Road Photos & Information: Victoria
Hume Freeway (M31)
Seymour to Broadford
Statistics:
- Length:
- 296 km (Seymour to Broadford: 28 km)
- Termini:
- Northern: NSW-VIC Border, Wodonga
- Southern: Metropolitan Ring Rd (M80), Thomastown
- Miscellaneous:
- Continues as M31 (Hume Hwy) in New South Wales
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along Route:
- Hilldene, Tallarook and Broadford
Route Numbering:
- Current: M31
- Former: M31 31 31
- Road Authority Internal Classification: 1
- 1550
General Information:
The Hume Freeway is one of Australia's most vital highway links. Providing access between Sydney and Melbourne, Australia's 2 largest cities. Formerly known as the Hume Highway, the route is 100% dual carriageway road, either rural expressway or motorway standard.
The route started life as Sydney Road, cutting through Melbourne's northern suburbs. 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. Around 66 000 vehicles use the Hume Freeway north of Melbourne every day. 2
History:
- 1914: Sydney Road declared a main road. 3
- 1928: Sydney Road renamed the Hume Highway - still a narrow two lane road. 3
- 1954: Hume Highway given Australia's first National Route number, NR31, as a trial of numbering systems.
- 1969: Hume Freeway bypass from Wallan to Broadford started. 3
- 1974: Hume Highway route number changed to National Highway 31, indicating it's importance and also funding by the Federal Government.
- 1997: NH31 number replaced with NH-M31 as part of the rollout of alphanumeric numbering. NH31 remained in the metropolitan area until the opening of Craigieburn Bypass. 4
Seymour to Broadford
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Hilldene for the service centre, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Hilldene for the service centre, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Service Centre:
Hume Fwy (M31) at the interchange with the Tallarook service centre, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
Looking towards Melbourne from the Tallarook services, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
Looking towards Melbourne at Tallarook, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Upper Goulburn Road:
Looking towards Melbourne at the interchange with Upper Goulburn Road (C383) at Tallarook, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Tallarook, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign approaching Tallarook approaching Sharp & Taylors Rd, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Tallarook approaching Ennis Rd & Dockerys Rd, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign at Dockerys Rd, Tallarook, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign at Broadford approaching Broadford-Kilmore Rd (C311), August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Broadford approaching Broadford-Kilmore Rd (C311), August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Broadford approaching Broadford-Kilmore Rd (C311), August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Broadford-Kilmore Road:
Hume Fwy (M31) at the Broadford-Kilmore Rd interchange at Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Broadford-Kilmore Road:
Hume Fwy (M31) at the Broadford-Kilmore Rd interchange at Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Broadford-Kilmore Road:
Hume Fwy (M31) at the Broadford-Flowerdale Rd overpass at Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Broadford to Seymour
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign for the C382 exit at Broadford. Northbound, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Broadford-Flowerdale Rd Interchange:
Looking northbound at the Broadford-Flowerdale Rd (Strath Creek Road) interchange at Broadford.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign on the off-ramp to Strath Creek Rd (C382) at Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing the off-ramp to Strath Creek Rd (C382) at Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Weighbridge Signage:
Weighbridge sign with flashing lights, Broadford, August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Northbound RD Sign:
Distance sign, northbound after the Broadford-Flowerdale Rd (Strath Creek Road) interchange at Broadford. 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Northbound RD Sign:
Distance sign, northbound at Broadford, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing traffic from Ennis Road at Tallarook, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Intersection Directional Sign:
ID sign facing traffic travelling from Melbourne at the Dockerys Road and Ennis Road intersection at Tallarook, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign in the vicinity of Sharp & Taylors Road at Tallarook. Northbound, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Sharp & Taylors Road Approach:
Northbound at Tallarook as you approach the at-grade junction with Sharp & Taylors Road, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Sharp & Taylors Road Approach:
Northbound at Tallarook at the at-grade junction with Sharp & Taylors Road, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:
Supplemental AD sign at Tallarook approaching Upper Goulburn Rd (C383), August 2015.
Image © Paul Rands
Upper Goulburn Road Exit:
Looking towards Melbourne at the interchange for Tallarook, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
Bypassed Town Signage:
Typical signage indicating access to a by-passed town used all over Victoria, this time northbound at Tallarook.
Image © Rob Tilley
Advance Directional Sign:
AD sign showing the distance to the Shepparton (M39 exit) from Tallarook, 2006.
Image © Rob Tilley
2 VIC Government, Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
3 Wandong-Heathcote Junction Community Group.
4 Viseth Uch.