Road Photos & Information: Victoria

Great Alpine Road (B500)

Statistics:

• Length: 303 km
• Eastern Terminus: Princes Highway (A1) at Lucknow, near Bairnsdale
• Western Terminus: Wangaratta Road (C314) at Wangaratta
• Suburbs, Towns & Localities Along The Route: Wangaratta, Tarrawingee, Everton, Gapsted, Myrtleford, Ovens, Eurobin, Porepunkah, Bright, Smoko, Harrietville, Mt Hotham, Dinner Plain, Conbungra, Omeo, Tongio, Swifts Creek, Doctors Flat, Ensay, Tambo Crossing, Bruthen, Wiseleigh, Sarsfield and Lucknow

Route Numbering:

• Current:  
• Former: 
• Road Authority Internal Classification: 4005 1

General Information:

The Great Alpine Road stretches from the Gippsland coast at Bairnsdale across Victoria’s alpine country and ends in Wangaratta.

The route is rural highway standard is quite windy through the mountainous regions it passes through. Sections of the route were formerly known as Omeo Highway between Lucknow and Omeo, formerly known as Ovens Highway between Bright and Wangaratta.

History:

• 1925: The section between Lucknow and Omeo (former Omeo Hwy) was gazetted. 2
• November 2004: Plans announced for a safety upgrade between Porepunkah and Bright. 3

Preview:	Description:
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Wangaratta, January 2008. Image © Viseth Uch
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Wangaratta East approaching the interchange with Hume Fwy (M31), January 2008. Image © Viseth Uch
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Hume Fwy (M31) interchange at Wangaratta East, January 2008. Image © Viseth Uch
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Hume Fwy (M31) interchange at Wangaratta East, January 2008. Image © Viseth Uch
	Intersection Directional Sign: ID sign at the Hume Fwy (M31) interchange at Wangaratta East, January 2008. Image © Viseth Uch
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Bright, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Bright Area: B500 as it passes through the Bright area, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Snow Poles Sign: Sign at Mt Hotham near Dargo High Plains Rd explaining the use of orange poles to show the road route in snowy conditions, April 2005. Also note the yellow road markings, to show the road lanes in snowy conditions. Image © Viseth Uch
	Mt Hotham Area: Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Mt Hotham Area: Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Mt Hotham Area: Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Distance Sign: RD sign at Mt Hotham, with yellow text for snowy conditions, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Mt Hotham Area: Great Alpine Road as it winds its way through the Mt Hotham area, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Dinner Plain Area: B500 as it passes through the Dinner Plain area, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Accident Zone Warning Sign: Sign between Dinner Plain and Omeo indicating a section of road prone to crashes, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch
	Advance Directional Sign: AD sign at Omeo approaching Swifts Creek-Omeo Road, April 2005. Image © Viseth Uch

1 Vicroads Road Management Plan, 30 October 2004
2 Victorian Heritage Database, Cobungra River Bridge
3 Minister of Public Transport, Media Release, $397,000 Safety Upgrade for Great Alpine Road, 30 November 2004.