Road Photos & Information: South Australia
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Stuart Highway (National Highway 87) |
Statistics:
- Length: 2129 km (SA: 927 km)
- Northern Terminus: Northern Territory Border, 157 km northwest of Marla
- Southern Terminus: Eyre Highway, Port Augusta West
- Miscellaneous: Continues as NH87 in Northern Territory
- Suburbs, Towns & Localities along route: Port Augusta West, Pimba, Glendambo, Coober Pedy and Marla
Route Numbering:
- Former:
General Information:
The Stuart Highway is named after explorer John McDouall Stuart, the first European to cross Australia from South to North, and it generally follows his route. 1
It is a rural highway, which is very isolated, and acts as part of the main road link between Darwin, Alice Springs and Adelaide.
History:
- 1944: Completion of the Stuart Highway as a dirt track / gravel road as the main road link from SA to Darwin. 2
- 1978: Work to upgrade the Stuart Highway started. The conditions along the series of tracks that led from Port Augusta to the Northern Territory border were so severe that work could only done between April and October each year. Survey work took five years. Conditions for the road gangs were of concern and small towns sprang up which enabled families to live together. Aboriginal advisers were consulted on where the road could cross their lands. During construction of the Stuart Highway, road gangs had semi-permanent camps at Lake Hart, Baker’s Well and Bon Bon. While the road-work moved along the highway, survey work and the search for materials and water for construction was also in progress. 3
- 1981: Stuart Highway realigned 140 km to the west of Pimba and Woomera. 5
- 24 March 1987: Federal Minister for Transport Peter Morris opened the upgraded Stuart Highway. Three plaques were unveiled on a rock to commemorate the completion of the Highway. 2
- 1998: National Highway 87 replaced by National Highway A87.
Post-1998 photos presented below are remnants, missed during alphanumeric conversion.
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Reassurance Directional Sign:
Distance sign at Port Augusta West, December 2003.
Image © Michael Greenslade
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| Click here for the continuation of National Highway 87 in Northern Territory |
1 NT Government Chief Minister's Office
2 Government of South Australia
3 History Trust of South Australia
5 Government of South Australia, Outback Communities Authority, Glendambo
Last updated: 24-Sep-2020 23:46
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