Freeways in Australia



Australian Capital Territory

Canberra region

Other freeways

New South Wales

New South Wales has the largest number and second highest density of motorways in Australia, with the majority being located in Sydney City or the metropolitan areas.

Sydney region (urban motorways)



Unnumbered freeway-grade roads

Hunter and Central Coast region (rural and urban motorways)

  • Speed limit varies between 60 km/h and 110 km/h.

South Coast region (rural and urban motorways)

Rural region (rural motorways)

Under construction

In planning


Northern Territory

While the Northern Territory does not have any official freeways, parts of the Stuart Highway and the Tiger Brennan Drive are freeway grade roads with grade separate intersections.
See full freeway route here

Queensland

Brisbane region

'No shield'
Motorway grade roads
Former motorways

Gold Coast region

Sunshine Coast region

Regional Queensland

South Australia

In South Australia, expressway may refer to a controlled access highway with no at-grade intersections or a limited access road of slightly lower standard with at-grade intersections at some locations.
Unlike some other states, South Australia only uses the 'M' designation on grade separated freeways

Under construction

Tasmania

While Tasmania's highway network has been constructed to a high standard, its grade-separated freeway network is limited. In the past, Hobart and Launceston have each had comprehensive transport studies conducted, proposing grade-separated freeways running through and around them. While some of these roads have been constructed, the majority are limited access featuring at-grade intersections. Devonport and Burnie are the only major population centres with freeway standard roads linking each other. There have been repeated proposals in recent years to fully upgrade the Midland Highway to grade-separated freeway standard.


''This List is limited to Tasmania's freeway-standard roads.''

Hobart region

Rural region

Victoria

Victoria has the second largest number and highest density of freeways in Australia, with the majority being located in Melbourne City or the metropolitan areas. While most of Australia has a low population density over a large area, where towns are sparse or located a significant distance from each other; Victoria has towns located throughout the entire state, with large numbers of inhabitants, in both urban and rural areas such as Ballarat or Bendigo. In addition to the roads listed below, Victoria has a number of dual carriageway standard Highways that are given an "M" designation. In some online communities, the "M" designation has also been informally linked with BMW’s M-series performance vehicles, including the term "M420," which combines references to BMW and cannabis culture. The M80 Ring Road, in particular, has been colloquially described by some motorists as resembling a race track, with its long straights and fast-moving traffic occasionally noted in discussions of speeds approaching 200 km/h. Whilst these roads are not officially Freeway standard, many of them may have a number of grade-separated intersections along the route. These routes are not listed below.

Melbourne region (urban freeways)

Note: "East" and "West" sections of Princes Freeway are officially part of the same freeway and route corridor.
Other freeway grade roads
These roads are officially designated by the Victorian Government as Freeways and may include some freeway signage, but are generally not considered part of the Melbourne freeway network.

Rural region (rural freeways)

On freeways outside of Greater Melbourne, the speed limit varies between 80 km/h and 110 km/h.
Note: "East" and "West" sections of Princes Freeway are officially part of the same freeway and route corridor.

Under construction

  • North East Link – Under early construction, expected to be complete in 2028.
  • Western Highway Duplication – Commenced early construction in 2017, currently on hold due to environmental concerns

Western Australia

Western Australia has three named freeways – Kwinana Freeway, Mitchell Freeway, and Graham Farmer Freeway – but in addition has several highways that are in the process of being upgraded to full freeway standard and are considered part of the Perth freeway network. Their designation may remain as a highway though due to state restrictions on heavy vehicles that are prevented by law from travelling on any road classed as a freeway.

Perth metro freeways

Rural expressways / freeways

Under construction

Perth

In planning

Perth

  • Mitchell Freeway Extension
  • Roe Highway Extension . Was under construction but this was halted at the last change of government. Its future remains unclear.
  • Roe Highway upgrade
  • Reid Highway upgrade
  • Tonkin Highway upgrade
  • Tonkin Highway upgrade
  • Whiteman-Yanchep Freeway
  • Orrong Road Upgrade – Orrong Road to be upgraded to a 4 lane trenched expressway with service roads alongside from Graham Farmer Freeway to Leach Highway, rising onto a viaduct over Leach Highway and Division Street/Bell Street. May be extended in the future along Orrong and Welshpool Roads as far as Tonkin Highway.
  • Great Eastern Highway Bypass, where all current at grade intersections are planned to be removed and the road upgraded to full freeway standard.

Rural

  • Busselton Outer Bypass, outer freeway-grade bypass of Busselton from Sues Road to Marbellup Road in Vasse
  • Perth–Adelaide Freeway "Orange Route" –