Horrocks Highway is a major north–south arterial route through regional South Australia, between Quorn in the Flinders Ranges, and Gawler, on the north-eastern fringe of suburban Adelaide.[3]

Horrocks Highway

Horrocks Highway is located in South Australia
North end
North end
South end
South end
Coordinates
General information
TypeHighway
Length283 km (176 mi)[1]
Route number(s) B82 (1998–present)
Entire route
Former
route number
  • National Route 83 (1955–1998)
    (Bungaree–Giles Corner)
  • National Route 32 (1955–1998)
    (Giles Corner–Gawler)
Major junctions
North end Flinders Ranges Way
Quorn, South Australia
 
South endMain North Road
Gawler, South Australia
Location(s)
RegionYorke and Mid North, Barossa Light and Lower North[2]
Major settlementsWilmington, Gladstone, Clare, Giles Corner
Highway system

Route

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Horrocks Highway commences at the intersection with Flinders Ranges Way in Quorn and heads in a southerly direction as a single carriageway, two-lane road, through the grain fields around the regional towns of Wilmingon at the eastern side of Horrocks Pass, continuing south to cross the Broughton River near Yacka. It leaves the southern Flinders Ranges, crosses the Hutt River and enters the northern end of the Clare Valley, with the dominant scenery changes from grain crops to grapevines from Clare to Auburn. Over the next ridge, it crosses the Wakefield River and returns to undulating land cleared for grain cropping then follows the Gilbert River to Giles Corner where Barrier Highway branches northeast towards Riverton and Burra. It crosses the Light River and the environment changes again, grain storage bunkers and silos to urban build-up, before eventually terminating at the interchange with Sturt Highway, and continues south into central Gawler and into suburban Adelaide as the remaining alignment of Main North Road.

As Horrocks Highway is in the valley between the southern Flinders Ranges and northern Mount Lofty Ranges, it is in the relatively wetter climate south of Goyder's Line.

History

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The highway follows the route established in the early years of the colony by explorer John Horrocks and was a major route for farmers and graziers to reach the capital, passing through rich farmland and the Clare Valley wine region.

Horrocks Highway was previously declared as part of Main North Road, from Wilmington to Gawler Belt; this section was renamed in 2011 to honour John Horrocks, an early explorer and pioneer in the region.[4] Main North Road originally turned west in Wilmington through Horrocks Pass to join Augusta Highway in Winninowie; this has been separately declared as Horrocks Pass Road as part of route B56, while Horrocks Highway continues north beyond Wilmington as part of route B82 to Quorn.[5]

Major intersections

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LGA[6]Location[1][3]km[1]miDestinationsNotes
Flinders RangesQuorn0.00.0  Flinders Ranges Way (B83) – Stirling North, HawkerNorthern terminus of highway and route B82
Mount RemarkableWilmington39.024.2  Horrocks Pass Road (B56 west) – WinninowieConcurrency with route B56
41.625.8  Willowie Road (B56 east) – Orroroo, Peterborough
Melrose68.342.4White Wells Road – Booleroo Centre
Murray Town77.748.3Nukunu Yarta Way – Booleroo Centre
80.750.1Germein Gorge Road – Port Germein
Northern AreasLaura108.367.3Possum Park Road – Crystal Brook
Gladstone118.373.5  Wilkins Highway (B79) – Crystal Brook, Jamestown, Hallett
119.974.5Crystal Brook–Broken Hill railway line
Gulnare140.287.1  Goyder Highway (B64 west) – Crystal BrookConcurrency with route B64
142.388.4  Goyder Highway (B64 east) – Spalding, Burra, Renmark
WakefieldBrinkworth168.3104.6Condowie Plain Road – Snowtown
Clare and Gilbert ValleysBungaree178.1110.7Bungaree Road (north) – Bungaree
180.9112.4  RM Williams Way (B80) – Spalding, Jamestown
186.6115.9Bungaree Road (south) – Bungaree
Clare193.1120.0Blyth Road – Blyth, Lochiel
194.0120.5Farrell Flat Road – Hanson, Burra
Auburn218.3135.6  Balaklava Road (B84 west) – Balaklava, Port WakefieldConcurrency with route B84
218.5135.8  Saddleworth Road (B84 east) – Saddleworth
Wakefield River223.2138.7Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown)
Clare and Gilbert ValleysGiles Corner242.8150.9  Barrier Highway (A32) – Burra, Hallett, Broken HillNorthbound entrance to and southbound exit from Barrier Highway only
Tarlee248.3154.3Tarlee Road – Kapunda
Light River258.1160.4Linwood Bridge
LightTemplers271.4168.6Owen Road (northwest) – Hamley Bridge, Owen, Balaklava
Templers Road (east) – Freeling
Gawler Belt282.4175.5  Thiele Highway (B81) – Freeling, Kapunda, Eudunda, Morgan
283.0175.8  Sturt Highway (A20) – Adelaide, Nuriootpa, Renmark
Main North Road – Gawler, Salisbury, Gepps Cross, North AdelaideSouthern terminus of highway and route B82, continues south as Main North Road
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Horrocks Highway" (Map). Google Maps. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  2. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with regional layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  3. ^ a b "Location SA Map viewer with suburb layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.
  4. ^ "Highways renamed" (PDF). The Flinders News. Rural Press. 31 August 2011. Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 September 2014. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  5. ^ "Highway One gets a change of name". Plains Producer. 19 August 2011. Retrieved 4 September 2014.
  6. ^ "Location SA Map viewer with LGA layers". Government of South Australia. Retrieved 16 June 2022.