Length:

296 km (Broadford to Wallan: 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:

Clonbinane, Waterford Park and Wandong

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

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.

1974: Hume Highway route number changed to National Highway 31, indicating it's importance and also funding by the Federal Government.

1976: Hume Freeway - a modern 4 lane highway at Wandong opened by the Premier of Victoria Rupert J Hamer. ³

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

Broadford to Wallan

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Clonbinane approaching Broadford-Wandong Rd, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Clonbinane approaching Broadford-Wandong Rd, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Broadford-Wandong Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at the interchange with Broadford-Wandong Rd at Clonbinane, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Broadford-Wandong Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at the interchange with Broadford-Wandong Rd at Clonbinane, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Clonbinane, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign with rest areas at Clonbinane, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Wandong approaching Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729), August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Wandong approaching Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729), August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Epping-Kilmore Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at Wandong, at the Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729) interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Epping-Kilmore Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at Wandong, at the Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729) interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

RD sign at Wandong, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Service centre AD sign, Wandong, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Arkells Lane:

Hume Fwy (M31) passing under Arkells Ln, Wandong, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Wallan to Broadford

Advance Directional Sign:

AD sign at Wandong approaching Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729), August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Reassurance Directional Sign:

Distance sign with rest areas at Wandong, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign:

Heading northbound at Wandong approaching Epping-Kilmore Rd, 2006.

Image © Rob Tilley

Epping-Kilmore Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at Wandong, at the Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729) interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Epping-Kilmore Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at Wandong, at the Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729) interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Distance Sign:

Northbound RD sign as you head along the Hume Freeway at Wandong after Epping-Kilmore Rd (C729) interchange, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Broadford-Wandong Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) passing under Broadford-Wandong Rd at Waterford Park, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Sign for Broadford-Wallan Road:

Heading northbound as you pass through Waterford Park, 2006.

Image © Rob Tilley

Supplemental Advance Directional Sign:

Heading northbound as you pass through Waterford Park approaching the Broadford-Wallan Road interchange, 2006.

Image © Rob Tilley

Advance Directional Sign for Broadford-Wallan Road:

Heading northbound as you pass through Waterford Park, 2006.

Image © Rob Tilley

Clonbinane Exit:

Northbound at the Broadford-Wallan Road interchange near Waterford Park, 2006.

Image © Rob Tilley

Distance Sign:

Northbound RD sign as you head along the Hume Freeway at Waterford Park, August 2015. Click or tap here for a photo of this location by Rob Tilley from 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Advance Directional Signage:

AD sign for the Stratch Creek Rd (C382) exit at Sunday Creek. Northbound, 2006.

Image © Rob Tilley

Mia Mia Road:

Hume Fwy (M31) at Sunday Creek, passing under Mia Mia Rd, August 2015.

Image © Paul Rands