Length:

29 km (Casula to Narwee: 19 km)

Termini:

Eastern: General Holmes Dr (A1) at Kyeemagh

Western: Hume Mwy (M31) and Westlink (M7) at Casula

Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:

Narwee, Riverwood, Padstow, Revesby, Panania, Milperra, Hammondville, Moorebank, Casula, Lurnea and Prestons

Current: M5

Former: 5

Road Authority Internal Classification: ¹

6005

General Information:

M5 is a major arterial route from the Airport and CBD to the south-western suburbs of Sydney.

The Casula bypass and Moorebank Avenue to King Georges Road sections are owned by Interlink Roads Pty Limited. The M5 East, the Liverpool Bridge and the Hume Highway are RMS owned. The tolling arrangements on the tolled section started as a 30 year operating contract, with the original date of reverting to the public being August 2022. However the Moorebank Avenue overpass works have extended the contract by 1.1 years, putting the revised reversion date at September 2023.

The South Western Motorway features 2 tunnels, a 4 kilometre one under Bardwell Park and Arncliffe and another short one near Kingsford Smith Airport at Kyeemagh.

February 1985: Construction of a super-2 expressway between Hume Hwy at Casula and Heathcote Rd at Moorebank. ²

August 1992: Metroad 5 between Moorebank Avenue to King Georges Road opened to traffic. ²

October 1992: A super-2 expressway section between Fairford Road and King Georges Road opened to traffic. Fairford Road and also Belmore Road gained a west-facing ramps. ²

June 1994: Casula bypass opens to traffic, replacing the urban arterial Hume Highway / Campbelltown Road link for through traffic between Casula and Glenfield. ²

December 1997: The 3-lane Liverpool Bridge over Georges River duplication. The duplication resulted in seven lanes of freeway, four eastbound and three westbound and ended the bottleneck caused with the tidal flow system during morning and afternoon peaks when the bridge was 3 lanes wide. ²

May 1999: As part of the M5 East project and duplication of the the super-2 section of motorway, east-facing ramps with toll collection facilities were built at The River Road. ²

August 1999: As part of the M5 East project, the duplication of the super-2 section of motorway was opened in conjunction with east-facing ramps with toll collection facilities at Fairford Rd. ²

December 2002: Traffic lights that operated at the Moorebank Avenue intersection at Moorebank for over 15 years were switched off. ²

January 2003: Completion of overpass at Moorebank Av. ²

December 2005: The Sir Roden Cutler VC Interchange was constructed as part of the Westlink (M7) works. The westbound offramp at Camden Valley Way was removed and built 1 km east at Beech Road to accommodate Westlink M7 southbound traffic to Hume Highway. ²

2013: Metroad 5 replaced by M5. Also work commenced on widening the route to 3 lanes each way between Beverly Hills and Casula.

Casula to Narwee

Sir Roden Cutler Memorial VC Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the interchange with Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5) at Prestons, August 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Sir Roden Cutler Memorial VC Interchange:

Hume Mwy (M31) at the interchange with Westlink (M7) and South Western Mwy (M5) at Prestons, August 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Welcome Sign:

Interlink Roads signage welcoming road users to the M5 at Prestons, August 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Prestons, August 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

Kurrajong Avenue:

South Western Mwy (M5) as it passes under Kurrajong Rd at Prestons, August 2013.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign on South Western Mwy (M5) at Lurnea, approaching the Moorebank Rd interchange, December 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign near Hume Hwy (A22) overpass on South Western Mwy (M5) at Liverpool, approaching the Moorebank Rd interchange, December 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Casula approaching Moorebank Av, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Moorebank Avenue:

South Western Mwy (M5) at Moorebank Av interchange, Casula, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Moorebank Avenue:

South Western Mwy (M5) at Moorebank Av interchange, Casula, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Moorebank approaching Heathcote Rd, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Supplemental AD sign at Moorebank approaching Heathcote Rd, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Moorebank, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Heathcote Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the Heathcote Rd interchange at Moorebank, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Heathcote Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the Heathcote Rd interchange at Moorebank, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Toll Sign:

Toll charges sign at Moorebank, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign at Moorebank, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign and toll gantry at Moorebank approaching Henry Lawson Dr, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Henry Lawson Drive:

South Western Mwy (M5) at Henry Lawson Dr interchange, Milperra, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Henry Lawson Drive:

South Western Mwy (M5) at Henry Lawson Dr interchange, Milperra, December 2015. Note the old horizontal exit sign.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Reassurance directional sign near Horsley Rd at Milperra, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Beaconsfield Street:

South Western Mwy (M5) passing under Beaconsfield St at Milperra, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Revesby approaching The River Rd, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

The River Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at The River Rd interchange, Revesby, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Henry Lawson Drive:

South Western Mwy (M5) at Henry Lawson Dr interchange, Milperra, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Revesby approaching Fairford Rd (A6), December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Gibson Avenue:

South Western Mwy (M5) as it passes under Gibson Av at Revesby, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Fairford Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the Fairford Rd (A6) interchange, Revesby, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Fairford Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the Fairford Rd (A6) interchange, Revesby, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Riverwood approaching Belmore Rd, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Belmore Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at Belmore Rd interchange, Riverwood, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Riverwood near Belmore Rd, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Prohibition Sign:

Prohibition sign for M5 Tunnel, Riverwood, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Riverwood approaching King Georges Rd (A3), December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Riverwood approaching King Georges Rd (A3), December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

King Georges Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the King Georges Rd (A3) interchange, Narwee, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

King Georges Road:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the King Georges Rd (A3) interchange, Narwee, December 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Narwee to Casula

Advance Directional Sign:

Advance directional sign approaching the interchange with Westlink (M7) and Beech Rd at Prestons, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Advance directional sign approaching the interchange with Westlink (M7) and Beech Rd at Prestons, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands

Westlink & Beech Road Interchange:

South Western Mwy (M5) at the interchange with Westlink (M7) and Beech Rd at Prestons, August 2016.

Image © Paul Rands