Riddoch Highway 

The Riddoch Highway, one of the newest highways in Australia was proclaimed in the late 1990's and links the Dukes Highway at Keith with the Princes Highway at Mount Gambier. Despite its recent formation, the highway has been a highly trafficable route for many years as it provides the quickest link from Adelaide to the large south-eastern centres of Naracoorte and Mount Gambier. Although the Princes Highway connects the region with Adelaide, the Riddoch & Dukes Highway provide a faster travel time and more favourable road conditions.

Starting at the town of Keith, the Riddoch Highway bypasses the town to the west and heads south into dry cattle and sheep grazing areas which eventually change to accommodate vineyards as it passes through the small town of Padthaway before reaching the large town of Naracoorte. The highway continues south, to the east of the Bool Lagoon and through farmland consisting of a mixture of sheep, cattle & grain industries before reaching the Coonawarra & Penola region where vineyards and wine production are dominant. From Penola, the highway heads through the small timber towns of Nangwarry and Tarpeena, passing through rich dairying countryside before reaching the busy commercial centre of Mount Gambier.

State: South Australia
Name Origin: The highway is named after John Riddoch, responsible for the formation of the wine/grape growing industry in the Coonawarra/Penola region.
Pronunciation: Ri-dock Highway
Start: Dukes Highway (Keith)
Principal Towns: Keith, Naracoorte, Penola, Nangwarry, Tarpeena, Mount Gambier
Finish: Princes Highway (Mount Gambier)
Length: 213km
Road Standard: All bitumen.
Road Quality: Good. Some narrow sections between Keith and Naracoorte. Terrain encountered is generally flat with many overtaking opportunities available.
Speed Limit (outside built up areas): 110km/hr
Road Continuation: Click here for the Dukes Highway, Click here for the Princes Highway in South Australia

Photos from the Riddoch Highway (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):

	Looking north-west along the Dukes Highway approaching the junction with the Riddoch Highway, Keith (2006).
	Distance sign, heading south along the Riddoch Highway from Keith (2006).
	The Riddoch Highway, looking north between Keith and Padthaway (2006).
	Heading north on the Riddoch Hwy between Keith and Padthaway (2006).
	Directional sign on the Riddoch Hwy, heading north from Padthaway (2006).
	Looking south along the Riddoch Hwy as it passes through Padthaway (2006).
	Distance sign, heading south-east on the Riddoch Hwy from Padthaway (2006).
	Heading south on Stewart Tce (Riddoch Hwy) as it approaches the Wimmera Hwy junction, Naracoorte (2006).
	Looking north along the Riddoch Hwy as it approaches the Coonawarra turnoff (2006).
	The Riddoch Hwy, heading south between Naracoorte and Penola (2006).
	Distance sign, heading south on the Riddoch Hwy from Penola (2006).
	Looking north along the Riddoch Hwy from Nangwarry (2006).
	Heading south on the Riddoch Hwy as it approaches the town of Nangwarry (2006).
	Looking south along the Riddoch Hwy as it approaches the Kalangadoo turnoff, Nangwarry (2006).
	Distance sign, heading north on Penola Road (Riddoch Hwy) from the Princes Hwy, Mt Gambier. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this pic (2001).
	Looking north along Bay Road towards the Princes Hwy/Riddoch Hwy junction, Mt Gambier. Thanks to Jamie Scuglia for this pic (2001).