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Statistics:

• Length: 303 km (Seymour to Broadford: 28 km)
• Northern Terminus: NSW-Vic Border at Wodonga
• Southern Terminus: Interchange with Ring Road at Thomastown
• Miscellaneous: Continues as Hume Highway (M31) in NSW
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Wodonga, West Wodonga, Barnawartha, Chiltern, Springhurst, Boralma, Bowser, East Wangaratta, Wangaratta South, Laceby, Glenrowan, Glenrowan West, Winton, Benalla, Baddaginnie, Violet Town, Balmattum, Euroa, Longwood East, Avenel, Seymour, Northwood, Tallarook, Broadford, Waterford Park, Wandong, Wallan, Wallan East, Beveridge, Kalkallo, Craigieburn, Epping and Thomastown.

Route Numbering:

• Current: M31

• Former:
• Road Authority Internal Number: 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. 1

The Hume Freeway's highest elevation along its length is 368m and the lowest point is at 90.8m

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.
• 1960's: Fawkner to Somerton duplication 4
• 1961: The first 4 lane modern freeway standard section was completed in Victoria at Craigieburn.
• 1969: Hume Freeway bypass from Wallan to Broadford started. Click here for a photo from the construction. 3
• 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 opened by the Premier of Victoria Rupert J Hamer. 3
• 1980: Violet Town bypassed 4
• 1982: Seymour bypassed 4
• 1984: Longwood duplication & bypass construction 4
• 1985: Wodonga bypassed 4
• 1987: Benalla bypassed 4
• 1988: Glenrowan and Chiltern bypassed 4
• 1992: Euroa bypassed 4
• 1994: Springhurst bypassed 4
• 1997: NH31 number replaced with NH-M31 as part of the rollout of alphanumeric numbering. NH31 remained in the area until the opening of Craigieburn Bypass. 4
• December 2004: The first section of the Craigieburn Bypass was opened to traffic between the Metropolitan Ring Road and Cooper Street. 1
• 20 December 2005: The remaining section of the 17km Craigieburn Bypass, linking the Hume Freeway near Mt. Ridley Road at Craigieburn, to the Metropolitan Ring Road at Thomastown, opened to traffic. 2
• 2006: Old NH31 designation in suburban Melbourne replaced with MR55.
• 6 March 2007: 17.4km upgrade of the Hume Freeway through Albury-Wodonga opened to traffic. 2

Broadford to Seymour			Seymour to Broadford
Preview:	Description:		Preview:	Description:
	Advance Exit Signage: AD sign for the C382 (Road Authority Internal Number 5514) exit at Broadford. Northbound, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Advance DIrectional Sign: AD sign at Hilldene for the service centre, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Broadford-Flowerdale Rd Interchange: Looking northbound at the Broadford-Flowerdale Rd (Strath Creek Road) interchange at Broadford. (Road Authority Internal Number 5514). Image © Rob Tilley			Advance DIrectional Sign: AD sign at Hilldene for the service centre, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign on the off ramp to Strath Creek Rd (C382) at Broadford, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands			Service Centre: Hume Fwy (M31) at the interchange with the Tallarook service centre, 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			Advance Exit Signage: Looking towards Melbourne from the Dysart Siding services, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Weighbridge Signage: Weighbridge sign with flashing lights, Broadford, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Exit Signage: Looking towards Melbourne at Tallarook, 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			C383 Exit ID Sign: Looking towards Melbourne as you enter the interchange for Tallarook, August 2015. C383 is Upper Goulburn Road (Road Authority Internal Number 5512), the route is about 14km long. Image © Paul Rands
	Northbound RD Sign: Distance sign, northbound at Broadford, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Seymour-Toobourac Road Exit: Looking towards Melbourne at the interchange for Tallarook, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign facing traffic from Ennis Road at Tallarook, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Looking Southbound at Tallarook: Looking south after the C384 interchange, 2006. C384 (Road Authority Internal Number 5388) is the Seymour-Tooborac Road, which is approximately 35 km in length. 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 at Tallarook approaching Sharp & Taylors Rd, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Exit Signage: AD sign in the vicinity of Sharp & Taylors Road at Tallarook. Northbound, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Sharp & Taylors Road: Southbound at Tallarook at the at-grade junction with Sharp & Taylors Road, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Sharp & Taylors Road Approach: Northbound at Tallarook as you approach the at-grade junction with Sharp & Taylors Road, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Tallarook approaching Ennis Rd & Dockerys Rd, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Sharp & Taylors Road Approach: Northbound at Tallarook at the at-grade junction with Sharp & Taylors Road, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Intersection DIrectional Sign: ID sign at Dockerys Rd, Tallarook, August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Tallarook approaching Upper Goulburn Rd (C383), August 2015. Image © Paul Rands			Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Broadford approaching Broadford-Kilmore Rd (C311), August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Seymour-Toobourac Road Exit: Looking towards Melbourne at the interchange for Tallarook, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Broadford approaching Broadford-Kilmore Rd (C311), August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Bypassed Town Signage: Typical signage indicating access to a by-passed town used all over Victoria, this time northbound at Tallarook. Image © Rob Tilley			Supplemental Advance Directional Sign: Supplemental AD sign at Broadford approaching Broadford-Kilmore Rd (C311), August 2015. Image © Paul Rands
	Advance Exit Sign: AD sign showing the distance to the Shepparton (M39 exit) from Tallarook, 2006. Image © Rob Tilley			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
Click here for the continuation of M31 between Seymour and Euroa Click here for the continuation of M31 between Broadford and Wallan

1 Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government
2 Vicroads
3 Wandong-Heathcote Junction Community Group
4 Viseth Uch

Last updated: 14-Feb-2019 21:24

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