Australian Towns, Cities & Highways: Murray Valley Highway

Murray Valley Highway (VIC)

The Murray Valley Highway is one of Victoria's longest thoroughfares - starts at the NSW/VIC border town of Robinvale and essentially traces the Murray River wholly on the Victorian side of the border. Generally an interesting drive due to a mixture of dry, arid country and fertile, irrigated land due to the close proximity of the Murray River. The dry, arid conditions tend to diminish as the highway heads east from Echuca into more timbered countryside, passing through the large centres of Cobram, Yarrawonga before joining the Hume Freeway for approximately 15km to reach the river city of Wodonga. The highway continues east from Wodonga, passing the picturesque Hume Weir with the countryside changing significantly as the Great Dividing Range is encountered. The highway continues past Tallangatta, diverting away from the Murray River for about 60km before reaching Corryong and shortly after the NSW/VIC border where it terminates. Upon crossing the Murray River back into NSW, the road becomes the Alpine Way which takes motorists onto Khancoban, the NSW ski resorts and Kosciuszko National Park.

The highway has had a couple of changes over time affecting its route, with the significant alterations including the highway start point (highway used to start from the Calder Hwy at Hattah - shifted in late 1960s to Sturt Hwy near Euston) and the eastern alignment (highway used to pass through Granya & Walwa to follow the Murray River more closely - shifted in early 1990s to more direct route to Corryong).

State: Victoria
Name Origin: The Murray Valley Highway is named appropriately as it essentially follows the Murray River for its entire length.
Start: NSW/VIC border (Robinvale)
Principal Towns: Robinvale, Tooleybuc * (NSW), Swan Hill, Kerang, Cohuna, Echuca, Nathalia, Strathmerton, Cobram, Yarrawonga, Rutherglen, Wodonga, Tallangatta, Corryong
Finish: NSW/VIC border (15km east of Corryong)
Length: 659km
Road Standard: Bitumen.
Road Quality: Generally good - many long straight sections on flatter terrain - freeway standard once co-existing with the Hume Highway. Dual carraigeway from Wodonga to Bandiana. Windy road from Bandiana to Corryong.
Speed Limit (outside built up areas): 100km/hr
Road Continuation: Click here for the Murray Valley Highway in NSW - Click here for the Alpine Way in NSW.
* refers to towns/cities bypassed by the Murray Valley Highway

Photos from the Murray Valley Highway (VIC):

The start of the Murray Valley Hwy in Victoria - heading south through Robinvale (2004).

Heading east on the Murray Valley Hwy from Echuca - thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo! (2004)

Murray Valley Hwy, heading east from Wodonga (2002).

	The start of the Murray Valley Hwy in Victoria - heading south through Robinvale (2004).
	Heading east on the Murray Valley Hwy from Echuca - thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this photo! (2004)
	Murray Valley Hwy, heading east from Wodonga (2002).