# Horrocks Highway

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.

## Route

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

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. 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.

## Major intersections

| LGA | Location | km | mi | Destinations | Notes |
| Flinders Ranges | Quorn | 0.0 | 0.0 | Flinders Ranges Way (B83) – Stirling North, Hawker | Northern terminus of highway and route B82 |
| Mount Remarkable | Wilmington | 39.0 | 24.2 | Horrocks Pass Road (B56 west) – Winninowie | Concurrency with route B56 |
| Mount Remarkable | Wilmington | 41.6 | 25.8 | Willowie Road (B56 east) – Orroroo, Peterborough | Concurrency with route B56 |
| Mount Remarkable | Melrose | 68.3 | 42.4 | White Wells Road – Booleroo Centre | |
| Mount Remarkable | Murray Town | 77.7 | 48.3 | Nukunu Yarta Way – Booleroo Centre | |
| Mount Remarkable | Murray Town | 80.7 | 50.1 | Germein Gorge Road – Port Germein | |
| Northern Areas | Laura | 108.3 | 67.3 | Possum Park Road – Crystal Brook | |
| Northern Areas | Gladstone | 118.3 | 73.5 | Wilkins Highway (B79) – Crystal Brook, Jamestown, Hallett | |
| Northern Areas | Gladstone | 119.9 | 74.5 | Crystal Brook–Broken Hill railway line | Crystal Brook–Broken Hill railway line |
| Northern Areas | Gulnare | 140.2 | 87.1 | Goyder Highway (B64 west) – Crystal Brook | Concurrency with route B64 |
| Northern Areas | Gulnare | 142.3 | 88.4 | Goyder Highway (B64 east) – Spalding, Burra, Renmark | Concurrency with route B64 |
| Wakefield | Brinkworth | 168.3 | 104.6 | Condowie Plain Road – Snowtown | |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Bungaree | 178.1 | 110.7 | Bungaree Road (north) – Bungaree | |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Bungaree | 180.9 | 112.4 | RM Williams Way (B80) – Spalding, Jamestown | |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Bungaree | 186.6 | 115.9 | Bungaree Road (south) – Bungaree | |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Clare | 193.1 | 120.0 | Blyth Road – Blyth, Lochiel | |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Clare | 194.0 | 120.5 | Farrell Flat Road – Hanson, Burra | |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Auburn | 218.3 | 135.6 | Balaklava Road (B84 west) – Balaklava, Port Wakefield | Concurrency with route B84 |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Auburn | 218.5 | 135.8 | Saddleworth Road (B84 east) – Saddleworth | Concurrency with route B84 |
| Wakefield River | Wakefield River | 223.2 | 138.7 | Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown) | Bridge over the river (bridge name unknown) |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Giles Corner | 242.8 | 150.9 | Barrier Highway (A32) – Burra, Hallett, Broken Hill | Northbound entrance to and southbound exit from Barrier Highway only |
| Clare and Gilbert Valleys | Tarlee | 248.3 | 154.3 | Tarlee Road – Kapunda | |
| Light River | Light River | 258.1 | 160.4 | Linwood Bridge | Linwood Bridge |
| Light | Templers | 271.4 | 168.6 | Owen Road (northwest) – Hamley Bridge, Owen, Balaklava Templers Road (east) – Freeling | |
| Light | Gawler Belt | 282.4 | 175.5 | Thiele Highway (B81) – Freeling, Kapunda, Eudunda, Morgan | |
| Light | Gawler Belt | 283.0 | 175.8 | Sturt Highway (A20) – Adelaide, Nuriootpa, Renmark | |
| Light | Gawler Belt | 283.0 | 175.8 | Main North Road – Gawler, Salisbury, Gepps Cross, North Adelaide | Southern terminus of highway and route B82, continues south as Main North Road |
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi Concurrency terminus Incomplete access Route transition ||||||