Melba Highway
The Melba Highway[1] connects the outer eastern suburb of Coldstream, near Lilydale, and the town of Yea, in Victoria's Upper Goulburn on the Goulburn Valley Highway.
Melba Highway | |
|---|---|
  North end South end | |
| Coordinates |
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| General information | |
| Type | Highway |
| Length | 65 km (40 mi) |
| Route number(s) |
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| Former route number |
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| Major junctions | |
| North end | |
| for full list see major intersections | |
| South end | |
| Location(s) | |
| Major settlements | Glenburn, Dixons Creek, Yarra Glen, Yering |
| Highway system | |
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 80 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.
The Yarra Glen bypass which opened in May 2010 diverts trucks and other through vehicles. 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
| LGA | Location[3] | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murrindindi | Yea | 0 | 0.0 |  Goulburn Valley Highway (B340) – Seymour |  B300 continues as Goulburn Valley Highway towards Alexandra, Mansfield |
| Castella | 40 | 25 |  Healesville-Kinglake Road (C724) – Kinglake, Healesville | ||
| Yarra Ranges | Yarra Glen | 53 | 33 |  Yea Road (C731) – Yarra Glen, Eltham | Original highway route on north side of Yarra Glen before bypass built |
| 55 | 34 |  Healesville-Yarra Glen Road (C726) – Healesville | C726 duplexes with B300 | ||
| 57 | 35 | Bell Street (C726) – Yarra Glen, Eltham | |||
| Coldstream | 65 | 40 |  Maroondah Highway (B360) – Healesville, Alexandra | B300 continues on Maroondah Highway towards Lilydale, Melbourne | |
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi
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See also
- Highways in Australia
- Highways in Victoria
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.
- Google (12 February 2017). "Melba Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Google. Retrieved 12 February 2017.
