M5 - South Western Motorway

The first section of the South Western Motorway (M5) was constructed in 1974, between the Camden Valley Way and Narellan Road. The M5 - until 1993 known as the F5 - serves as an important arterial link through the south-western suburbs. The M5 designation ends at the Narellan Road interchange, but the freeway standard continues south-west from here to Berrima, some 70km distant, and is signed as National Highway 31 and called the Hume Highway.

The next section to be constructed was in 1984, between the Hume Highway at Casula and the Heathcote Road at Moorebank. This section was constructed with a traffic light at Moorebank Avenue, which still exists to this day. This traffic light is the only interruption to the full freeway standard from the north-eastern terminus at King Georges Road, Beverley Hills all the way to Berrima, and back-ups can still be seen every morning and afternoon at this intersection.

The section from the Heathcote Road to King Georges Road was opened in 1993, and was New South Wales' second tolled freeway (after the M4). The decision by the State Government to let a private consortia build this section rather than the government was met with some anger in the south-western suburbs, especially as much of this section was only one lane in each direction from Fairford Road (Metroad 6) to King Georges Road (Metroad 3). This section was only duplicated in mid-1999. Soon after in 1994, the "Casula missing link" was built between the Hume Highway and the Camden Valley Way.

Work to complete the M5 from King Georges Road to General Holmes Drive at the Airport is underway, and is expected to be completed in 2002. The previous right of way was slated to follow Wolli Creek, but due to environmental concerns, the freeway will now be tunneled through this sensitive area. When complete, the south-western suburbs of Sydney will be the only area of Sydney to have a direct freeway connection to Sydney's city centre.

Below is an exit guide to the M5, showing distances and destinations signed at each exit. Distances are not entirely accurate, being subject to the vagaries of my odometer. All comments and corrections are eagerly solicited; feel free to e-mail me at [email protected].

Distance (SW-bound)	SW-BOUND (Read Down)	NE-BOUND (Read Up)	OTHER - Services, Attractions, etc.
0km
2km	EXIT RAMP UNDER CONSTRUCTION	BELMORE RD Punchbowl Riverwood Peakhurst
4km	FAIRFORD RD Menai Bankstown Silverwater	FAIRFORD RD Bankstown Silverwater Menai South Coast	Toll Booth On SW-bound Exit Ramp
6km	THE RIVER RD Revesby		Toll Booth On SW-bound Exit Ramp
9km	HENRY LAWSON DRIVE East Hills Milperra Parramatta		Toll Booth On SW-bound Exit Ramp
11km	TOLL PLAZA - $2.50 (Passenger Cars)
13km	HEATHCOTE RD Heathcote	HEATHCOTE RD Liverpool Heathcote	LAST EXIT BEFORE TOLL (NE-bound)
15km
15km	MOOREBANK AVE Glenfield Army Engineer Museum	MOOREBANK AVE Liverpool	Traffic Lights Left Turn Only From Both Directions
16km
16km	HUME HIGHWAY Casula Liverpool North Coast	NO EXIT
20km	CAMDEN VALLEY WAY The Cross Roads Bringelly	CAMDEN VALLEY WAY Camden Liverpool North Coast	Camden Valley
24km	BROOKS RD Ingleburn	NO EXIT	Industrial Estate
30km	CAMPBELLTOWN RD Campbelltown	NO EXIT	Campbelltown
36km	NARELLAN ROAD Campbelltown Camden Bulli		University of Western Sydney - Macarthur Mount Annan Botanic Garden
36km	END START	END START