The Western Highway is the
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
n part of the principal route linking the Australian cities of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and
Adelaide
Adelaide ( ) is the capital city of South Australia, the state's largest city and the fifth-most populous city in Australia. "Adelaide" may refer to either Greater Adelaide (including the Adelaide Hills) or the Adelaide city centre. The dem ...
, with a length of approximately of single carriageway, then of dual carriageway known as the Western Freeway. It is a part of the
National Highway network and designated routes A8 and M8. The western end continues into
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
as the
Dukes Highway
Dukes Highway is a 190 kilometre highway corridor in South Australia which is part of the link between the Australian cities of Adelaide and Melbourne. It is part of the National Highway (Australia), National Highway system spanning Australia, a ...
, the next section of the Melbourne–Adelaide National Highway. The Western Freeway joins Melbourne's freeway network via the
Western Ring Road
The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...
, in the western suburbs of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
.
The Western Highway is the second busiest national highway in Australia, in terms of freight movements, with over five million tonnes annually. It provides the link between the eastern seaboard and South Australia and Western Australia. The towns along the way, including
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
,
Ararat,
Stawell and
Horsham
Horsham is a market town on the upper reaches of the River Arun on the fringe of the Weald in West Sussex, England. The town is south south-west of London, north-west of Brighton and north-east of the county town of Chichester. Nearby to ...
, are agricultural and manufacturing centres.
Plans are underway for the freeway to be extended west to
Ararat, and eventually, to
Stawell.
The Western Freeway has subsumed or bypassed numerous sections of the older Western Highway alignment. Bypassed sections of the former Western Highway that remain are generally designated sequentially from C801 to C805, or as Metropolitan Route 8 (within suburban Melbourne).
The Melbourne section of the Western Highway is shown in the
1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan
The 1969 Melbourne Transportation Plan was a road and rail transport plan for Melbourne, the state capital of Victoria, Australia, instituted by Henry Bolte's state government. Most prominently, the plan recommended the provision of an extensive ...
as part of the F12 Freeway corridor.
Route
![Western Highway at Nerrina looking west toward Ballarat North and Invermay from the Nerrina pedestrian overpass](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c5/Western_Highway_at_Nerrina_looking_west_toward_Ballarat_North_and_Invermay_from_the_Nerrina_pedestrian_overpass.jpg)
The Western Highway begins at the Victorian–South Australian border, east of
Bordertown. It is mainly a high quality single carriageway from there to just outside the Melbourne side of
Beaufort Beaufort may refer to:
People and titles
* Beaufort (surname)
* House of Beaufort, English nobility
* Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England
* Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility
Places Polar regions ...
, with adequate numbers of overtaking lanes. The highway passes through several agricultural centres, for example
Horsham, Victoria
Horsham () is a regional city in the Wimmera region of western Victoria, Australia. Located on a bend in the Wimmera River, Horsham is approximately northwest of the state capital Melbourne. As of the 2021 Census, Horsham had a population of 2 ...
.
Just west of Buangor, the Western Highway becomes the Western Freeway, adopting freeway standards with two lanes running each way, and begins bypassing most of the towns the old alignment of the highway used to serve.
The newest sections of freeway standard dual carriageway opened on 6 March 2015 for the Ballarat to Beaufort section (running in length), and on 17 April 2016 for the Beaufort to Buangor section (running in length). The first section runs between the end of the Ballarat bypass between a new flyover/interchange with the C805 (Avenue of Remembrance, Burrumbeet) to just outside the eastern side Beaufort (including a bypass of
Trawalla) providing of freeway standard road between Melbourne and Beaufort. The second section runs between just outside the western side of Beaufort to just after the
Buangor
Buangor is a town in western Victoria. It is about west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2021 census, Buangor had a population of 112.
Buangor Post Office opened on 25 March 1863
The town has a primary school, which was built in 1878, ...
bypass, where it becomes a single carriageway again running all the way to
Ararat, providing a further of freeway standard road for between Beaufort and just passed Buangor.
Plans are underway for the end of this freeway to be extended from the current terminus just after the Buangor bypass westward towards and eventually to
Stawell.
The dual carriageway continues towards Melbourne bypassing
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
,
Ballan,
Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh (Wathawurrung: ''Pullerbopulloke'') is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne and west of Melton, Victoria, Melton at a near equidistance to th ...
,
Melton and
Rockbank
Rockbank is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Rockbank recorded a population of 2,583 at the 2021 census.
Rockbank Post Office o ...
to the
Western Ring Road
The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...
. Major intersecting roads are grade-separated, however there remain minor intersections at-grade. Cycling is permitted on the sealed shoulder along most of the freeway.
History
The passing of the ''Highways and Vehicles Act of 1924'' through the
Parliament of Victoria
The Parliament of Victoria is the bicameral legislature of the Australian state of Victoria that follows a Westminster-derived parliamentary system. It consists of the King, represented by the Governor of Victoria, the Legislative Assembly and ...
provided for the declaration of State Highways, roads two-thirds financed by the State government through the
Country Roads Board
The Country Roads Board was a government authority responsible for the construction and maintenance of main roads in the state of Victoria, Australia between 1913 and 1983.
History
The Country Roads Board (CRB) was formed to take over responsi ...
(later
VicRoads
VicRoads is a government joint venture in the state of Victoria, Australia. In the state, it is responsible for driver licensing and vehicle registration. It is owned and operated through a joint venture between the Victorian government and a c ...
). The Western Highway was declared a State Highway on 1 July 1925.,
cobbled from a collection of roads from Melbourne through Ballarat, Stawell, Horsham and Dimboola to the state border with South Australia at Serviceton (for a total of 244 miles); before this declaration, the road between Melbourne and Ballarat was referred to as (Main) Ballarat Road or Melbourne-Ballarat Road.
The Western Highway was later signed National Route 8 in 1955.
The
Whitlam Government introduced the federal ''National Roads Act 1974'',
where roads declared as a National Highway were still the responsibility of the states for road construction and maintenance, but were fully compensated by the Federal government for money spent on approved projects.
As an important interstate link between the capitals of Victoria and South Australia, the Western Highway was declared a National Highway in 1974.
Upgrades and realignments
Timeline of duplication
* 1964/65 -
Ballarat East
Ballarat East is a suburb of Ballarat in Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. From 1857 until 1921 the suburb had its own council (see below). The suburb covers a large area east of the city centre. It is the oldest urban area in Ballara ...
. of duplicate carriageway completed east of Ballarat. No exact date given. Now part of Route C805 leading from the Western Freeway into Ballarat from the east.
* 1966/67 -
Deer Park to
Rockbank
Rockbank is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Rockbank recorded a population of 2,583 at the 2021 census.
Rockbank Post Office o ...
. of dual carriageways completed during financial year 1966/67.
[Country Roads Board Victoria. ''Fifty-Fourth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1967'', Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1968. p. 35] Part of this is now Ballarat Road, Metro Route 8 through Deer Park and
Caroline Springs
Caroline Springs is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Caroline Springs recorded a population of 24,488 at the 2021 census.
Carol ...
.
* 1966/67 - Dual carriageways from Djerriwarrh Creek to Coimadai Creek completed during financial year 1966/67.
Now part of Bacchus Marsh Road between Melton and Bacchus Marsh.
* 1966/67 - Dual carriageways east of Pykes Creek Reservoir completed during financial year 1966/67.
* 1967/68 - Rockbank to
Melton East. Construction completed of over of dual carriageways during financial year 1967/68.
* 1969 - Pykes Creek Reservoir. The ‘Western By-pass Road’ is completed, running four miles east and west of Pykes Creek Reservoir.
* 1972 -
Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh (Wathawurrung: ''Pullerbopulloke'') is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne and west of Melton, Victoria, Melton at a near equidistance to th ...
bypass. opened 30 June 1972, by the Hon.
Sir Henry Bolte, GCMG, MP, at a cost of A$4.3m.
[Country Roads Board Victoria. ''Fifty-Ninth Report: for the year ended 30 June 1972'', Burwood, Victoria: Brown, Prior, Anderson, 1972. p. 7]
* 1972 -
Gordon
Gordon may refer to:
People
* Gordon (given name), a masculine given name, including list of persons and fictional characters
* Gordon (surname), the surname
* Gordon (slave), escaped to a Union Army camp during the U.S. Civil War
* Clan Gordon, ...
section. opened 5 May 1972, by the Board's chairman, Mr R E V Donaldson, at a cost of A$2.2m.
* 1973 - Pentland Hills to
Myrniong
Myrniong ()'' Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition'' (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. is a town in Victoria, Australia. The town is near the Western Freeway, north west of the state capital, Melbourne and west of Bacchus M ...
section. completed from Korkuperrimul Creek to the Lion Park interchange, early 1973.
* 1974 - Pentland Hills section. ‘west of Bacchus Marsh’ opened 1974.
* 1975 -
Myrniong
Myrniong ()'' Macquarie Dictionary, Fourth Edition'' (2005). Melbourne, The Macquarie Library Pty Ltd. is a town in Victoria, Australia. The town is near the Western Freeway, north west of the state capital, Melbourne and west of Bacchus M ...
bypass opened 3 October 1975, by the Minister for Transport, the Hon.
E. R. Meagher, CBE, ED, at a cost of A$3.28m. The bypass of Myrniong completed '80 km of dual carriageways between
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
and Ballarat'.
* 1978 -
Ballan bypass. opened 15 June 1978, by the Hon.
J. A. Rafferty, Minister for Transport, at a cost of A$9.8m.
* 1983 –
Wallace
Wallace may refer to:
People
* Clan Wallace in Scotland
* Wallace (given name)
* Wallace (surname)
* Wallace (footballer, born 1986), full name Wallace Fernando Pereira, Brazilian football left-back
* Wallace (footballer, born 1987), full name ...
and
Bungaree
Bungaree, or Boongaree ( – 24 November 1830), was an Aboriginal Australian from the Guringai people of the Broken Bay north of Sydney, who was known as an explorer, entertainer, and Aboriginal community leader.Barani (2013)Significant Aborig ...
bypass opened 9 March 1983, by the Premier of Victoria, the Hon.
John Cain MP. The bypass cost A$23.6m.
* 1987 –
Melton bypass. The 'freeway work' was opened to traffic on 7 July 1987, with the remainder of works expected to be completed by April 1988. The bypass cost A$44.2m.
* 1989 – 5.6 km bypass of
Dimboola
Dimboola is a town in the Shire of Hindmarsh in the Wimmera region of western Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia, 334 kilometres north-west of Melbourne.
History
Situated on the Wimmera River, Dimboola was previously known as 'Nine Creek ...
opened in May.
* 1993 -
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
bypass. The first stage, a single carriageway section from Woodmans Hill to the
Midland Highway, is opened in December 1993, at a cost of A$62m.
* 1994 - Ballarat bypass. The second stage of the initial single carriageway by-pass is opened to traffic in December 1994.
* 1995 - Ballarat bypass. Second carriageway opened to traffic between Woodmans Hill and Gillies Street in December 1995, at a cost of A$25m.
* 1998 - Ballarat bypass. The final section opened in February 1998, The final stage featured the duplication of the original single carriageway bypass from Gillies Street to the
Sunraysia Highway
The Sunraysia Highway (route B220) is a arterial north-south route in western Victoria. The highway extends north a length of 331 km starting from the Western Freeway near Ballarat to the Calder Highway near Ouyen. It is the north-west ...
.
* 2001 - The new elevated Hopkins Road Interchange was opened to traffic on 12 July 2001, at a cost of $13.1 million. Before the construction of the new interchange, the intersection of Hopkins Road (Melton-Werribee Road) with the Western Freeway at Rockbank was improved using Black Spot Program funds in 1989 and 1991, but a long-term solution to the congestion and crashes at this location was the construction of an elevated interchange.
* 2009 –
Deer Park bypass opened to traffic on 5 April 2009, at a cost of A$331m, jointly funded by the state and federal governments. In conjunction with these works, the new Leakes Road interchange at
Rockbank
Rockbank is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Rockbank recorded a population of 2,583 at the 2021 census.
Rockbank Post Office o ...
was opened in August 2008. This provided a freeway interchange onto the
Western Ring Road
The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...
.
* 2011 – Anthony's Cutting realignment. A new realignment constructed to the south of the previous section of highway, bypassing the steep grades and tight curves of the old alignment between Melton and Bacchus Marsh. The A$200m project was ‘mostly’ open to traffic in June 2011.
* 2013 - Ballarat to
Burrumbeet. duplication opened to traffic 31 January 2013.
* 2015 - Burrumbeet to
Beaufort Beaufort may refer to:
People and titles
* Beaufort (surname)
* House of Beaufort, English nobility
* Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England
* Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility
Places Polar regions ...
opened to traffic on 18 February 2015 adding a further of dual carriageway and includes a bypass of
Trawalla however the highway still passes through both Burrumbeet (as dual carriageway) and Beaufort (as single carriageway).
*2016 - Beaufort to
Buangor
Buangor is a town in western Victoria. It is about west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2021 census, Buangor had a population of 112.
Buangor Post Office opened on 25 March 1863
The town has a primary school, which was built in 1878, ...
opened to traffic in April 2016 adding a further of dual carriageway to the existing freeway, which includes the Buangor bypass.
Deer Park Bypass
![Deer Park Bypass eastbound at Western Ring Road](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Deer_Park_Bypass_eastbound_at_Western_Ring_Road.jpg)
The Deer Park Bypass opened on 5 April 2009 in the western suburbs of
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
. The freeway links the Western Freeway at
Ravenhall, and the
Western Ring Road
The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...
in
Derrimut
Derrimut is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Brimbank Local government area. Derrimut recorded a population of 8,651 at the 2021 census.
Located on the l ...
. This 9.3 kilometre freeway was estimated to cost which also includes a
grade separated
In civil engineering (more specifically highway engineering), grade separation is a method of aligning a junction of two or more surface transport axes at different heights (grades) so that they will not disrupt the traffic flow on other tra ...
interchange or a "full diamond" at Leakes Road in
Rockbank
Rockbank is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Rockbank recorded a population of 2,583 at the 2021 census.
Rockbank Post Office o ...
.
The purpose of the freeway bypass is to move traffic off
Ballarat Road
Ballarat Road (in its westernmost part the Western Highway) is a major urban arterial road in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
History
Previously part of Western Highway, the road was bypassed as the main route through w ...
, which leads to the Western Ring Road. Due to the strong population growth of about 8.7 per cent and subdivision in Deer Park and Sunshine, the surrounding suburbs and the seven
traffic signals
Traffic lights, traffic signals, or stoplights – known also as robots in South Africa are signalling devices positioned at road intersections, pedestrian crossings, and other locations in order to control flows of traffic.
Traffic light ...
between the
Western Ring Road
The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...
and the start of the Western Freeway, substantial long and very frustrating delays were created for the 70,000
vehicles
A vehicle (from la, vehiculum) is a machine that transports people or cargo. Vehicles include wagons, bicycles, motor vehicles (motorcycles, cars, trucks, buses, mobility scooters for disabled people), railed vehicles (trains, trams), wate ...
per day with 10 per cent of this consisting of heavy vehicles.
The bypass had been proposed since the completion of the
Western Ring Road
The M80 Ring Road (also known as simply the Ring Road or by the name of its constituent parts: Western Ring Road and Metropolitan Ring Road) is a currently incomplete urban freeway ring road around Melbourne, Australia. This article will deal ...
, the project stalled due to funding quarrels between the Federal and State Governments. In 2004, the
Federal government
A federation (also known as a federal state) is a political entity characterized by a union of partially self-governing provinces, states, or other regions under a central federal government (federalism). In a federation, the self-governin ...
announced that the Deer Park Bypass would be built as part of a $1.4 billion project "package grant" to
Victoria
Victoria most commonly refers to:
* Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia
* Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada
* Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory
* Victoria, Seychelle ...
. It was anticipated that more than 15 min of travel time would be saved when travelling through Deer Park, via Ballarat Road.
Construction started on the Deer Park bypass in August 2006,
work being carried out as a joint venture by Leighton Contractors and
VicRoads
VicRoads is a government joint venture in the state of Victoria, Australia. In the state, it is responsible for driver licensing and vehicle registration. It is owned and operated through a joint venture between the Victorian government and a c ...
, in construction with two contracts. The first stage, allowing westbound traffic over the new bridge at the Ravenhall end of the new freeway, opened in December 2007.
It was announced on 4 March 2009 that the Deer Park Bypass would open in early April 2009, with the new freeway link on track to open more than eight months ahead of schedule.
On that day, Roads and Ports Minister
Tim Pallas
Timothy Hugh Pallas (born 7 January 1960) is an Australian politician. He has been a Labor Party member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly since 2006, representing the electorate of Tarneit until 2014 and Werribee thereafter. He has served ...
and Federal Member for
Gorton
Gorton is an area of Manchester in North West England, southeast of the city centre. The population at the 2011 census was 36,055. Neighbouring areas include Levenshulme and Openshaw.
A major landmark is Gorton Monastery, a 19th-century Hi ...
Brendan O'Connor MP inspected works from the new bridge over the Ring Road at Sunshine West and Tim Pallas announced that the $331 million Deer Park Bypass would open to the public on Sunday 5 April 2009.
Anthony's Cutting Realignment
![Western Highway at Djerriwarrh Creek](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4d/Western_Highway_at_Djerriwarrh_Creek.jpg)
The section of road through Anthony's Cutting between
Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh (Wathawurrung: ''Pullerbopulloke'') is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne and west of Melton, Victoria, Melton at a near equidistance to th ...
and
Melton was one of the most dangerous sections of the route, and was not of modern freeway standard. The steep hills and tight curves along the 5 kilometre long stretch of road resulted in 21 serious crashes in the five years to 2010.
More than 29,000 vehicles, including more than 4000 freight vehicles, travel the highway section daily. The new route opened to traffic on 27 June 2011, nine months ahead of schedule.
The project included:
* Extension of Woolpack Road north from Bacchus Marsh Road to a new interchange on the Western Freeway, including a bridge over the
Lerderderg River
The Lerderderg River (known locally as ''The Lerdy'') is a perennial river of the Port Phillip catchment, located in the Western District region of the Australian state of Victoria.
Location and features
The Lerderderg River rises below the Bl ...
.
* An overpass carrying Bulmans Road over the existing Western Freeway.
* An overpass taking Hopetoun Park Road across the new freeway, with Melbourne-bound on and off ramps.
* Freeway bridges spanning Djerriwarrh Creek, and Cowans Road / Pyrites Creek.
The original project scope included a diamond interchange at Bulmans Road that has not been built, while the ramps at Hopetoun Park Road were not included but was later added. The extension of Woolpack Road has been delayed due to controversy over need to clear trees in the heritage listed
Avenue of Honour at Bacchus Marsh.
Realignment of the road through this section had been proposed far back as 2001, when a group of 10 local councils said the realignment could cost just $65 million to build. By 2006 the cost was estimated to be $85 million, with federal Roads Minister Jim Lloyd stating that the project would receive serious consideration for funding in the 2009
AusLink document, subject to support from the State Government. Construction commenced in February 2010, funded by $160 million from the Australian Government and $40 million from the Victorian Government.
Armstrong deviation
In 2001 work started on a 4.2 kilometre long deviation at
Armstrong Armstrong may refer to:
Places
* Armstrong Creek (disambiguation), various places
Antarctica
* Armstrong Reef, Biscoe Islands
Argentina
* Armstrong, Santa Fe
Australia
* Armstrong, Victoria
Canada
* Armstrong, British Columbia
* Armstrong ...
(on the Adelaide side of Ararat), involving 200,000 cubic metres of earthworks and a new bridge over the main
Melbourne–Adelaide railway. Previously high vehicles could not travel under the rail overpass and were forced to detour around it, in addition the poor road conditions led to a number of accidents and fatalities. Costing $6.1 million the work was completed by 2003.
Future upgrades
There are still several at-grade intersections on the "freeway", particularly in the areas near
Rockbank
Rockbank is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Rockbank recorded a population of 2,583 at the 2021 census.
Rockbank Post Office o ...
and at Woodmans Hill just to the east of
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
.
* Proposed upgrade and safety improvements Rockbank to Melton, to be funded by Auslink 2 (2009–201
* Proposed extension west from the current freeway terminus in the Melbourne side of Beaufort west through to Ararat and eventually to Stawell, also part of Auslink 2. Beaufort to Buangor was completed in April 2016. Buangor Bypass completed in mid-2016, and Buangor to Ararat is expected to start in early 2017.
Duplication of the Western Highway between Ballarat and Stawell was proposed to be completed between 2009 and 2014, to be funded by Auslink 2. At the end of 2016, parts of this are still in early planning, including the bypasses at Beaufort and Ararat.
The clearing of wide swathes of the ancient red gums by Vic Roads near
Beaufort Beaufort may refer to:
People and titles
* Beaufort (surname)
* House of Beaufort, English nobility
* Duke of Beaufort (England), a title in the peerage of England
* Duke of Beaufort (France), a title in the French nobility
Places Polar regions ...
has resulted in community angst and public meetings are being held. Near
Buangor
Buangor is a town in western Victoria. It is about west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2021 census, Buangor had a population of 112.
Buangor Post Office opened on 25 March 1863
The town has a primary school, which was built in 1878, ...
, 74 km west of Ballarat, two women chained themselves to a red gum on 16 March 2015 for 4½ hours to draw attention to the issue. Mrs Isabel Mackenzie, a long-term resident of the area, said she was concerned at the environmental impact of trees that are hundreds of years old. Helen Lewers, said that VicRoads should reroute the highway between Buangor and Stawell to preserve the native roadside vegetation.
Towns & Suburbs
Towns along the freeway include:
*
Buangor
Buangor is a town in western Victoria. It is about west of the state capital, Melbourne. At the 2021 census, Buangor had a population of 112.
Buangor Post Office opened on 25 March 1863
The town has a primary school, which was built in 1878, ...
*
Trawalla
*
Ballarat
Ballarat ( ) is a city in the Central Highlands (Victoria), Central Highlands of Victoria (Australia), Victoria, Australia. At the 2021 Census, Ballarat had a population of 116,201, making it the third largest city in Victoria. Estimated resid ...
*
Bungaree
Bungaree, or Boongaree ( – 24 November 1830), was an Aboriginal Australian from the Guringai people of the Broken Bay north of Sydney, who was known as an explorer, entertainer, and Aboriginal community leader.Barani (2013)Significant Aborig ...
*
Ballan
*
Bacchus Marsh
Bacchus Marsh (Wathawurrung: ''Pullerbopulloke'') is an urban centre and suburban locality in Victoria, Australia located approximately north west of the state capital Melbourne and west of Melton, Victoria, Melton at a near equidistance to th ...
Suburbs along the freeway include :
*
Melton
*
Rockbank
Rockbank is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Rockbank recorded a population of 2,583 at the 2021 census.
Rockbank Post Office o ...
*
Brookfield
*
Caroline Springs
Caroline Springs is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, west of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the City of Melton local government area. Caroline Springs recorded a population of 24,488 at the 2021 census.
Carol ...
Exits and major intersections
See also
*
Ballarat Road
Ballarat Road (in its westernmost part the Western Highway) is a major urban arterial road in the western suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
History
Previously part of Western Highway, the road was bypassed as the main route through w ...
*
Dukes Highway
Dukes Highway is a 190 kilometre highway corridor in South Australia which is part of the link between the Australian cities of Adelaide and Melbourne. It is part of the National Highway (Australia), National Highway system spanning Australia, a ...
*
Freeways in Australia
Australian Capital Territory Canberra region
* Majura Parkway
Other freeways (no route number)
* Adelaide Avenue
* Yarra Glen
* Capital Circle
* Gungahlin Drive Extension
* Parkes Way
* Tuggeranong Parkway
Gallery
File:Highw ...
*
Freeways in Victoria
*
Road transport in Victoria
Victoria has the highest density of roads of any state in Australia. Unlike Australia's other mainland states where vast areas are very sparsely inhabited, Victoria has population centres spread out over most of the state, with only the far nor ...
References
{{Road infrastructure in Victoria
Highways and freeways in Melbourne
Highways in Victoria (Australia)
Shire of Moorabool
Transport in the City of Melton
Transport in the City of Brimbank
City of Ballarat
Rural City of Ararat
Rural City of Horsham
Shire of Pyrenees
Shire of Northern Grampians
Shire of Hindmarsh
Shire of West Wimmera