General Information:

Regulatory signs (Type R) are used to regulate the movement of traffic by indicating when or where a legal requirement applies, failure to comply with which constitutes an offence. For example, speed limits, prohibited or permitted movements at intersections and parking controls. ¹ Most regulatory signs are rectangular with a black legend on a white background.

stop signs (octagonal).

give way and roundabout give way signs (triangular).

speed restriction signs (symbol enclosed in a red circle).

no right or left turn signs (red slash to indicate the prohibition of a movement).

prohibitive parking signs (red legend on a white background).

permitted parking signs (green legend on a white background).

Keep Left Sign:

Keep Left sign at the entrance to a private property at North Rocks NSW, on North Rocks Rd. May 2004. This is the original standard for keep left signs when the old round yellow signs had been phased out in the mid-20th century.

Image © Paul Rands

Keep Left Sign:

Keep Left sign in use in the town of Texas QLD. This is the second standard for keep left signs which was phased out in the 1970s. January 2005.

Image © Paul Rands

Keep Left Sign:

Keep Left sign in use at the corner of West Pde and Harold St at Mt Lawley WA. December 2012.

Image © Paul Rands

Speed Restriction Sign - 25 MPH:

Pre-metric end speed restriction sign, on display in the Tasmanian Transport Museum, Glenorchy, June 2019.

Image © Paul Rands

Speed Restriction Sign - 35 MPH:

Pre-metric speed restriction sign, Taylor Av, Inverell NSW, at the entrance to Inverell Motor Museum, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Speed Restriction Sign - End 35 MPH:

Pre-metric end speed restriction sign, on display in the Inverell Motor Museum, NSW, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands

Hand-painted Speed Restriction Sign - 15 km/h:

Hand-painted speed restriction sign at the entrance to the Woden Bus Depot, Prospect Ct, Phillip ACT, April 2105. Prior to the mid 1990s, most road signs in the ACT were hand-painted.

Image © Paul Rands

Hand-painted Speed Restriction Sign - 20 km/h:

Hand-painted speed restriction sign at the entrance to the railway stabling yards, Eyre St Kingston ACT, November 2015. Prior to the mid 1990s, most road signs in the ACT were hand-painted.

Image © Paul Rands

Hand-painted Speed Restriction Sign - 40 km/h:

Hand-painted speed restriction sign on Wilf Crane Cr, Yarralumla, ACT, August 2017. Prior to the mid 1990s, most road signs in the ACT were hand-painted.

Image © Paul Rands

Hand-painted Speed Restriction Sign - 60 km/h:

Hand-painted speed limit sign on Northcott Dr, Campbell ACT, December 2014. Prior to the mid 1990s, most road signs in the ACT were hand-painted. At the time, this is the last known hand painted 60 km/h speed limit sign in the ACT.

Image © Paul Rands

Red Give Way Sign:

Red give way sign in the car park of the Westpoint Shopping Centre at Blacktown NSW, May 2004. This was the standard prior to the white with red borders and black text versions.

Image © Paul Rands

Red Give Way Sign:

Faded red give way sign at the corner of Yallah Bay Rd and Princes Hwy at Yallah NSW, April 2006. This sign and its partner have since been replaced.

Image © Paul Rands

Give Way When Merging Sign:

Give way when merging sign, Sandy Bay Rd (B68) at Battery Point, Tas, July 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Text Form One Lane Sign:

Text-based Form One Lane sign in use on Harricks Cr, Monash, ACT, December 2013. This is the only surviving example in the ACT.

Image © Paul Rands

Vertical No Through Road Sign:

Older vertical No Through Road sign design, which is no longer produced. June 2005.

Image © Darren Hodges

Vertical No Through Road Sign:

Older vertical no through road sign, Rabbit Proof Fence Rd, Burracoppin, WA, April 2018.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Parking Restriction Sign:

Pre-1960s parking restriction sign on display at the Tasmanian Transport Museum at Glenorchy, June 2019.

Image © Paul Rands

Old Taxi Rank Sign:

Old taxi rank sign on Parkes Place East at Parkes, ACT, March 2017.

Image © Paul Rands

Railway Crossing Sign:

Old railway crossing crossbuck featuring a very old typeface, not used for many decades. Chum St, New Chum QLD, March 2012. This sign has since been removed.

Image © Paul Rands

NEW Railway Crossing Sign:

Old railway crossing crossbuck featuring a very old typeface, not used for many decades. Ferndale, QLD, June 2023.

Image © Oliver Griffiths

Hand-painted Turn Left Any Time With Care Sign:

Prior to the mid 1990s, most road signs in the ACT were hand-painted. This is the only known surviving hand painted Turn Left At Any Time With Care sign, at the corner of Sulwood Dr, Drakeford Dr and Tuggeranong Pkwy at Kambah, ACT. December 2014. It was still in use in November 2018 and likely dates back to the 1970s extension of Tuggeranong Parkway between Hindmarsh Dr and Sulwood Dr.

Image © Paul Rands

All Traffic Turn Sign:

Original style of All Traffic sign after the round yellow signs were phased out in the mid-20th century. Corner of Bath Rd and Princes Hwy at Kirrawee NSW. September 2010. This sign has since been replaced.

Image © Michael Mak

Halt Sign:

Prior to the introduction of 'Stop' being used on signs, 'Halt' was used. This sign features glass button copy for reflective purposes and was on display at the Inverell Motor Museum in NSW, January 2006.

Image © Paul Rands