Federal Highway (Australia)

Federal Highway

New South Wales
–Australian Capital Territory
Federal Highway; New South Wales –Australian Capital Territory
	Southbound carriageway, at Wollogorang. The median strip at this location is about 200 metres (656 ft) wide and contains pasture.
	Northeast end Southwest end
Coordinates	34°48′11″S149°36′35″E / 34.803013°S 149.609647°E (Northeast end); 35°14′26″S149°08′13″E / 35.240579°S 149.136991°E (Southwest end);
General information
Type	Motorway
Length	72.7 km (45 mi)
Opened	February 1931
Gazetted	August 1928 (NSW, as Main Road 3)
Maintained by	Transport for NSW ; (NSW); Territory and Municipal Services ; (ACT);
Route number(s)	M23 (2013–present); (Yarra–NSW/ACT border); M23 (2016–present); (ACT/NSW border–Majura); A23 (2013–present); (Majura–Lyneham);
Former; route number	A23 (2013–2016); (ACT/NSW border–Majura); National Highway 23; (1974–2013, within NSW); National Highway 23; (1974–2013, within ACT); National Route 23; (1955–1974);
Major junctions
Northeast end	Hume Highway ; Yarra, New South Wales
	Majura Parkway ; Horse Park Drive ; Barton Highway ;
Southwest end	Northbourne Avenue ; Lyneham, Australian Capital Territory
Location(s)
Region	Southern Tablelands
LGA(s)	Goulburn Mulwaree Council, Upper Lachlan Shire, Queanbeyan-Palerang Regional Council, Yass Valley Shire, Australian Capital Territory
Major suburbs / towns	Collector, Sutton, Watson, Downer, Lyneham
Highway system
	Highways in Australia ; National Highway • Freeways in Australia ; Highways in New South Wales ; Road infrastructure in Canberra ;

Last updated September 09, 2024

The Federal Highway is a highway in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. It is a part of a motorway-standard link between Sydney and Canberra, and is also the main thoroughfare between those cities.

The north-eastern end of the Federal Highway is located at its junction with Hume Highway near the rural city of Goulburn. It runs 72.7 km (45.2 mi) southwest to Canberra, the national capital of Australia, where its southwestern end is located at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Barton Highway. The Federal Highway passes the villages of Wollogorang, Collector and Sutton, as well as skirting the western side of the endorheic basin containing Lake George.

Route

Federal Highway is a motorway-standard roadway linking from the interchange with Hume Highway at Yarra, southeast of Goulburn, to Canberra in the Australian Capital Territory. The roadway has a continuous 110 km/h (68 mph) speed limit within New South Wales northbound. A southbound section between the Great Dividing Range, south of Yarra, and Rowes Lagoon, north of Collector, is on an old and winding alignment and has a speed limit of 100k/h with many lower advisory speed signs. Within the Australian Capital Territory the posted speed limit is 100 km/h (62 mph) between the State-border and Antill Street, 80 km/h (50 mph) between Antil Street and Flemington Road, and 70 km/h (43 mph) between Flemington Road and the end of the road at Barton Highway (where the road runs parallel with the Canberra Metro light rail route). The entire length of the roadway is dual carriageway with 2 lanes in each direction.

History

In New South Wales, the passing of the Main Roads Act of 1924^[5] through the Parliament of New South Wales provided for the declaration of Main Roads, roads partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (MRB). The New South Wales section of Federal Highway was declared (as Main Road No. 3) on 8 August 1928, from its interchange with Hume Highway in Yarra, via Collector and Geary's Gap, to the interstate border;^[4] with the passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929^[6] to provide for additional declarations of State Highways and Trunk Roads, this was amended to State Highway 3 on 8 April 1929. Construction had already been completed and traffic was already using the portion of the highway within New South Wales by December 1930.^[7]

In the Federal Capital Territory, the local Sydney-Canberra Road was officially declared part of Federal Highway in September 1928.^[8] Surveying and levelling had finished and work had started in April 1929^[9] to connect to the NSW portion of the road, with the contract awarded to John Fowler (Aust) Ltd, to construct a 6-mile section of highway from Canberra (today Lyneham) to the interstate boundary.^[10] Approaching completion by February 1930,^[11] it was officially completed and opened on 25 February 1931.^[3]

The passing of the Roads Act of 1993^[12] through the Parliament of New South Wales updated road classifications and the way they could be declared within New South Wales. Under this act, Federal Highway today retains its declaration as Highway 3, from Yarra to the interstate border with the ACT.^[13]

Federal Highway was allocated National Route 23 across its entire length in 1955. The Whitlam government introduced the federal National Roads Act 1974,^[14] 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.^[14]^: S7 As an important interstate link between the capitals of New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, the Federal Highway was declared a National Highway in 1974 and was consequently re-allocated National Highway 23.^[15] With the conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in 2013, this was replaced with route M23 across the New South Wales' section,^[16] and route A23 across the Australian Capital Territory's section; an eastern portion was upgraded to route M23 when Majura Parkway opened in 2016.^[17]

Junction list

State	LGA / District	Location^[1]^[18]	km^[2]	mi	Destinations	Notes
New South Wales	Goulburn Mulwaree	Yarra	0.0	0.0	Hume Highway (M31) – Sydney, Goulburn, Albury, Melbourne	Partial Y-interchange, no southwestern entrance eastbound Northeastern terminus of highway and route M23
		Yarra	2.9	1.8	Thornford Road – Currawang	Modified uncontrolled T-intersection (due to wide median strip at this location)
		Wollogorang	8.8	5.5	Wollogorang Road – Breadalbane	Modified uncontrolled T-intersection (due to wide median strip at this location)
	Upper Lachlan	Collector	21.6	13.4	Church Street – Collector	Uncontrolled T-intersection
			22.1	13.7	Collector Road – Currawang, Tarago	Uncontrolled T-intersection
			23.7	14.7	Collector Road – Collector, Gunning	Uncontrolled T-intersection
	Queanbeyan–Palerang– Yass Valley boundary	Bywong	50.2	31.2	Shingle Hill Way – Gundaroo	Uncontrolled T-intersection
		Bywong	50.7	31.5	Bungendore Road – Bungendore	Uncontrolled T-intersection
		Sutton	58.3	36.2	Macs Reef Road – Bungendore	Uncontrolled T-intersection
			59.2	36.8	Sutton Road – Gunning, Gundaroo, Sutton, Queanbeyan	Parclo A2 interchange
					Mckeahnie Lane	Diamond interchange
State border			65.4	40.6	New South Wales – Australian Capital Territory state border
Australian Capital Territory	Gungahlin–Majura boundary		67.2	41.8	Majura Parkway (M23 south) – Fyshwick , Canberra Airport Horse Park Drive (north) – Gungahlin	Diamond interchange with single cloverleaf onramp Northeastern terminus of route A23, route M23 continues south along Majura Parkway
	Gungahlin–Majura boundary	Watson	69.6	43.2	Antill Street – Watson, Hackett	Roundabout
	Canberra Central	Watson – Lyneham boundary	71.6	44.5	Flemington Road – Lyneham , Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC)	Signal controlled T-intersection, light rail has signal priority
		Watson – Lyneham – Downer tripoint	71.9	44.7	Phillip Avenue – Downer, Hackett	Signal controlled crossroads, light rail has signal priority
		Lyneham – Downer boundary	72.7	45.2	Barton Highway (A25 northwest) – Hall , Yass Northbourne Avenue (A23 south) – City , Queanbeyan, Cooma	Signal controlled T-intersection, light rail has signal priority. Southwestern terminus of highway, route A23 continues south along Northbourne Avenue
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Incomplete access Route transition

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References

1 2 "SIX maps". NSW Government . Retrieved 8 June 2013.
1 2 "Federal Highway" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 3 August 2022.
1 2 "OPEN TO-DAY: Road to Canberra". Goulburn Evening Penny Post (DAILY and EVENING ed.). NSW. 25 February 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 8 June 2013– via National Library of Australia.
1 2 "Main Roads Act, 1924-1927". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 110. National Library of Australia. 17 August 1928. pp. 3814–20. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
↑ State of New South Wales, An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
↑ State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the MRB; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. Archived 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
↑ "NEW HIGHWAY: open for traffic ON NSW SECTIONS". The Canberra Times . ACT. 6 December 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
↑ "ROAD NAMES: Sydney-Canberra Road NOW FEDERAL HIGHWAY". The Canberra Times . ACT. 28 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
↑ "NEW HIGHWAY: Collector to Canberra EARLY START THIS END". The Canberra Times . ACT. 5 April 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
↑ "NEW HIGHWAY: Canberra-Goulburn F.C.T. PORTION LET". The Canberra Times . ACT. 19 June 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
↑ "NEW HIGHWAY: nears completion IN THE TERRITORY". The Canberra Times . ACT. 13 February 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.
↑ State of New South Wales, An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes. Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
↑ Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
1 2 National Roads Act 1974 (Cth)
↑ "Ozroads: Federal Highway (ACT)" . Retrieved 9 June 2013.^{[ self-published source ]}
↑ "Road number and name changes in NSW" (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services . Government of New South Wales. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
↑ "Guide Signs MIS 12" (PDF). ACT Government. April 2019. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
↑ "ACTMAPi". ACT Government . Retrieved 12 August 2022.

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[SIXmaps-1] 1 2 "SIX maps". NSW Government . Retrieved 8 June 2013.

[gmaps-2] 1 2 "Federal Highway" (Map). Google Maps . Retrieved 3 August 2022.

[open-act31-3] 1 2 "OPEN TO-DAY: Road to Canberra". Goulburn Evening Penny Post (DAILY and EVENING ed.). NSW. 25 February 1931. p. 3. Retrieved 8 June 2013– via National Library of Australia.

[nswgovgaz28-4] 1 2 "Main Roads Act, 1924-1927". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 110. National Library of Australia. 17 August 1928. pp. 3814–20. Retrieved 1 August 2022.

[5] State of New South Wales, An Act to provide for the better construction, maintenance, and financing of main roads; to provide for developmental roads; to constitute a Main Roads Board Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924

[6] State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the MRB; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. Archived 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929

[ct-dec30-7] "NEW HIGHWAY: open for traffic ON NSW SECTIONS". The Canberra Times . ACT. 6 December 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

[ct-sep28-8] "ROAD NAMES: Sydney-Canberra Road NOW FEDERAL HIGHWAY". The Canberra Times . ACT. 28 September 1928. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

[ct-apr29fct-9] "NEW HIGHWAY: Collector to Canberra EARLY START THIS END". The Canberra Times . ACT. 5 April 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

[ct-apr29nsw-10] "NEW HIGHWAY: Canberra-Goulburn F.C.T. PORTION LET". The Canberra Times . ACT. 19 June 1929. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

[ct-feb30-11] "NEW HIGHWAY: nears completion IN THE TERRITORY". The Canberra Times . ACT. 13 February 1930. p. 1. Retrieved 20 December 2022.

[12] State of New South Wales, An Act to make provision with respect to the roads of New South Wales; to repeal the State Roads Act 1986, the Crown and Other Roads Act 1990 and certain other enactments; and for other purposes. Archived 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924

[nswroadsched-13] Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 August 2022. Retrieved 1 August 2022.

[NRA1974-14] 1 2 National Roads Act 1974 (Cth)

[Ozroads_NH23_ACT-15] "Ozroads: Federal Highway (ACT)" . Retrieved 9 June 2013.^{[ self-published source ]}

[16] "Road number and name changes in NSW" (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services . Government of New South Wales. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.

[ACTMIS12-17] "Guide Signs MIS 12" (PDF). ACT Government. April 2019. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 9 November 2022.

[ACTMAPi-18] "ACTMAPi". ACT Government . Retrieved 12 August 2022.

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v t e Road infrastructure in Canberra
Controlled-access roads:	Adelaide Avenue Capital Circle Gungahlin Drive Extension Majura Parkway Parkes Way ^* Tuggeranong Parkway Yarra Glen
Limited-access roads:	Anzac Parade Barry Drive Barton Highway Belconnen Way Canberra Avenue Commonwealth Avenue Constitution Avenue Drakeford Drive Fairbairn Avenue Federal Highway Ginninderra Drive Gungahlin Drive Horse Park Drive Hindmarsh Drive Kings Avenue Kings Highway Limestone Avenue Majura Road Monaro Highway ^{^} Northbourne Avenue Pialligo Avenue State Circle Tharwa Drive Vernon Circle Yamba Drive
Bridges:	Commonwealth Avenue Bridge Tharwa Bridge
Major interchanges:	Glenloch Interchange
Related articles:	Remembrance Driveway
Roads ACT Transport in the Australian Capital Territory Streets in Canberra ^Partially limited-access ^{^}Partially controlled-access roadway under construction*

v t e Road infrastructure in regional New South Wales
Motorways	Federal Highway Hume Highway Hunter Expressway Pacific Motorway (Brisbane–Brunswick Heads) Pacific Motorway (Sydney–Newcastle) Princes Motorway
Major highways	Barrier Highway Barton Highway Central Coast Highway Great Western Highway Illawarra Highway Mid-Western Highway Mitchell Highway New England Highway Newcastle Inner City Bypass Newcastle Link Road Newell Highway Olympic Highway Pacific Highway Princes Highway Sturt Highway
Minor highways	Appin Road Bells Line of Road Big River Way Bruxner Highway Burley Griffin Way Castlereagh Highway Cobb Highway Fossickers Way Golden Highway Goldfields Way Gwydir Highway Kamilaroi Highway Kidman Way Kings Highway Lachlan Valley Way Memorial Drive Monaro Highway Oxley Highway Picton Road Riverina Highway Silver City Highway Snowy Mountains Highway Summerland Way Waterfall Way
Other roads	Alpine Way Barry Way Bathurst-Ilford Road Bucketts Way Bylong Valley Way Camden Valley Way Carnarvon Highway Escort Way Giinagay Way Goulburn-Oberon Road Henry Lawson Way Henry Parkes Way Irrigation Way Jenolan Caves Road Kosciuszko Road Macleay Valley Way Murray Valley Highway O'Connell Road Old Hume Highway Putty Road Remembrance Drive Solitary Islands Way Thunderbolts Way Wombeyan Caves Road Yass Valley Way
Road bridges (disused/former)	Abbotsford Balun Bindarray Beckers Bethanga Bland Creek Colemans Coonamit Cooreei Crankies Plain Dennis Dunmore The Entrance Fitzgearld (Aberdeen) Fitzgerald (Raymond Terrace) Gee Gee George Chaffey Glennies Goodradigbee Grafton Harwood Hampden (Kangaroo Valley) Hay Hexham Hinton Holt-Bragg Junction Karuah (Monkerai) Lennox (Glenbrook) MacDonald (St Albans) McFarlane McKanes Falls Macleay Valley Martin Mooney Mooney Morpeth Mulwala Mungindi Murray Barham Swan Hill Tocumwal Tooleybuc Nowra Rip Rossi Sea Cliff Sheahan Stockton Taemas Tea Gardens-Hawks Nest Tourle Street Towamba Vacy Victoria (Picton) Williams (Clarence Town) Wallaby Rocks Wollombi (Bulga) Yowaka (Greigs Flat) Denison Hampden (Wagga Wagga) Murrumbidgee (Carrathool) Old Cobram-Barooga Old Mildura Thornes
Vehicular ferries	Berowra Waters Lawrence Lower Portland Sackville Speewa Ulmarra Webbs Creek Wisemans Wymah
Tunnels	Cudgen St Helena Tugun Bypass