The highways in Victoria are the highest density in any state in Australia. Unlike Australia's other mainland states where vast areas are very sparsely inhabited "outback", population centres spread out over most of the state, with only the far north-west and the Victorian Alps lacking permanent settlement. Highways have therefore been built to service the population centres.

The highways generally radiate from Melbourne and other major cities and rural centres with secondary roads interconnecting the highways to each other.

Most routes have higher traffic than most other states. Highways such as Hume Highway, Western Highway, South Gippsland Highway and Princes Highway have some of the heaviest traffic in Australia.

Many of the highways are built to freeway standard ("M" freeways), while most others are generally sealed and of reasonable quality.

Numbering

Victorian cities, towns, settlements and road network.

Victorian highway naming is straightforward. Most are generally named after the geographical regions and features, cities, towns and settlements along the way. Some are even more straightforward e.g. Western and Northern highways which radiate westwards and northwards from Melbourne. Notable exceptions include some interstate highways and some metropolitan highways.

The numbering system is based on "ring and spoke" system. The 'ring' highways (highways that circle Victoria) numbers are given in the multiple of hundreds e.g. Henty Highway (200), Murray Valley Highway (400) and Great Alpine Road (500) make the outermost ring. Midland Highway (300) and Maroondah Highway (300) is the inner ring.

The spokes generally inherit their original National Route numbers. Otherwise, east-west aligned highways are given even numbers and north-south are given odd numbers. Highways and primary roads are given numbers in multiple of tens. Other roads are given numbers which indicate their general alignment.

Freeways

Route Marker Roads
M1 Geelong Ring Road
Princes Freeway (west)
West Gate Freeway
CityLink (southern link)
Monash Freeway
Princes Freeway (east)
M2 Tullamarine Freeway
CityLink (western link)
M3 Eastern Freeway
Eastlink
Frankston Freeway
M8 Western Freeway
M11 Mornington Peninsula Freeway
M31 Hume Freeway
M39 Goulburn Valley Freeway
M79 Calder Freeway
M80 Western Ring Road
Metropolitan Ring Road
North East Link
M420 South Gippsland Freeway

Primary highways

Route Marker Roads
A1 Princes Highway
A8 Western Highway
A10 Princes Highway
A20 Sturt Highway
A39 Goulburn Valley Highway
A79 Calder Highway
A200 Henty Highway
A300 Midland Highway
A420 Bass Highway
A440 South Gippsland Highway
A780 Western Port Highway


Secondary highways

Route Marker Roads
B12 Mallee Highway
B23 Monaro Highway
B75 Northern Highway
B100 Great Ocean Road
Surf Coast Highway
B110 Bellarine Highway
Nepean Highway
B120 Hopkins Highway
B140 Hamilton Highway
B160 Glenelg Highway
B180 Pyrenees Highway
B200 Henty Highway
B220 Sunraysia Highway
B240 Wimmera Highway
B260 Loddon Valley Highway
B280 McIvor Highway
B300 Goulburn Valley Highway
Maroondah Highway
Melba Highway
Midland Highway
B320 Maroondah Highway
B340 Goulburn Valley Highway
Maroondah Highway
B360 Maroondah Highway
B380 Warburton Highway
B400 Murray Valley Highway
B420 Phillip Island Road
B460 Bass Highway
Strzelecki Highway
B500 Great Alpine Road

Tertiary highways

Route Marker Roads
C119 Skenes Creek Rd
C141
  • Ballan–Daylesford Road
  • Geelong–Ballan Road
C155 Colac–Lavers Hill Rd
C157 Lighthouse Rd
C159 Beech Forest–Lavers Hill Rd
C162 Timboon–Port Campbell Rd
C166 Princetown Rd
C234 Borung Highway
C239 Borung Highway
C412 Burwood Highway
C444 Wilsons Promontory Rd
C482 Hyland Highway
C524 Buckland Gap Rd
C531 Kiewa Valley Highway
C536 Tawonga Gap Rd
C543 Omeo Highway
C605 Swan Reach Rd
C704 Bacchus Marsh Rd
C754 Melton Highway
C777

C784

Moorooduc Highway

Urban highways

Route Marker Roads
State Route 8 Western Highway
State Route 9 Dandenong Valley Highway
State Route 10 State (Lower Dandenong/Cheltenham) Highway
State Route 15 Warrigal Highway
State Route 21 Chandler Highway
State Route 26 Burwood Highway
State Route 27 Plenty Valley Highway
State Route 28 Mountain Highway
State Route 29 Hoddle Highway
State Route 34 Maroondah Highway
State Route 40 State (Bell/Springvale) Highway
State Route 55 Hume Highway

In addition, several metropolitan roads have been given highway designation, mainly in Melbourne. For details see List of highways in Melbourne

See also

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