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Australia's Highway 1 is a network of highways that circumnavigate the country, joining all mainland capital cities except the national capital of Canberra. At a total length of approximately 14,500 km (9,000 mi) it is the longest national highway in the world, surpassing the Trans-Siberian Highway (over 11,000 km or 6,800 mi) and the Trans-Canada Highway (8,030 km or 4,990 mi). Over a million people traverse some part of the highway network every day. It is the longest continuing highway in the world as the Pan-American Highway is separated by the Darién Gap and AH1 is separated by the Sea of Japan.
Highway 1 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
      | ||||
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| General information | ||||
| Type | Highway | |||
| Length | 14,500 km (9,010 mi) | |||
| History | Highway 1 was established in 1955 | |||
| Route number(s) |       | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
| Mascot to Waterfall |  A1 |
| ||
| Waterfall to (Yallah) |  M1 | (Princes Motorway) | ||
| Yallah to Traralgon | A1 | Princes Highway (NSW) | ||
| Victoria | Princes Highway (VIC) | Highway 1 (Victoria) | ||
| Traralgon to (Colac) | M1 |
| ||
| Colac to (Mount Gambier) | A1 | Princes Highway (VIC) | ||
| South Australia | Princes Highway (SA) | (Highway 1 (South Australia)) | ||
| Mount Gambier to Tailem Bend |  B1 | Princes Highway (SA) | ||
| Tailem Bend to Murray Bridge | A1 | Princes Highway (SA) | ||
| Murray Bridge to Glen Osmond | M1 | (South Eastern Freeway) | ||
| Glen Osmond to (Dulwich) | A1 |
| ||
| Dulwich to (Medindie) |  R1 | (City Ring Route) | ||
| Medindie to WA border | A1 |
| ||
| Western Australia | SA border to (Norseman) |  National Highway 1 | Eyre Highway | (Highway 1 (Western Australia)) |
| Norseman to (Port Hedland) |  National Route 1 |
| ||
| Port Hedland to NT border | National Highway 1 |
| ||
| Northern Territory | WA border to Katherine | (Victoria Highway) | Highway 1 (Northern Territory) | |
| Katherine to Darwin spur | Stuart Highway | |||
| Katherine to (Daly Waters) | Stuart Highway | |||
| Daly Waters to QLD border | National Route 1 |
| ||
| Queensland | NT border to Cairns | National Route 1 |
| (Highway 1 (Queensland)) |
| Cairns to (Kybong) | A1 | Bruce Highway | ||
| Kybong to NSW border | M1 |
| ||
| Tasmania | Entire Route | National Highway 1 |
| (Highway 1 (Tasmania)) |
The Savannah Way section
The 715 km (444 mi) section from the eastern end of the Carpentaria Highway at (Borroloola) in the Northern Territory to the western end of the Gulf Developmental Road near (Normanton) in Queensland is part of the Savannah Way but has no highway name/s. Wollogorang Road runs from Borroloola to the NT/QLD border, and Westmoreland Road runs from there to (Doomadgee). From there Doomadgee Road runs to (Burketown), and Nardoo Burketown Road then runs to the (Leichhardt River). Burketown Normanton Road runs from the river to the (Burke Developmental Road) near Normanton. National Highway 1 follows this south for 1.8 km (1.1 mi) to the Gulf Developmental Road.
Road conditions
With such a vast length, road conditions vary greatly; from multi-lane freeways in populous urban and rural areas, to sealed two-laners in remote areas, such as the Nullarbor Plain, to single lane roads, such as in northern Queensland.
Some stretches are very isolated, such as the Eyre Highway, which crosses the Nullarbor Plain, and the (Great Northern Highway), which runs close to the north-western coastline. Isolated (roadhouses) serving the small amount of passing traffic are often the only signs of human activity for hundreds of kilometres.
Highway 1 has been described as a "death trap", particularly two-lane sections in northern Queensland, due to driver fatigue. The vast distances between destinations and limited rest areas, especially those suitable to trucks, contribute to the problem.
Sights
Highway 1 covers practically every major inhabited part of Australia. Large capital cities, busy holiday resorts, dramatic coastlines, forests ranging from tropical to temperate gum forests, giant (karri) stands, scrubland, deserts, and huge tropical swamps are some of the variety of landscapes that can be found along the route.
Stretches of Highway 1 are very popular with interstate and overseas tourists. A drive around Highway 1 with a major detour to Uluru and back again practically covers most of Australia. The number 1 shield became part of the bush landscape to many travellers, truckers/truckies, and country people.
Record
On 18 June 2017 team Highway 1 to Hell set a new record for a complete lap of Australia. While there have been previous attempts (notably Motor Magazine's 2004 record of 6 days, 8 hours and 52 minutes) which skipped inland direct to Mt Isa, the Highway 1 to Hell team travelled the route of Highway 1 skipping Tasmania's stretch of road (equaling 14,280 km (8,873.181 mi)) in 5 days, 13 hours and 43 minutes.
See also
- (Highway 1 (New South Wales))
- Highway 1 (Northern Territory)
- (Highway 1 (Queensland))
- (Highway 1 (South Australia))
- (Highway 1 (Tasmania))
- Highway 1 (Victoria)
- (Highway 1 (Western Australia))
- Highways in Australia
- (List of A1 roads)
- (List of highways numbered 1)
References
- (PDF). Tourism Australia. December 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 February 2011. Retrieved 6 February 2013.
- Taylor, David (2012). . Salisbury, Queensland: Boolarong Press. p. 9. ISBN . Archived from the original on 6 October 2016. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- (12 ed.). Main Roads Western Australia. 2012. pp. 4–5. ISBN . Archived from the original on 24 October 2012. Retrieved 8 October 2012.
- Doyle, John (31 December 2012). "Australia's Highway 1" (MP3). Radio National Breakfast. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. from the original on 14 October 2013. Retrieved 13 January 2013.
- Caradvice.com.au – Around Australia speed record broken
- Motormag.com.au – Around Australia in 6 days
- facebook.com – Highway 1 to Hell Route
- "Around Australia speed record broken". 19 June 2017.
External links
- Male, Andrew. . Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on 4 October 2007. Retrieved 2 October 2007.
Further reading
- Catherine Lawson; David Bristow (2012). High Way One: The Ultimate Australian Road Trip. Australian Geographic. ISBN .
- Farwell, George; McArdle, Brian (1966), Around Australia on Highway One, Thomas Nelson (Australia)