It is a part of a motorway-standard link between Sydney and Canberra, and is also the main thoroughfare between those cities.

It runs 72.7 km (45.2 mi) southwest to Canberra, the national capital of Australia, where its southwestern end is located at the intersection of Northbourne Avenue and Barton Highway.

The Federal Highway passes the villages of Wollogorang, Collector and Sutton, as well as skirting the western side of the endorheic basin containing Lake George.

[8] Surveying and levelling had finished and work had started in April 1929[9] to connect to the NSW portion of the road, with the contract awarded to John Fowler (Aust) Ltd, to construct a 6-mile section of highway from Canberra (today Lyneham) to the interstate boundary.

[17] Media related to Federal Highway (Australia) at Wikimedia Commons *Partially limited-access          ^Partially controlled-access          roadway under construction