Melba Highway
Melba Highway | |
|---|---|
 | |
| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
|
| Former route number |
|
| Major junctions | |
| North end | |
| for full list see major intersections | |
| South end | |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Glenburn, Dixons Creek, Yarra Glen, Yering |
| Highway system | |
The Melba Highway[1] connects the outer eastern suburb of Coldstream, near Lilydale, and the town of Yea, in Victoria's Central Highlands on the Goulburn Valley Highway.
Route
The highway passes through the alluvial plains of the Yarra River and the rich Yarra Valley vineyards near Yarra Glen. At Yarra Glen, the road diverts from the main town street (Bell Street) and follows a recently completed bypass of the township. After rejoining the main highway north of Yarra Glen, the road rises up a steep grade between Dixons Creek and Glenburn to the top of the Great Dividing Range at a road junction that links the highway with the nearby towns of Kinglake and Toolangi, a former home of Australian author C. J. Dennis.
From there, the road passes through forest and open agricultural land before reaching Yea, a small pastoral town.
Speed Limit
Coldstream – Yarra Glen 100 km/h
Yarra Glen 50 km/h
Yarra Glen – Glenburn via Yarra Glen Bypass 100 km/h
Glenburn 80 km/h
Glenburn – Yea 100 km/h
Yea 60 km/h
History
The road is named after Dame Nellie Melba, a famed Australian opera singer of the early 20th century whose former country estate lies at the southern end of the highway, at the junction of the Melba and Maroondah highways in Coldstream.
The road is within the Shire of Yarra Ranges and Shire of Murrindindi local government areas.
In addition, the recently completed Yarra Glen bypass now diverts trucks and other through vehicles onto the new road, having been opened in May 2010. Works also saw the Bell Street/Melba Highway roundabout created along with a new level crossing through the roundabout for the Yarra Valley Railway.[2]
Major Intersections and Towns
Melba Highway 
| |||
| Northbound | Distance to Yea (km) |
Distance to Melbourne (km) |
Southbound |
 T-Intersection (clockwise from highway)Goulburn Valley Highway  to SeymourGoulburn Valley Highway  to Alexandra and Mansfield
| |||
| End Melba Highway
|
0 | 111 | Start Melba Highway
|
| Yea | |||
| Kinglake, Healesville Healesville-Kinglake Road 
|
40 | 72 | Healesville, Kinglake Healesville-Kinglake Road
|
| Yarra Glen Yea Road File:Give Way at Roundabout sign.svg |
53 | 58 | Yarra Glen, Eltham Yea Road File:Give Way at Roundabout sign.svg |
| continues as
|
55 | 56 | Healesville Healesville-Yarra Glen Road  File:Give Way at Roundabout sign.svg
|
| Healesville Healesville-Yarra Glen Road File:Give Way at Roundabout sign.svg
|
duplexes with
| ||
| duplexes with
|
57 | 54 | Yarra Glen, Eltham Bell Street File:Give Way at Roundabout sign.svg
|
| Yarra Glen, Eltham Bell Street File:Give Way at Roundabout sign.svg
|
continues as
| ||
| Start Melba Highway
|
65 | 47 | End Melba Highway
|
| File:Australia W3-3.svg Traffic Lights (clockwise from highway) Maroondah Highway  to Healesville and AlexandraMaroondah Highway to Lilydale and Melbourne
| |||
See also
References
- ^ State Route 153 - Melba Highway to Midland Highway via Maroondah Highway, Main Roads Victoria. Retrieved on 15 September 2013.
- ^ Yarra Glen Bypass, VicRoads. Retrieved on 15 March 2011.
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