Australia is known for its vast landscapes and sprawling highways that connect remote regions and bustling cities. Spanning thousands of kilometers, these highways are not just routes for transportation; they also represent the spirit of adventure and unique experiences along the way. In this blog, you will get to know the top 10 longest highways in Australia. Whether you’re planning a road trip or simply exploring Australia’s outback, understanding these extensive routes can enhance your journey.

List of Top 10 Longest Highways in Australia

Here is the list of the top 10 longest highways in Australia:

1. Highway 1
2. Great Northern Highway
3. Stuart Highway
4. Princes Highway
5. Bruce Highway
6. Eyre Highway
7. Newell Highway
8. Hume Highway
9. Pacific Highway
10. Warrego Highway

1) Highway 1

Highway 1, commonly referred to as the “Big Lap,” spans an astounding 14,500 kilometers, making it the longest national highway in Australia. It encircles the whole nation, linking outlying areas of the Outback with major cities like Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and Brisbane. Highway 1 was part of a national initiative to build a unified road network that would encourage regional integration and economic growth when it was first established in 1955.

Besides being an essential route for the transportation of goods and services, the highway provides access to some of Australia’s most famous and picturesque locations. Travelers can stop along the Great Ocean Road to see the stunning coastline views, the untamed beauty of the Kimberley region, and the Northern Queensland rainforests. 

A trip along Highway 1 is sure to be unforgettable because of its many attractions, which include historic towns, national parks, and beautiful beaches. Highway 1 is a vital economic link between distant settlements and urban centers that facilitates trade and tourism. Socially, it has played a key role in building a sense of national unity by bringing remote areas closer to the rest of the nation. 

2) Great Northern Highway

An important route in Western Australia is the 3,204-kilometer Great Northern Highway, which connects Perth, the state capital, to the far-flung town of Wyndham. The highway was built in phases over the 20th century, with completion occurring in 1986. It was constructed to facilitate the growing mining sector and offer a dependable route for the movement of cargo between the state’s northern and southern areas.

Travelers can experience a journey through some of Australia’s most challenging and diverse landscapes by traveling along the Great Northern Highway. The breathtaking Karijini National Park, with its historic gorges and waterfalls, the extensive iron ore mining of the Pilbara area, and the unusual outback town of Broome, renowned for its pearling heritage and gorgeous Cable Beach, are among the highlights.

The Great Northern Highway is economically essential to the mining and agricultural sectors because it makes it easier for resources to be transported from isolated locations to ports and processing centers. It also contributes significantly to the region’s tourism industry by drawing travelers and explorers who are eager to see the vast outback. Socially, the highway ensures that remote communities have access to basic amenities and connects them to the larger Australian economy.

3) Stuart Highway

The famed Stuart Highway winds 2,720 kilometers across the heart of Australia, connecting Darwin in the Northern Territory with Port Augusta in South Australia. In honor of John McDouall Stuart, the explorer who became the first European to successfully traverse the continent from South to North, the roadway was finished in 1942 as part of World War II to facilitate military operations and enhance access to the northern areas.

The Stuart Highway offers a unique experience because it goes through some of the most famous places in Australia. The magnificent MacDonnell Ranges, Alice Springs in the Red Centre, and the dramatic Devil’s Marbles are a few of the scenic locations. One of Australia’s most well-known monuments, Uluru, is accessible by diversion that allows visitors to take in its breathtaking glory.

Economically, the Stuart Highway is essential for enabling trade, tourism, and the flow of products by linking the coastal districts and the sparsely inhabited interior. Along its path, it provides help to isolated settlements, cattle stations, and the mining sector. Socially, the highway has been a lifeline for those who are living in remote places. It connects Australia’s North and South and gives people access to healthcare, education, and other necessities.

4) Princes Highway

The Princes Highway is a major and historic road that connects Melbourne with Port Augusta in South Australia and stretches 2,256 kilometers along Australia’s southeast coast from Sydney in New South Wales. The roadway was called after the 1920 visit of the Prince of Wales, and it was established in the early 1900s. In the early days of the automobile, it was created to facilitate more connectivity between large cities and to meet the expanding need for road transportation.

Through some of Australia’s most stunning coastal districts, the highway provides passengers with a gorgeous journey. Beautiful Jervis Bay beaches, Victoria’s wine district with its rolling vineyards, and quaint seaside villages like Eden and Lakes Entrance may all be explored along the journey.

The Princes Highway offers access to the well-known 12 Apostles on the Great Ocean Road and also travels through the woods of the Great Dividing Range. From an economic standpoint, the Princes Highway is essential to the southeast coast’s small businesses, tourism, and agriculture. It acts as a main freight route connecting South Australia and the eastern states. Socially, the route fosters regional growth and cross-cultural interchange along the Southeast Corridor by linking a multitude of towns and offering necessary access to services, employment, and leisure activities.

5) Bruce Highway

The 1,679-kilometer Bruce Highway connects Brisbane and Cairns and is an essential route for transportation in Queensland. The roadway, which bears the name Stanley Bruce after the former prime minister of Australia, was built in the 1930s to improve communication along the eastern coast of Queensland. It has undergone constant upgrades throughout the years to handle growing traffic and promote area development.

From the vibrant metropolises of Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast to the tropical rainforests and beaches of North Queensland, the Bruce Highway winds through a wide variety of places. The Whitsunday Islands, which are well-known for their breathtaking coral reefs and white sand beaches, and the charming coastal town of Airlie Beach, which serves as a gateway to the Great Barrier Reef, are two of the route’s most scenic stops. 

The highway also goes through agricultural areas that are well-known for their fruit plantations and sugar cane fields. The Bruce Highway is economically essential to Queensland’s mining, tourist, and agriculture sectors. It greatly boosts the economy by making it easier for goods and services to be transported between the state’s major cities and outlying locations. Socially, the highway plays a vital role in tying together coastal communities and providing access to jobs, healthcare, and education. It also boosts tourism by tying together some of Australia’s most well-known tourist attractions.

6) Eyre Highway

One of the most famous and isolated roads in Australia, the 1,675-kilometer Eyre Highway connects Port Augusta, South Australia, with Norseman, Western Australia. The highway was named for explorer Edward John Eyre, who was the first European to cross the Nullarbor Plain. It was formally inaugurated in 1941 and served as a crucial conduit between the eastern and western regions of the nation throughout World War II.

A huge, treeless landscape that offers a sense of adventure and solitude, the Nullarbor Plain is crossed by the famous Eyre Highway, which is known for its bleak beauty. The Head of Bight, where visitors can see whale migration, and the Eucla Telegraph Station ruins, a piece of Australia’s early communications history, are two noteworthy locations along the roadway. 

The “90 Mile Straight,” Australia’s longest continuous road segment, is located on the highway and serves as a reminder of how big the country is. In terms of trade and industry, the Eyre Highway is a vital route for the movement of products between Western Australia and the eastern states. Socially, it connects the vast outback with more populous areas, giving visitors and isolated people the vital connectivity they need. Assuring access to amenities and fostering tourism in one of Australia’s most distinctive settings, the highway serves as a lifeline for residents in the sparsely populated districts it crosses.

7) Newell Highway

The Newell Highway, which runs 1,062 kilometers from Tocumwal on the Victorian border to Goondiwindi on the Queensland border, is an important inland highway in New South Wales. The highway, which was built in the middle of the 20th century, was intended to provide a quicker and more direct route between Melbourne and Brisbane by avoiding the coastal mountains. It has been updated throughout time to handle the growing number of heavy trucks and passengers.

Traveling down the Newell Highway is a picturesque opportunity to see some of Australia’s rich agricultural heartlands. The landscape’s prominent pasture lands, cotton farms, and expansive wheat fields are open to tourists. 

Important locations along the route are the historic town of Dubbo, which is home to the well-known Taronga Western Plains Zoo, and the Parkes Observatory, which gained notoriety for its part in the Apollo moon landings. Known for their natural hot springs, Narrabri and Moree are two quaint rural communities that the route goes through.

The Newell Highway is economically essential for the transportation of agricultural goods since it connects the nation’s main farming regions with markets in both the north and the south. Also, it facilitates access to inland New South Wales attractions, thus promoting rural tourism. Socially, the highway serves as a link between rural villages, providing vital access to services and promoting regional growth. It is one of Australia’s most important inland roadways due to its strategic relevance in connecting two major capitals.

8) Hume Highway

The Hume Highway, which connects Sydney, New South Wales, and Melbourne, Victoria, is a significant and historic route in Australia, spanning 880 kilometers. Since the early 19th century, the highway, named for the pioneer Australian explorer Hamilton Hume, has been an important thoroughfare. The road, which was formerly made up of primitive trails, has developed over time into a contemporary dual-carriageway highway that is essential for linking Australia’s two biggest cities.

The Hume Highway offers visitors the chance to see a range of sights and environments. The Southern Highlands, with its undulating hills and quaint communities like Bowral and Mittagong, are traversed by the route.

Subsequently, the highway goes to the Murray River wine districts near Albury-Wodonga and the ancient town of Goulburn, which is Australia’s first inland city. Adventure and discovery can be had on scenic diversions to the Victorian Alps and the Snowy Mountains.

In terms of trade, the Hume Highway is essential to the smooth flow of products and services between Sydney and Melbourne, two important economic centers. It provides help to a wide range of businesses, such as logistics, manufacturing, and agriculture. Socially, the highway is vital because it links the communities along its path and gives people access to jobs, healthcare, and education. 

9) Pacific Highway

The Pacific Highway, which connects Sydney, New South Wales, to Brisbane, Queensland, spans 790 kilometers and is an important transportation route along Australia’s eastern seaboard. The highway was first constructed as a network of coastal rails in the early 20th century, but it was progressively improved over the years to handle the growth in traffic between the two major cities. The Pacific Highway is a multi-lane, contemporary roadway that is essential for linking the thriving coastal cities.

Travelers can enjoy breathtaking views of the coast and easy access to some of Australia’s most picturesque towns and beaches from the route. Important beautiful destinations include the verdant hinterlands of the Northern Rivers region, the Byron Bay beaches, and the stunning Central Coast. 

Famous surfing locations, national parks like Yuraygir and Bundjalung, and quaint beach towns like Coffs Harbour and Ballina are all accessible from the route. The Pacific Highway is economically essential to the travel and tourism, agricultural, and logistics industries as it makes it easier for people and products to travel between Queensland and New South Wales. It boosts the local businesses and tourism industries in the coastal communities it flows through. For locals, the highway serves as a vital social connector, providing access to jobs, schools, and other necessities. Millions of people utilize the Pacific Highway every year, and the continuous improvements planned for the route are intended to increase safety, shorten travel times, and improve traveler satisfaction.

10) Warrego Highway

Stretching 721 kilometers from Brisbane, the state capital, to Charleville, a secluded village, lies the Warrego Highway. It was named after the Warrego River, which the highway mostly followed when it was founded in the middle of the 20th century. The highway was built to facilitate regional growth and economic development by improving communication between the western and southeast regions of Queensland.

The Warrego Highway offers a journey across a variety of landscapes, from Brisbane’s urban sprawl to the vast Outback. Important locations for sightseeing and cultural activities are Dalby, the center of the area’s agriculture sector, and Toowoomba, a thriving regional city renowned for its lovely gardens and cultural events. 

The historic town of Roma, well-known for its part in Queensland’s cattle industry and its rich pioneering history, is also accessible along the highway. Economically speaking, the Warrego Highway is essential for moving agricultural goods from the western areas to the eastern shore, such as grain, livestock, and other resources. By tying rural areas and large urban centers together, it promotes regional economies and local enterprises. For the people living in Queensland’s Outback, the highway serves as a social lifeline, enabling travel and regional communication while also giving locals vital access to services, healthcare, and education.

No.	Name of Highway	Length (Kilometers)
1	Highway 1	14,500
2	Great Northern Highway	3,204
3	Stuart Highway	2,720
4	Princes Highway	2,256
5	Bruce Highway	1,679
6	Eyre Highway	1,675
7	Newell Highway	1,062
8	Hume Highway	880
9	Pacific Highway	790
10	Warrego Highway	721

Conclusion

Each of the highways listed offers not just a means of travel, but also an opportunity to immerse oneself in the rich culture and history of Australia. With a combined distance surpassing thousands of kilometers, these highways are more than mere routes; they are iconic journeys that beckon explorers to discover the beauty and diversity of Australia. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a curious newcomer, embarking on the longest highways in Australia is sure to create unforgettable memories.

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