via Douglas Park Bridge, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Douglas Park Drive:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under Douglas Park Dr in Douglas Park, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Services Sign:

Services sign approaching Picton Rd (B88) at Wilton, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Picton Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) as it passes under Picton Rd (B88) at Wilton, September 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Wilton to Prestons

Picton Road:

Hume Hwy (M31) at Wilton at the Picton Rd (B88) interchange, October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Picton Road:

Hume Hwy (M31) at Wilton at the Picton Rd (B88) interchange, October 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Wilton, November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Welcome to Sydney:

Sign welcoming motorists to the Sydney region, November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Mt Annan for the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Mt Annan for the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Mt Annan for the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Mt Annan for the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange, December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Narellan Road:

Hume Hwy (M31) at the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange at Mt Annan, October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Narellan Road:

Hume Hwy (M31) at the Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) interchange at Mt Annan, October 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on the off ramp to Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) at Mt Annan, December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Narellan Road:

Intersection directional signs at the end of the off ramp to Narellan Rd (A9 / B69) at Mt Annan, December 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Raby, November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Hume Mwy (M31) at the Campbelltown Rd interchange, Varroville, December 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on Hume Mwy (M31) at the Campbelltown Rd interchange, Varroville, December 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Campbelltown Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Campbelltown Rd interchange, Denham Court, October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Campbelltown Road:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Campbelltown Rd interchange, Denham Court, October 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Bardia, approaching the interchanges with Camden Valley Way (A28), Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5), October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Tolling Sign:

Tolling sign on Hume Mwy (M31) at Bardia, for Westlink (M7) November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Bardia, approaching the interchanges with Camden Valley Way (A28), Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5), October 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Bardia, approaching the interchanges with Camden Valley Way (A28), Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5), December 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Camden Valley Way:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Camden Valley Way (A28) interchange, Edmonson Park, December 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Camden Valley Way:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the Camden Valley Way (A28) interchange, Edmonson Park, December 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

UPDATED Cutler VC Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at its terminus with Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5), Edmonson Park, December 2016. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Paul Rands from November 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Cutler VC Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at its terminus with Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5), Prestons, December 2016.

Image © Paul Rands