State Route 153

Melba Highway to Midland Highway

Intersectional Directional Sign at Whatton Place, Yea.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1994).

Designated Names Name List - Column 1 & 2 Current Route Number (Post 1998) Column 3	Melba Highway	Maroondah Highway, Coldstream - Goulburn Valley Highway, Yea	B300
	Goulburn Valley Highway	Melba Highway, Yea - Maroondah Link Highway, Cathkin	B300
	Maroondah Link Highway	Goulburn Valley Highway, Cathkin - Maroondah Highway, Yarck	B300
	Maroondah Highway	Maroondah Link Highway, Yarck - Midland Link Highway, Maindample	B300
	Midland Link Highway	Maroondah Highway, Maindample - Midland Highway, Barjarg	B300
	Midland Highway	Midland Link Highway, Barjarg - Benalla-Winton Road, Benalla	B300 / A300
Distance in Kilometres	237
Northern Terminus	Benalla - Winton Road, Benalla
Southern Terminus	Maroondah Highway, Coldstream
Lifespan	1986 - 1998
Duplexes Route - Column 1 Path - Column 2 Length (km) - Column 3	State Route 168	Melba Highway, Yea - Goulburn Valley Highway, Cathkin	18
Former Route Numbers Route & Period - Column 1 Path - Column 2 Length (km) - Column 3	National Route 31 (1955 - 1974)	Baddaginnie - Benalla Road, Benalla - Benalla - Winton Road, Benalla	2
	National Highway 31 (1974 - 1986)	Baddaginnie - Benalla Road, Benalla - Benalla - Winton Road, Benalla	2

State Route 153 (SR153) navigated along the foothills of the Great Dividing Range, passing through the Yarra and Goulburn Valleys. The route followed a collection of north - south highways between Coldstream and Benalla, where the route was prioritised as an alternative to the Hume Freeway from eastern Melbourne.

The route was introduce as part of the original 1986 plan - extending from the Maroondah Highway at Coldstream via Melba Highway to Yea, the Goulburn Valley Highway to Caithkin, then via Maroondah Highway to Midland Link Highway bypassing Mansfield, and finally taking the Midland Highway to Benalla. Between Melba Highway at Yea and Goulburn Valley Highway turnoff at Cathkin, SR153 duplexed with SR168. The route is 2 laned single carriageway, typical for rural highways.

SR153 had an alternative route which spurred off into the town centre of Mansfield, via Maroondah Highway and Midland Highway.

In 1998, the entire route was progressively replaced by B300 between Coldstream and the Hume Freeway and by A300 north of the Hume Freeway as part of the Statewide Route Numbering Scheme. Signage designs indicate that new signs along the Melba Highway with the B300 route number were initally coverplated with SR153 until the green light for introduction was given.

Further Reading

Alternative State Route 153

B300
A300

Photos

Remnant SR153 trailblazer (TB) northbound on McIntyre Lane before Melba Highway. April 2005.

Advance Direction Sign (AD) westbound on Kinglake - Healesville Rd before Melba Highway.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1994).

Coverplated Reassurance Directional Sign (RD) northbound from Kinglake - Healesville Rd. April 2005.

AD northbound on Melba Highway before Kinglake - Healesville Rd.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1994).

Intersectional Directional Sign (ID) at Whatton Place, Yea.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1994).

TBs at Whatton Pl, Yea.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1995).

AD westbound on Goulburn Valley Highway before Whatton Place.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads.

TBs at Limestone Rd / Goulburn Valley hwy intersection.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1995).

TBs at Molesworth - Dropmore Rd.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads (1995).

RD eastbound along SR153/168 Duplex.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads.

AD on Goulburn Valley Highway eastbound before Maroondah Link Highway intersection.
Photo courtesy of Vicroads.