Murray Valley Highway

Murray Valley Highway is a 663-kilometre (412 mi)^[1] state highway located in Victoria and New South Wales, Australia.^[4] The popular tourist route mostly follows the southern bank of the Murray River and effectively acts as the northernmost highway in Victoria. For all but the western end's last three kilometres, the highway is allocated route B400.

Murray Valley Highway New South Wales –Victoria
Murray Valley Highway at Nathalia
General information
Type	Highway
Length	663 km (412 mi)^[1]
Gazetted	September 1932^[2]
Route number(s)	B400 (1997–present) (Robinvale–Corryong) Concurrencies: B12 (1997–present) (through Piangil) A39 (2013–present) (Strathmerton–Yarroweyah) B75 (1997–present) (through Echuca) M31 (2013–present) (Barnawatha North–Wodonga)
Former route number	National Route 16 (1955–1997/2013) (VIC/NSW) Entire route
Major junctions
Northwest end	Sturt Highway Euston, New South Wales
	Mallee Highway Loddon Valley Highway Northern Highway Goulburn Valley Highway Hume Freeway Kiewa Valley Highway Omeo Highway
Southeast end	Alpine Way VIC/NSW border
Location(s)
Major settlements	Robinvale, Swan Hill, Kerang, Echuca, Yarrawonga, Rutherglen, Wodonga, Tallangatta^[3]
Highway system
Highways in Australia National Highway • Freeways in Australia Highways in New South Wales Highways in Victoria

Route

 

The western terminus of the Murray Valley Highway at Euston, New South Wales.

 

The eastern terminus of the Murray Valley Highway at the Bringenbrong Bridge near Corryong, Victoria.

The western end of Murray Valley Highway commences at the intersection with Sturt Highway just outside Euston, New South Wales and heads south to cross the Murray River over the Robinvale-Euston bridge at Robinvale and into Victoria; the western end of route B400 starts here. The highway continues in a south-easterly direction, tracking close to the southern bank of the Murray River for the majority of its length until it reaches Wodonga, before heading in an easterly direction until it eventually reaches the foothills of the Great Dividing Range at Corryong. The road beyond crosses the border east into New South Wales as Alpine Way, to eventually reach Khancoban and Jindabyne.

Most of the highway is fairly straight and flat, much of it through irrigated farmland. It becomes hillier and more winding east of Wodonga, with a moderately steep mountain pass near Shelley, midway between Tallangatta and Corryong.

The major towns along the route are Robinvale, Swan Hill, Kerang, Cohuna, Echuca, Nathalia, Strathmerton, Cobram, Yarrawonga, Rutherglen, Wodonga, Tallangatta and Corryong.

History

Murray (River) Valley Road was built in the late 1920s and early 1930s by the Country Roads Board of Victoria as part of a program of rural roads to facilitate development of the more remote parts of the state and provide connections between communities in addition to the roads and railways radiating out from Melbourne. Parts of the Murray River Valley Road included a stretch of newly-constructed road between Mildura and the South Australian border, opened in 1927.^[5][6]

The passing of the Highways and Vehicles Act of 1924^[7] through the Parliament of Victoria provided for the declaration of State Highways, roads two-thirds financed by the State government through the Country Roads Board (later VicRoads) in Victoria. Murray Valley Highway was declared a State Highway in September 1932,^[2] cobbled from a collection of existing and newly-constructed roads running along the southern bank of the Murray River from Corryong through Walwa, Wodonga, Cobram, Echuca, Swan Hill and Bannerton to the intersection with Calder Highway in Hattah, and again from Mildura to the state border with South Australian^[8] (for a total of 513 miles), and Renmark beyond.

Sturt Highway was rerouted to reach Renmark through Victoria instead of via Wentworth in 1939,^[9] subsuming the alignment of the Murray Valley Highway between Mildura and the state border with South Australia; it was subsequently truncated to terminate at Calder Highway in Hattah. Robinvale Road, a 2-mile road connecting the "irrigation settlement of Robinvale" to the highway, was declared a Main Road when it was surfaced for the first time in 1952,^[10] and later declared a State Highway as Robinvale Highway in June 1983, between Robinvale and Lake Powell.^[11][12]

The alignment was further altered at both ends in 1990:

• its western end, running from Lake Powell via Bannerton to Hattah, was re-aligned to run through Robinvale along Robinvale Highway instead, subsuming it to terminate just outside Euston, New South Wales in May 1990; the former alignment is now known as Hattah-Robinvale Road (signed route C252 in 1998).^[13]
• its eastern end, running through Thologolong, Walwa and Towong, was re-aligned to run along the more-direct, present-day route to Corryong (at the time named Tallangatta-Corryong Road) in June 1990; the former alignment is now known as Murray River Road (signed route C546 in 1998).^[14]

The passing of the Road Management Act 2004^[15] granted the responsibility of overall management and development of Victoria's major arterial roads to VicRoads: in 2004, VicRoads re-declared the road as Murray Valley Highway (Arterial #6570), beginning at the New South Wales border at Robinvale and ending at the New South Wales border in Towong Upper.^[16]

The passing of the Main Roads (Amendment) Act of 1929^[17] (which amended the original Main Roads Act of 1924^[18]) through the Parliament of New South Wales on 8 April 1929 provided for the declaration of State Highways, Trunk Roads and Main Roads, partially funded by the State government through the Main Roads Board (later the Department of Main Roads, and eventually Transport for NSW) in New South Wales. Main Road 583 was declared on 17 June 1959, from the intersection with State Highway 14 (Sturt Highway) at Euston to the state border with Victoria north of Robinvale;^[19] this declaration as a Main Road did not change when the road on the Victorian side of the bridge was declared a State Highway (as Robinvale Highway in 1983 and then Murray Valley Highway in 1990), despite adopting its name as Murray Valley Highway from the Victorian side of the road to remain contiguous. The road today, as Main Road 583, still retains this declaration.^[20]

Murray Valley Highway was signed National Route 16 across its entire length in 1955. With Victoria's conversion to the newer alphanumeric system in the late 1990s, its former route number was replaced by route B400 for the highway within Victoria; the New South Wales section was left signed as National Route 16 until switching to their alphanumeric system in 2013, after which it was left unallocated.^[21]

Upgrades

Major roadworks have recently taken place around Echuca and Moama and are continuing. The project is being built in four stages:

• Stage 1: Upgrade of the Murray Valley Highway and Warren Street intersection, completed in mid-2018
• Stage 2: Warren Street upgrade, completed November 2019
• Stage 3: Construction of new bridges over the Campaspe and Murray Rivers, major works started in March 2020
• Stage 4: Intersection upgrades to the Cobb Highway, Meninya Street and Perricoota Road intersection (to be delivered by Transport for NSW), works started in March 2020.

The project is due for completion in mid-2022.^[22]

Major intersections and towns

State	LGA	Location^[1]^[16]	km^[1]	mi	Destinations	Notes
New South Wales	Balranald	Euston	0.0	0.0	Sturt Highway (A20) – Renmark, Mildura, Balranald, Hay	Western terminus of Murray Valley Highway at T-intersection
	River Murray		3	1.9	Robinvale-Euston Bridge
State border			4	2.5	New South Wales – Victoria state border
Victoria	Swan Hill	Robinvale			Murray Valley Highway	Western terminus of route B400
			6	3.7	Robinvale-Sea Lake Road (C251) – Manangatang, Sea Lake
		Tol Tol	25	16	Hattah-Robinvale Road (C252) – Hattah	T-intersection
		Piangil	93	58	Tooleybuc Road (Mallee Highway) (B12 east) – Tooleybuc, Balranald, Sydney	Concurrency with route B12
			95	59	Mallee Highway (B12 west) – Ouyen, Adelaide
		Nyah	110	68	Speewah Road – Koraleigh
		Swan Hill	135	84	Piangil railway line
			137	85	Sea Lake-Swan Hill Road (C246 west) – Sea Lake, Hopetoun McCallum Street (east) – Moulamein, Deniliquin	Roundabout
		Castle Donnington	142	88	Donald-Swan Hill Road (C261) – Wycheproof, Donald
			146	91	Piangil railway line
	Gannawarra	Kerang	190	120
			194	121	Kerang-Quambatook Road (C262) – Quambatook, to   Boort-Kerang Road (C266) – Boort
	Loddon River		195	121	Patchell Bridge^[23]
	Gannawarra	Kerang	196	122	Kerang-Koondrook Road (C264) – Koondrook, to   Kerang-Murrabit Road (C263) – Murrabit
			199	124	Loddon Valley Highway (B260) – Bendigo, Melbourne
			200	120	Piangil railway line
		Cohuna	227	141	Cohuna-Koondrook Road (C265) – Koondrook, Barham
			228	142	Cohuna-Leitchville Road (C267) – Leitchville
		Leitchville	243	151	Kerang-Leitchville Road (C257) – Leitchville, Pyramid Hill
	Campaspe	Echuca	289	180	Warren Street (C349) – Echuca, Moama
			291	181	Northern Highway (B75 south) – Rochester, Bendigo, Melbourne	Roundabout: western terminus of concurrency with route B75
	Campaspe River		291.5	181.1	Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
	Campaspe	Echuca	292	181	Northern Highway (B75 north) – Echuca, Moama, Deniliquin	Eastern terminus of concurrency with route B75
			292.5	181.8	Echuca railway line
			293	182	Echuca-Kyabram Road (C351) – Kyabram
		Tongala	312	194	Kyabram-Tongala Road (C352) – Tongala, Kyabram
		Wyuna	321	199	John Allen Road (C359) – Kyabram
			325	202	Echuca-Mooroopna Road (C355) – Shepparton
	Goulburn River		329	204	Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
	Moira	Nathalia	344	214	Barmah-Shepparton Road (C358) – Shepparton, Barmah
			347	216	Katamatite-Nathalia Road (C361) – Numurkah, Katamatite
	Broken Creek		349	217	Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
	Moira	Strathmerton	382	237	Goulburn Valley Highway (A39 south) – Numurkah, Shepparton, Melbourne	Western terminus of concurrency with route A39
			387	240	Tocumwal railway line
		Yarroweyah	396	246	Goulburn Valley Highway (A39 north) – Tocumwal, Dubbo, Brisbane	Eastern terminus of concurrency with route A39
		Cobram			Benalla-Tocumwal Road (C371) – Benalla
			400	250	Cobram South Road (C368) – Katamatite, Benalla
			409	254	Cobram-Koonoomoo Road (C367 northwest) – Cobram, Koonoomoo, Tocumwal   Broadway Street (Barooga-Cobram Road) (C370 northeast) – Cobram, Barooga
	Yarrawonga Main Channel		437	272	Bridge over the channel (bridge name unknown)
	Moira	Yarrawonga	437	272	Benalla-Yarrawonga Road (C373 south) – Benalla	Concurrency with route C373
			438	272	Belmore Street (C373 north) – Yarrawonga, Mulwala, Corowa
		Esmond	457	284	Wangaratta-Yarrawonga Road (C374) – Wangaratta
	Ovens River		459	285	Parolas Bridge
	Indigo	Rutherglen	480	300	Federation Way (C375) – Wangaratta, Corowa
			484	301	Rutherglen-Wahgunyah Road (C376 north) – Wahgunyah, Corowa	Concurrency with route C376
			485	301	Chiltern-Rutherglen Road (C376 south) – Springhurst, Chiltern
		Browns Plains	499	310	Chiltern-Howlong Road (C381) – Chiltern, Howlong
		Barnawartha	505	314	Barnawartha-Howlong Road (C378) – Howlong
		Barnawartha North	510.5	317.2	North East SG railway line
			511	318	Hume Freeway (M31) – Wangaratta, Melbourne	Trumpet interchange; western terminus of concurrency with route M31
	Wodonga	Wodonga	527	327	Bandiana Link Road (B400) – Bandiana, to   Hume Freeway (M31) – Sydney	Diamond interchange; eastern terminus of concurrency with route M31
					Lincoln Causeway (C319) – Albury
			528	328	Beechworth Road – Beechworth, Wangaratta
			531	330	Bandiana Link Road (B400) – Wodonga, Albury
					Victoria Cross Parade (C315) – Beechworth, Wangaratta
		Bandiana	533	331	Kiewa Valley Highway (C531) – Mount Beauty, Falls Creek
	Kiewa River		536	333	Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
	Wodonga	Bonegilla	541	336	Bonegilla Road (C541) – Hume Dam
	Towong	Huon	556	345	Kiewa East Road (C533) – Tangambalanga, Dartmouth, Omeo
		Tallangatta	574	357	Omeo Highway (C543) – Omeo, Bairnsdale
	Mitta Mitta River		579	360	Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
	Towong	Bullio	584	363	Murray River Road (C546) – Granya
		Shelley	611	380	Shelley-Jingellic Road (C547) – Walwa, Jingellic
		Cudgewa	633	393	Cudgewa-Tintaldra Road (C548) – Cudgewa, Tintaldra
Colac Colac		643	400	Benambra-Corryong Road (C545) – Benambra, Omeo, Mount Hotham, Bairnsdale
Towong		656	408	Murray River Road (C546) – Towong, Tintaldra
Upper Towong		663	412	Murray Valley Highway	Eastern terminus of highway and route B400
State border				Victoria – New South Wales state border
New South Wales	Murray River			Bringenbrong Bridge
	Snowy Valleys	Bringenbrong		Alpine Way – Khancoban, Thredbo, Jindabyne	Western terminus of Alpine Way
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi       Concurrency terminus       Route transition

See also

•  Australian Roads portal
•  Australia portal
•  New South Wales portal

 

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Murray Valley Highway.

• Highways in Australia
• Highways in New South Wales
• Highways in Victoria

References

1. Google (19 October 2021). "Murray Valley Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
2. "Country Roads Board Victoria. Twentieth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1933". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 10 November 1933. pp. 4, 6.
3. "Map of Murray Valley Highway". Bonzle Digital Atlas of Australia. 2016. Retrieved 16 November 2016.
4. "Murray Valley Highway". ExplorOz. Retrieved 11 May 2008.
5. "Country Roads Board Victoria. Fourteenth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1927". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 30 April 1928. pp. 29–30.
6. "THE MURRAY VALLEY ROAD". Murray Pioneer and Australian River Record. Renmark, SA: National Library of Australia. 18 November 1927. p. 6. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
7. State of Victoria, An Act to make further provision with respect to Highways and Country Roads Motor Cars and Traction Engines and for other purposes 30 December 1924
8. "Country Roads Board Victoria. Seventeenth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1930". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 19 November 1930. p. 26.
9. "Historical Roads of New South Wales" (PDF). NSW Main Roads. Sydney: OpenGov NSW. September 1954. pp. 10–4.
10. "Country Roads Board Victoria. Thirty-Ninth Annual Report: for the year ended 30 June 1952". Country Roads Board of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 22 December 1952. p. 17.
11. "Road Construction Authority of Victoria. Annual Report for the year ended 30 June 1984". Road Construction Authority of Victoria. Melbourne: Victorian Government Library Service. 21 December 1984. p. 54.
12. "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 30 June 1983. p. 1971. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
13. "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 16 May 1990. pp. 1529–31. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
14. "Victorian Government Gazette". State Library of Victoria. 20 June 1990. pp. 1865–6, 1873. Retrieved 30 December 2021.
15. State Government of Victoria. "Road Management Act 2004" (PDF). Government of Victoria. (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2021. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
16. VicRoads. "VicRoads – Register of Public Roads (Part A) 2015" (PDF). Government of Victoria. pp. 977–78. from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 19 October 2021.
17. State of New South Wales, An Act to amend the Main Roads Act, 1924-1927; to confer certain further powers upon the Main Roads Board; to amend the Local Government Act, 1919, and certain other Acts; to validate certain payments and other matters; and for purposes connected therewith. 12 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 8 April 1929
18. 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 11 August 2022 at the Wayback Machine 10 November 1924
19. "Main Roads Act, 1924-1958". Government Gazette of the State of New South Wales. No. 75. National Library of Australia. 3 July 1959. p. 1990. from the original on 19 October 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2022.
20. Transport for NSW (August 2022). "Schedule of Classified Roads and Unclassified Regional Roads" (PDF). Government of New South Wales. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
21. (PDF). Roads & Maritime Services. Government of New South Wales. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 March 2016. Retrieved 7 November 2016.
22. Victoria, Major Road Projects (15 February 2021). "Echuca-Moama Bridge Project". roadprojects.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
23. O'Callaghan, Deborah (18 January 2011). "The Loddon River laps at Patchell Bridge, Kerang, in January 2011". ABC News. Australia. Retrieved 17 November 2016.