Description: National Highway 8 is one of the rare National Highways in Victoria. It is a left over section of what is now M8, which begins at M80. No doubt this will one day be replaced. The route runs along Flemington Road in Parkville, through the western suburbs of Melbourne until it hits M80 (Western Ring Road). NH8 turns into National Highway M8, heading off to Adelaide. According to Melway Street Directory, the eastern end is on Flemington Road at Harker Street, but driving along Flemmington Road before that point you will see a trailblazer or two. About one half of the route is a duplex or triplex. The first being with NH79, the next with MR83, then MR35 joins (this was once also National 1, which for a while was ALT1). This section is labelled Princes Highway, as it joins in Footscray, the name having preference over Western Highway. This is also the case at the western end of A8 in South Australia.

Length: NH8 is 15km in length.

Condition: NH8 is a divided four to six lane road for about 7.5 km. Other sections are four lane undivided road characterised by car yards (like NH31). There are also tram lines in sections. The Flemington Road section consists of three carriageways, the centre one being a wide four lane road with tram lines.

Click on a thumbnail below to view the entire image:

	Trailblazer on Peel Street at the big roundabout in North Melbourne. This is the first sign of NH8.
	ID sign at the big roundabout (Elizabeth St/Peel St/Flemmington Rd). According to Melway, NH8 should start 2/3 km away. Dec 2004
	TB just south of the big roundabout on Elizabeth Street. Dec 2004
	Looking south-east down Flemington Road, Parkville. NH8 ends just under 1km away (according to Melway). Dec 2004
	ID sign along Flemington Road at Racecourse Road in North Melbourne. Note the ALT1, which stopped about 4km south. Dec 2004
	Trailblazers facing south-east on Flemmington Road as it crosses Racecourse Road. The left arrow on NH8 should be facing straight ahead. Dec 2004
	Various signs on Racecourse Road facing west. Again, ALT1 is still signed. Dec 2004
	Heading west along Racecourse Road as it passes under Western Link and Upfield railway line. Dec 2004
	ID sign on Racecourse Road in Newmarket. Dec 2004
	Triplex trailblazers along Smithfield Road at Epsom Road. Dec 2004
	Crossing the Maribyrnong River. The westbound bridge is clearly the original crossing before the road was divided. Dec 2004
	West along Ballarat Road (Princes Highway), Footscray. Dec 2004
	RD sign eastbound along Ballarat Road. Although NH8 is named Western Highway, the former National 1 route (Princes Highway) joins just west of here, and the name has preference over Western Highway. I took this one through my rear view mirror with the ultra zoom and inverted it. Dec 2004
	Heading west where Geelong Road (Princes Highway MR83) branches off to the left, as NH8 continues up Ballarat Road. Dec 2004
	Old ID sign at the same intersection. Note the coverplates. You can see the old ALT1 (which probably covers a National 1 shield) covered by MR83. Dec 2004
	Heading west along Ballarat Road through Footscray. Victoria University is on the right. Dec 2004
	RD sign facing east in Maidstone. Dec 2004
	Heading east in Maidstone. Dec 2004
	Trailblazer facing west in Maidstone. Dec 2004
	Heading east at Churchill Avenue, Maidstone. This was once named Churchill Highway. Dec 2004i
	West at the same intersection. Note the crowded sign additions. Dec 2004
	Heading east as the divided Ballarat Road becomes a single road. Mitchell Street joins MR38/39. Dec 2004
	RD sign heading east (well I was heading west but did a U-turn after this) in Sunshine. Dec 2004
	Facing east in Maidstone. Dec 2004
	Heading east in Sunshine. Dec 2004
	ID sign at McIntyre Road intersection, Sunshine. Dec 2004
	Approaching Western Ring Road (M80) as NH80 becomes NHM8. Dec 2004
	ID sign viewed from southbound exit lane into Western Highway. Dec 2004

 

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