Statistics:
- Length:
- 959 km
- Termini:
- Eastern: New South Wales Border, Maramingo Creek
- Western: South Australian Border, Mumbannar
- Miscellaneous:
- Continues as Princes Highway (B1) in SA and Princes Highway (A1) in NSW
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Mumbannar, Dartmoor, Winnap, Drumborg, Heywood, Heathmere, Bolwarra, Narrawong, Tyrendarra, Tyrendarra East, Codrington, Yambuk, Port Fairy, Rosebrook, Killarney, Dennington, Warrnambool, Allansford, Panmure, Garvoc, Terang, Boorcan, Camperdown, Weerite, Pomborneit North, Pomborneit, Stonyford, Pirron Yallock, Colac, Colac East, Irrewarra, Warncoort, Winchelsea, Buckley, Mt Moriac, Waurn Ponds, Wandana Heights, Fyansford, Hamlyn Heights, Bell Post Hill, Corio, Lara, Mambourin, Werribee, Werribee South, Point Cook, Hoppers Crossing, Seabrook, Altona, Altona North, Southbank, South Melbourne, Burnley, Hawthorne, Chadstone, Eumemmering, Narre Warren, Berwick, Officer, Pakenham, Nar Nar Goon, Tynong, Tynong North, Garfield, Bunyip, Bunyip North, Longwarry North, Drouin West, Drouin, Warragul, Nilma, Darnum, Yarragon, Trafalgar, Moe, Hernes Oak, Morwell, Traralgon, Traralgon East, Flynn, Rosedale, Kilmany, Wurruk, Sale, Montgomery, Stratford, Munro, Fernbank, Bairnsdale, East Bairnsdale, Nicholson, Johnsonville, Swan Reach, Kalimna, Lakes Entrance, Toorloo Arm, Nowa Nowa, Tostaree, Wombat Creek, Simpsons Creek, Newmerella, Orbost, Brodribb River, Cabbage Tree Creek, Manorina, Bellbird Creek, Tonghi Creek, Cann River, Wingan River, Genoa and Maramingo Creek
Route Numbering:
- Current: M1 A1
- Multiplexed with: C156 A200 2 94
- Former: C134 1 80 F80 F81 F82
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 1000 (Monash Fwy)
- 1500 (Princes Fwy West)
- 1510 (Princes Fwy East)
- 1998 (Southern Link Tollway (CityLink))
- 6500 (Princes Hwy West)
- 6510 (Princes Hwy East)
General Information:
M1 / A1 is a major route that crosses roughly from east to west in Victoria. The standard varies from single carriageway rural highway to full freeway standard. The route connect several major population centres and numerous small towns and regional cities.
Princes Highway (West):
Starting out as a series of dirt tracks in the 1850s, Princes Highway West was the first major inland link between Geelong and the Western District. 3 The Princes Highway (west) is a key route through south-western Victoria providing a link from Geelong to the South Australian border and beyond to Adelaide.
Princes Highway (East):
The eastern section of the Princes Highway connects Traralgon to the Gippsland area and also Victoria's northeast. It's mostly undivided rural highway, generally one lane each way with occasional overtaking lanes. Several of the towns serviced by the route are very popular tourist destinations.
Princes Freeway:
The Princes Freeway is in 2 sections. The western section connects with the West Gate Freeway and extends to the Geelong area. The eastern section connects with the Monash Freeway and joins up with the Princes Highway (East) at Traralgon. There is also a small section of Princes Freeway, otherwise known as Orbost Bypass, at Orbost. It's not dual carriageway however. 1
West Gate Freeway:
The West Gate Freeway connects the Princes Freeway (West), with CityLink southern link. Forming a section of the West Gate Freeway is the West Gate Bridge. The West Gate Bridge is the second-longest bridge in Australia. It is a cable-stayed bridge and has a span of 2582.6 metres. The West Gate Bridge collapsed on 15 October 1970, resulting in the deaths of 35 people. The bridge was rebuilt and completed in 1978. 4
CityLink:
CityLink is in divided into 2 parts, the western section (Metropolitan Route 43) and the southern section (M1). The CityLink southern section features 2 tunnels, the Burnley and Domain Tunnels. The Burnley tunnel is approximately 3.5 kilometres in length. 5
Monash Freeway:
The Monash Freeway runs from Melbourne's inner eastern suburbs and ends at Berwick, where it joins with the Princes Freeway. The route was previously known as the South Eastern Freeway. 6 It was also known as the South Eastern Arterial. 7
Multiplexes along the route include:
- C156, for 200 m, Terang.
- A200, for 22 km, between Bolwarra and Heywood. 1
- Tourist Drive 2, for 6 km, between Spotswood and South Melbourne.
- Tourist Drive 94, for 23 km, between Hernes Oak and Traralgon.
History:
- 1925: Princes Highway declared as a state highway, even though the name was in use for years prior. 1
- 1927: Construction of the original Genoa River Bridge. 8
- 1960s: Princes Highway (Geelong Road) duplicated. 9
- 1961: Victoria's first section of freeway opened to traffic - Maltby Bypass, now part of the Princes Freeway at Werribee. 10
- 1968: John Holland and World Services win the contracts to build the West Gate Bridge and construction begins. 11
- 15 October 1970: A span of West Gate Bridge collapsed during its construction, a memorial is in place for the workers who were killed, in the suburb of Spotswood. 12
- 1972: Construction recommences with many of the survivors returning to work on the West Gate Bridge. 11
- 1974: Closure of the vehicular ferry operated by Williamstown Council with the opening of the West Gate Bridge. 13
- 1978: Completion of the West Gate Bridge. 14
- April 2000: Construction of the Hallam Bypass (Monash Freeway) begins, creating a 7.5 km long freeway connection between the Monash Freeway at Doveton and the Princes Freeway at Berwick. 15
- 16 April 2000: The CityLink Domain Tunnel opened to traffic. 16
- 22 December 2000: The CityLink Burnley Tunnel opened to traffic. 17
- 24 January 2002: First sections of the 3 lanes wide, upgraded Princes Freeway (Maltby Bypass) at Werribee, opened to traffic. 10
- 2004: West Gate Bridge Memorial Park in to commemorate the men who died when a section of the bridge collapsed on 15 October, 1970. 18
- August 2005: Work begins on extension of Pakenham Bypass (Princes Freeway). 19
- July 2006: Construction begins on the interchange with Palmers Road at Point Cook. 20
- September 2008: Upgrade to the level crossing at the Princes Highway, Bairnsdale, completed. 21
- February 2009: First section of widened pavement of the Monash Freeway opened to traffic between Forster and Warrigal Roads. The plan was to widen the route to 4 lanes in each direction. 21
- June 2009: Geelong Ring Road (Princes Freeway) opened to traffic through to Waurn Ponds. It provides a 23 km freeway link between Corio and Waurn Ponds, along Geelong's western outskirts. 23
- 13 December 2009: New overhead electronic signs on the Monash Freeway were switched on between the CityLink tunnels and High Street. 24
- February 2010: Duplication works begin on Princes Hwy at Traralgon East 25, between Traralgon-Maffra Road and Stammers Road. 26
- March 2010: The completion of the installation of noise barriers along the Princes Freeway in Beaconsfield and Berwick. 27
Click or tap the map to enable panning and zooming
1 Viseth Uch.
2 VIC Government, VicRoads Road Management Plan, 30 October 2004.
3 VIC Government, VicRoads, Princes Highway West Duplication: Waurn Ponds to Winchelsea Desktop and Standard assessment.
4 VIC Government, Victoria's Virtual Library, Victorian Biography Resource Centre, West Gate Bridge.
5 CityLink, About the CityLink Roadway.
6 VIC Government, Parliament of Victoria, Vichansard, Scoresby Freeway Funding, 23 May 2001.
7 VIC Government, Parliament of Victoria, Vichansard, Transport: Monash Freeway upgrade, Gardiners Creek, 20 June 2001.
8 VIC Government, Victorian Heritage Database, Genoa River Bridge.
9 VIC Government, State Library of Victoria, Princes Highway West Geelong Road.
10 VIC Government, Office of the Minister For Transport, Media Release, New Geelong Road Lanes Open For Australia Day Weekend, 24 January 2002.
11 ABC News, The West Gate Bridge collapsed 50 years ago. Can similar tragedies be prevented?, 15 October 2020.
12 VIC Government, Picture Victoria, 2001 West Gate Bridge Memorial Plaque.
13 VIC Government, Heritage Victoria, Victorian Heritage Database, Williamstown Steam Ferry Landing, Wharf Western Shore.
14 Disaster At West Gate, The Disaster.
15 VIC Government, Office of the Minister For Transport, Media Release, $175 Million Hallam Bypass to be Completed One Year Ahead of Schedule, 1 November 2001.
16 CityLink, About the CityLink Roadway.
17 VIC Government, Environment Protection Authority, Information Bulletin, CityLink Burnley Tunnel, Publication 738, December 2000, Page 1.
18 VIC Government, Minister for Roads & Ports, Memorial to Commemorate West Gate Bridge Accident, 15 October 2007.
19 VIC Government, Office of the Minister For Transport, Media Release, Full Steam Ahead for Pakenham Bypass, 10 February, 2006.
20 VIC Government, Office of the Minister For Public Transport, Media Release, Work Begins on New $26.8M Road for Point Cook, 21 July, 2006.
21 VIC Government, Office of the Minister For Public Transport, Media Release, Extra Protection for Princes Highway Crossing, 02 September 2008.
22 VIC Government, Office of the Minister for Roads & Ports, Media Release, First Completed Section of M1 Open to Traffic, 27 February 2009.
23 VIC Government, VicRoads, Geelong Ring Road.
24 VIC Government, Office of the Minister for Roads & Ports, Media Release, New Signalling for Drivers As Major M1 Section Opens, 07 December 2009.
25 VIC Government, Office of the Minister for Roads & Ports, Media Release, Traralgon East Highway Duplication Works Begin, 12 February 2010.
26 VIC Government, VicRoads Princes Highway, Traralgon East.
27 VIC Government, Office of the Minister for Roads & Ports, Media Release, Princes Freeway Noise Walls Complete, 29 March 2010.