Ozroads: National Route/Highway 23

National Route/Highway 23
Federal & Monaro Highways

ID sign at the junction of Federal Highway, Barton Highway & Northbourne Avenue, showing the transition from National Highway 23 to National Route 23. July 2007.

In 2013, RMS will be implementing a new alpha-numeric route numbering system. For more information, visit the RMS Website.
Forthcoming alpha-numeric route number:

Length: 321km

Northern Terminus: Hume Hwy, 17km S Goulburn

Southern Terminus: NSW/VIC Border, 43km S Bombala

Route Names: Federal Hwy, Northbourne Ave, Vernon Circle, Commonwealth Ave, State Circle (northbound)/Capital Circle (southbound), Canberra Ave, Monaro Hwy

Focal Points: Goulburn, Canberra, Cooma, Bombala, Orbost

RTA Internal Classification:
Federal Highway - State Highway 3
Monaro Highway - State Highway 19

Proclaimed a state highway:
Federal Highway - 7 Aug 1928
Monaro Highway - March 1938

Named:
Federal Highway - July 1928
Monaro Highway - June 1958

Route Overview:

National 23 is a north-south route through the south-eastern part of NSW. It provides a convenient alternate route to Sydney from the East Gippsland area of Victoria, as well as access between Sydney and Canberra which are arguably Australia's two most important cities.

National 23 is broken into 3 parts, the Federal Hwy in NSW, the arterial roads it utilises through Canberra and the Monaro Hwy south of Canberra. The route currently terminates at the NSW/VIC border north of Cann River, formerly extending south into Victoria to meet the Princes Hwy at Cann River. The Victoria section of this route was re-numbered B23 as part of the Victoria Statewide Rotue Numbering System in 2000-01.

National 23 was signposted on the Federal Hwy in 1956, two years after being designated as NR23. In 1974, this section was proclaimed a National Highway and therefore gained the green and gold shield. In 1962, NR23 signage was erected between Canberra and Cooma, later extended to Nimmitabel in 1967. In March 1985 sealing of NR23 within Victoria was completed and NSW finally sealed their last gravel section near the border in August 1999. It was around this time that NR23 was fully signed for the first time, only to be re-badged in Victoria during 2000-01.

Follow the links below to find more detailed information on each section of National Route 23.