Alphanumeric

An alphanumeric shield used in Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia. Usually part of a larger sign, not stand alone as shown here.

NSW Alphanumeric

NSW style alphanumeric shield. Usually part of a larger sign, not stand alone. This image also represents the standalone alphanumeric shields used in other states.

Metroad

Once used solely in Sydney and Brisbane, and were used on major arterial routes through each city.

Sydney Ring Road

Introduced to Sydney during the 1970s, Sydney Ring Roads were pre-cursors to Metroads.

Alphanumeric National Highway

Once used in Queensland, Victoria and South Australia and is used to indicate Federal funding (Auslink) along a route. National Highways were major roads that linked large capital cities and selected large regional cities.

National Highway

Used in the Australian Capital Territory, Tasmania, Northern Territory and Western Australia and is used to indicate Federal funding (Auslink) along a route. National Highways are major roads that link large capital cities and selected large regional cities. Officially no longer in use in NSW, QLD, Vic and SA.

National Route

Used in ACT, NT and WA. And placed on major interregional routes. No longer officially used in NSW, QLD, SA & Vic. Never used in Tas.

Tourist Drive

Used in most states to indicate routes that have tourist interest sites along them. The ACT once used different coloured variations of the shield, with just the route number, for its tourist drives.

New South Wales
Freeway Shield

Used in NSW in the 1970s on freeways. Signposted routes include F1, F3, F4, F5, F6 and F8.

Queensland Freeway Shield

Used in QLD during the 1960s and 70s.

Victorian Freeway Shield

Used in the 1970s and 80s.

State Route Shield

Used right across Australia until the introduction of alphanumeric routes in NSW, Tas and Vic.