Wikipedia

Stuart Highway

This article is about the Australian highway. For the EastEnders character, seeStuart Highway (EastEnders).
Not to be confused withSturt Highway.

Stuart Highwayis a majorAustralianhighway. It runs fromDarwin,in theNorthern Territory,viaTennant CreekandAlice Springs,toPort AugustainSouth Australia;it has a distance of 2,720 km (1,690 mi). Its northern and southern extremities are segments of Australia'sHighway 1.The principal north–south route through the central interior of mainland Australia, the highway is often referred to simply as "The Track".

Stuart Highway

Northern Territory
–South Australia
The highway in the far north of South Australia
Map of mainland Australia with the Stuart Highway highlighted in red
Coordinates
General information
TypeHighway
Length2,720 km (1,690 mi)[1]
Route number(s)
  • A1(2017–present)
    (Darwin–Daly Waters)
  • A87(2017–present)
    (Daly Waters–Port Augusta)
Former
route number
  • National Highway 1(1974–2017)
  • National Route 1(1955–1974)
    (Darwin–Daly Waters)
  • National Highway A87(1998–2017)
    (NT/SA border–Port Augusta)
  • National Highway 87(1974–1998/2017)
    (Daly Waters–Port Augusta)
  • National Route 87(1955–1974)
    (Daly Waters–Port Augusta)
Major junctions
North endDaly Street
Darwin
South endEyre Highway
Augusta Highway
Port Augusta, South Australia
Location(s)
RegionFar North[2]
Major settlementsKatherine,Daly Waters,Tennant Creek,Alice Springs,Coober Pedy
Highway system

The highway is named after Scottish explorerJohn McDouall Stuart,who was the first European to cross Australia from south to north.[3]The highway approximates the route Stuart took.

Route description

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Overview

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The highway passes through theWoomera Prohibited Area

Stuart Highway runs fromDarwin, Northern Territory,in the north, viaTennant CreekandAlice Springs,toPort Augusta,South Australia,in the south – a distance of 2,720 km (1,690 mi).

TheRoyal Flying Doctor Serviceuses the highway as an emergency landing strip and sections of the highway are signed to that effect. These sections of highway have been specially selected and prepared for the landing of aircraft which only takes place after the piece of road has been closed by the police.[citation needed]

There are petrol and other facilities (meals, toilets, etc.) available at reasonable intervals (usually around 200 km (120 mi)) and more frequent rest stops. Some of the rest stops are located at scenic points with information boards, but others are little more than a picnic table and a rubbish bin in an otherwise deserted area.

Northern Territory

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Stuart Highway intersection inBerrimah, Northern Territory

The Northern Territory section of the Stuart Highway starts from the edge of theDarwincentral business district at Daly Street and continues as a dual-carriageway to theArnhem HighwayinHoward Springs.The highway continues 317 km (197 mi) south passing theKakadu Highwayto theVictoria HighwayatKatherine.

AtDaly Waters,the route number changes from A1 to A87. The highway then continues 673 km (418 mi) south passing theRoper Highway,theCarpentaria Highwayand theBuchanan Highwayto theBarkly HighwayatTennant Creek.The highway continues 508 km (316 mi) south intoAlice Springspassing thePlenty Highway.It passes through theMacdonnell Rangesand finally crosses theNorthern Territory/South Australiaborder south ofKulgera.[4]

The highway was only fully sealed in February 1987 as part of theAustralian Bicentenaryroadworks programme.[5]There are no police patrolling the majority of this remote highway and until the end of 2006 there was no speed limit outside towns and other built-up areas on the Northern Territory part.[6]The unrestricted limit has now been generally set at 130 kilometres per hour (80 mph). The bulk of the Northern Territory's population not living in Darwin lies along its track.

South Australia

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Sign near the southern end of the highway atPort Augusta West

Stuart Highway passes through theFar Northregion toPort Augusta.The highway passes through theWoomera Prohibited Areawhere travellers may not leave the road. The highway continues south-east towards Adelaide.

History

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Background

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John McDouall Stuartled the first successful expedition to traverse the Australian mainland from south to north and return, through the centre of the continent, in 1861–1862. In 1871–72 theAustralian Overland Telegraph Linewas constructed along Stuart's route. The principal road fromPort AugustatoDarwinwas also established on a similar route.

A track developed along the route of the telegraph,[7]and by 1888 the road between Adelaide and Alice Springs was well known.[8]Several wells along the route provided water, although these could run dry or be contaminated by dead animals, resulting in sections as long as 144 miles (232 km) without water.[9]

The route was traversed by motor vehicles in the 1920s. While passable, sections of the road could be sandy, boggy, washed away in the winter, or rugged with boulders. Several creek crossings were required, though few were difficult.[10][11]North of Alice Springs the road was in comparatively good condition, with sections allowing speeds of up to 50 miles per hour (80 km/h).[12]

The highway after rain in the 1940s while in the process of being upgraded, c1940s
The highway after rain in the 1940s while in the process of being upgraded, c1940s
An army convoy taking at rest in the 1940s
Work on the Stuart Highway south of Alice Springs (Mparntwe) by the Northern Territory Public Works Department, c1958
Work on the Stuart Highway south of Alice Springs (Mparntwe), c1958

Highway planning and construction

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With the onset ofWorld War II,supply roads leading to the north of the country were considered vital by thefederal government.[13][14] A central north–south highway was planned to connect therailheadsat Alice Springs andBirdum,[15] with surveying completed in August 1940. The task of constructing the highway was split between the Main Roads Departments[16]of three states, to ensure completion before the next wet season. New South Wales would construct the northern section of 91 miles (146 km), Queensland the central section of 90 miles (145 km), and South Australia the southern section of 131 miles (211 km).[17][18]

The Alice Springs–Birdum road was completed by December 1940,[19]– upgraded from an often impassable track to an all-weather sealed highway that could cope with heavy military traffic.[13][14]The 306-mile (492 km) highway was built in under 90 days. In one week, 11 miles (18 km) was constructed, which was claimed to be a world record.[16]The new highway, in conjunction with the railways at either end, reduced the impact of Darwin's isolation. Quick and efficient movement of military equipment and troop was possible, with the road remaining open throughout the wet season.[20]

By March 1941, military authorities advocated extending the Alice Springs–Birdum road to Darwin. During the wet season, the road north of Birdum was impassable, which meant that a single railway line was the only connection through to Darwin.[21]Construction was underway by October 1941, once again at a fast pace in an attempt to finish before the next wet season.[22]The road was nearing completion in July 1942,[23]although some sections were yet to be bitumenised.[24][25]

Speed limits

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There was no absolute speed limit in the Northern Territory before 1 January 2007 but maximum speed limits are now posted throughout the Stuart Highway. Previously, drivers were simply required to drive at a safe speed to suit the conditions. Thus, the Northern Territory section of the Stuart Highway had no speed limits at all.[26]The Northern Territory traffic laws were updated from 1 January 2007 to be similar to the rest of Australia. This included placing a speed limit on all roads (130 km/h or 81 mph on major highways such as the Stuart Highway) and significantly increasing penalties for speeding.[27][28]

The South Australian section is signposted as 110 km/h (68 mph) outside built-up regions, between Port Augusta and the Northern Territory border.

In October 2013 the NT Government announced a trial period of reverting to an open speed limit on the 200 km (120 mi) stretch between Alice Springs and Barrow Creek, beginning 1 February 2014.[29][30]In September 2015, following the conclusion of the trial, a 276 km (171 mi) stretch of the highway had its speed limits derestricted.[31]However, speed limits were restored to this stretch in November 2016; the highest is 130 km/h (81 mph).[32]

In March 2021, the road was closed due to a serious accident 500 km north of Adelaide at Wirraminna where the road collapsed due to burning diesel fuel that melted the road's plastic culverts. Plastic culverts had been used in place of concrete as they were seen as the best material for this particular location as the flood plain of the river is acidic and can destroy concrete culverts.

The road was closed while repair works took place. The asphalt also had to be given time to cure and the section of road underwent testing with aroad train.With this now complete, both lanes are reopened with speed restrictions in place. Traffic signage is now in place and road users are asked to take extra care while travelling through this section of road.[33]

Junctions

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State/TerritoryLGA[34]Location[1][35]km[1]miDestinationsNotes
Northern TerritoryDarwinDarwin00.0Daly Street–DarwinNorthern terminus of highway and route A1 spur
LitchfieldHumpty Doo4025Arnhem Highway–Jabiru,Kakadu National Park
Livingstone4830Cox Peninsula Road(B34)–Berry Springs,Cox Peninsula
Victoria DalyPine Creek226140Kakadu Highway–Jabiru,Kakadu National Park
KatherineKatherine320200Victoria Highway(A1)–Kununurra,Broome,PerthRoute A1 continues west along Victoria Highway, southern terminus of route A1 spur
Venn370230Central Arnhem Road(C24)–Bulman,Nhulunbuy
Roper GulfMataranka420260Roper Highway(B20)–Ngukurr
Daly Waters590370Carpentaria Highway(B1)–BorroloolaSouthern terminus of route A1, route B1 continues east along Carpentaria Highway
Northern terminus of route A87
Birdum625388Buchanan Highway(C80)–Top Springs
BarklyWarumungu965600Barkly Highway(National Highway 66) –Mount Isa,Cloncurry"Threeways", north ofTennant Creek
MacDonnellBurt Plain1,431889Plenty Highway(C12)–Atitjere,TobermoreySandover Highwaybranches after 27 km
1,479919Tanami Road(C5)–Yuendumu,Halls Creek
Alice SpringsAlice Springs1,499931Larapinta Drive(B6)–Hermannsburg,Kings Canyon
MacDonnellErldunda1,7001,100Lasseter Highway(A4)–Hermannsburg,Uluru (Ayers Rock)
State border1,7901,110Northern Territory – South Australia state border
South AustraliaPastoral Unincorporated AreaMarla1,9481,210Oodnadatta Track–Oodnadatta,William Creek,Marree
Coober PedyCoober Pedy2,1831,356Anne Beadell Highway–Emu Field,Neale Junction,Laverton
Pastoral Unincorporated AreaPimba2,5481,583Olympic Dam Highway(B97) –Woomera,Roxby Downs,Olympic Dam,Andamooka
Port AugustaPort Augusta West2,7191,690Eyre Highway(A1 west) –Ceduna,Norseman,Perth
Augusta Highway(A1 east) –Snowtown,Port Wakefield,Adelaide		Southern terminus of highway and route A87
1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi

Motor racing

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Solar car "Tokai Challenger" during the 2009 World Solar Challenge

Motor races have been proposed or undertaken on the highway since the 1950s.[36][37][38]

In 1994 the first and onlyCannonball Runin Australia ran from Darwin toYularaand back again. Based onsimilar eventsin the United States, this event ended in tragedy when an out of controlFerrari F40[39]crashed into a checkpoint south of Alice Springs, resulting in the death of the two event officials manning the checkpoint as well as the two competitors.[40]The remainder of the race had a 180 km/h (112 mph) speed limit imposed to prevent further accidents.

Stuart Highway is the highway taken in theWorld Solar Challenge.The 3,000 kilometres (1,900 mi) race starts in Darwin, follows Stuart Highway to Port Augusta, and thenHighway 1through to Adelaide.[41]

Engineering heritage award

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Stuart Highway North received a Historic Engineering Marker fromEngineers Australiaas part of itsEngineering Heritage Recognition Program.[42]

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^abc"Stuart Highway"(Map).Google Maps.Retrieved18 June2022.
  2. ^"Location SA Map viewer with regional layers".Government of South Australia.Archivedfrom the original on 23 March 2023.Retrieved16 June2022.
  3. ^Exploring the Stuart Highway: further than the eye can see,1997, p. 6
  4. ^"Stuart Highway"(Press release). Australian Towns, Cities and Highways. Archived fromthe originalon 29 August 2008.Retrieved11 April2008.
  5. ^Black all the way from Adelaide through to DarwinTruck & Bus TransportationApril 1986 page 8
  6. ^Chris Burns(19 November 2004)."Minister Opposes Speedometer Limits"(Press release).Government of the Northern Territory.Archived fromthe originalon 21 July 2005.Retrieved11 June2006.
  7. ^Brownrigg, Blake (25 August 1950)."Up North: Highway of the Past and Future".Barrier Miner.New South Wales, Australia. p. 4.Retrieved29 March2017– viaTrove(National Library of Australia).
  8. ^"Minerals in the Macdonnell Ranges".The Express and Telegraph(Second ed.). South Australia. 5 October 1888. p. 4.Retrieved29 March2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  9. ^"Correspondence".Northern Territory Times and Gazette.Northern Territory, Australia. 7 April 1899. p. 3.Retrieved29 March2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  10. ^"Overland Motor Race".Observer.South Australia. 23 August 1924. p. 26.Retrieved29 March2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  11. ^"Notes and Notices".The Australasian.Victoria, Australia. 6 June 1925. p. 46.Retrieved29 March2017– via National Library of Australia.The road from Katherine to Darwin was very bad, and their motor-car was bogged many times.
  12. ^Madigan, C. T. (17 December 1927)."Notes on Central Australia: A Drought-stricken Region".Observer.South Australia. p. 21.Retrieved7 April2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  13. ^ab"A History of Australian Road and Rail"(PDF).Department of Infrastructure and Transport, Australian Government. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 17 March 2012.Retrieved18 March2017.
  14. ^ab"History Of Roads In Australia".1301.0 – Year Book Australia, 1974.Australian Bureau of Statistics.25 January 1974.Archivedfrom the original on 15 December 2018.Retrieved18 March2017.
  15. ^"Rush Job On Highway".The News.South Australia. 24 August 1940. p. 4.Retrieved7 April2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  16. ^ab"Engineers Show The World".The Sydney Morning Herald.15 February 1941. p. 9.Retrieved10 April2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  17. ^"New All Weather Highway".Northern Standard.Northern Territory, Australia. 20 August 1940. p. 5.Retrieved7 April2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  18. ^"Queensland Section of Inland Road Well Up to Schedule".The Telegraph(City Final ed.). Queensland, Australia. 1 November 1940. p. 3.Retrieved10 April2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  19. ^"Answer to Correspondent".Northern Standard.Northern Territory, Australia. 3 January 1941. p. 10.Retrieved10 April2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  20. ^"Australia's" Great North Road ": New Highway Has Romance and Strategic Importance".The Australasian.Victoria, Australia. 10 May 1941. p. 12.Retrieved2 June2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  21. ^"Link All States".Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate.New South Wales, Australia. 12 March 1941. p. 5.Retrieved2 June2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  22. ^"New Roads are Spanning a Continent".Week-end Magazine.The Argus.Victoria, Australia. 11 October 1941. p. 1.Retrieved1 September2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  23. ^"North–South Road".The West Australian.Western Australia. 23 July 1942. p. 3.Retrieved1 September2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  24. ^"The Mne and the Road".The Argus.Victoria, Australia. 25 July 1942. p. 1.Retrieved1 September2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  25. ^"Alice Springs, Darwin Road".The Central Queensland Herald.Queensland, Australia. 3 September 1942. p. 17.Retrieved1 September2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  26. ^"Section 3 The Driving Rules".Road Users' Handbook(PDF).Northern Territory Government, Department of Planning and Infrastructure. 2006. p. 59.ISBN0-7245-4869-6.Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 19 May 2006.Retrieved11 June2006.
  27. ^"Speed limits to be introduced on NT open roads".7:30 Report.ABC.2 November 2006.Archivedfrom the original on 17 April 2008.Retrieved5 January2007.
  28. ^"Motorists caught breaking new speed limit".ABC.2 January 2007.Archivedfrom the original on 9 January 2007.Retrieved5 January2007.
  29. ^"Open speed limit on trial and under fire".The Australian.16 October 2013.Archivedfrom the original on 8 June 2014.Retrieved13 December2013.
  30. ^"Peak medical bodies unite to condemn Northern Territory trial of unlimited road speeds".ABC.17 January 2014.Archivedfrom the original on 31 January 2014.Retrieved27 January2014.
  31. ^Charlwood, Sam (3 September 2015)."NT speed limits permanently derestricted".Drive.Sydney: Fairfax Media. Archived fromthe originalon 24 March 2016.Retrieved18 January2016.
  32. ^Hinchliffe, Mark (3 November 2016)."NT restricts speed despite evidence".Australia: Motorbike Rider. Archived fromthe originalon 14 November 2016.Retrieved4 December2016.
  33. ^"PICTURED: Woman killed, partner critical after explosive head-on collision".7 March 2021.
  34. ^"Location SA Map viewer with LGA layers".Government of South Australia.Archivedfrom the original on 27 March 2023.Retrieved16 June2022.
  35. ^"Location SA Map viewer with suburb layers".Government of South Australia.Archivedfrom the original on 23 March 2023.Retrieved16 June2022.
  36. ^"Stuart Highway Race Challenge".Townsville Daily Bulletin.Queensland, Australia. 12 August 1950. p. 3.Retrieved2 June2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  37. ^"2,000-Mile Race?".Brisbane Telegraph.Queensland, Australia. 22 November 1950. p. 8.Retrieved2 June2017– via Trove (National Library of Australia).
  38. ^"Fined For Record Attempt".The Examiner (Tasmania).Tasmania, Australia. 4 August 1951. p. 8.Retrieved2 June2017– via National Library of Australia.
  39. ^"Motorsport Memorial -".Archivedfrom the original on 19 October 2020.Retrieved9 October2009.
  40. ^Cass, Rebecca (2001)."Cop swaps crooks for corks (page 17)"(PDF).The Drum, 2001: Farewells.Northern Territory Police, Fire and Emergency Services. Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 7 September 2006.Retrieved12 June2006.
  41. ^"Route Map".World Solar Challenge.Archivedfrom the original on 2 June 2017.Retrieved2 June2017.
  42. ^"Stuart Highway North, 1940-".Engineers Australia.Archivedfrom the original on 19 September 2024.Retrieved7 May2020.

Bibliography

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  • Exploring the Stuart Highway: further than the eye can see.West Beach, South Australia: Tourist Information Distributors Australia, 1997. ISSN 1326-6039

Further reading

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Map all coordinates usingOpenStreetMap

Download coordinates as:

22°37′12″S133°20′42″E/ 22.620°S 133.345°E/-22.620; 133.345(Stuart Highway)

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