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 Great Alpine Road passing through Everton, Victoria.
Princes Freeway at Lara

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

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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

Primary highways

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Secondary highways

Tertiary highways

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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
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Urban highways

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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
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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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