Australian Towns, Cities & Highways: South Eastern Freeway

South Eastern Freeway (includes Adelaide-Crafers Hwy) was previously

The South Eastern Freeway, South Australia's first ever freeway was built in the mid 1970's and links Adelaide with rapidly growing regional centre of Murray Bridge. The freeway replaced a notoriously slow section of the old Princes Highway through the Adelaide Hills and promoted growth into areas outside the Adelaide metro area due to the alleviated access issues. The freeway originally stopped at Whites Hill (5km west of Murray Bridge) although the completion of the Murray Bridge bypass and the construction of the Swanport Bridge to link back to the Princes Highway marked the end of the project. There has been significant improvements made since its initial construction. In late 1997, the Adelaide-Crafers Highway was completed which provided a triple carriageway freeway grade road featuring a 600m tunnel linking Glen Osmond to Crafers thus subsequently replacing the old windy (albeit dual carriageway) Mt Barker Road making the descent to Adelaide safer and quicker. Other minor improvements include the duplication of the Murray Bridge bypass (except the Swanport bridge) and the added Monarto & Swanport interchanges.

An excellent road to drive - the freeway offers some spectacular scenery as you pass near Mt Lofty and through the Adelaide Hills. The stark contrast in environment once heading east from Mt Barker is amazing as the countryside becomes much flatter, drier and free of significant vegetation. It is recommended to drive on the old Princes Highway from Murray Bridge back to Adelaide to give an idea on the time savings the freeway has introduced as well as being able to visit the many interesting towns such as Hahndorf & Nairne that are now bypassed and to explore the Adelaide Hills.

State: South Australia
Name Origin: South Eastern Fwy: The freeway heads in a south-easterly direction from Adelaide :-)
Start: Adelaide (Glen Osmond - A3/A1/A17 junction)
Principal Towns: Adelaide, Adelaide Hills * (incl Crafers, Stirling, Aldgate & Bridgewater), Hahndorf *, Mount Barker *, Nairne *, Murray Bridge *
Finish: Swanport (Princes Highway - 10km west of Murray Bridge)
Length: 75km
Interchanges: Mt Osmond, Eagle-on-the-Hill, Crafers, Stirling, Bridgewater, Verdun, Mount Barker, Callington, Monarto, Whites Hill, Swanport
Road Standard: All bitumen.
Road Quality: Excellent. Three laned carriageway Glen Osmond-Crafers. Dual Carriageway for the remainder. Some steep sections between Mt Barker and Callington interchanges.
Speed Limit: Glen Osmond-Mt Osmond 100km/hr. Mt Osmond-Crafers 90km/hr. Crafers-Swanport 110km/hr.
* - denotes towns bypassed by the South Eastern Freeway

Photos from the South Eastern Freeway (Click on thumbnail for full sized image):

Approaching the start of the M1 near the A1/A17/A3 junction, Glen Osmond (2004).

First distance sign, heading east from Glen Osmond on the Adelaide-Crafers Hwy (2004).

Same again, this time without the shrubbery although its harder to read the lettering on the sign :), Glen Osmond (2001).

View over the Adelaide-Crafers Hwy taken from the parallel bike track, Glen Osmond (2004).

View north-west over the Adelaide-Crafers Hwy at the Mt Osmond interchange (2004).

And again, this time looking south-east (2004).

The Heysen Tunnels on the Adelaide Crafers Hwy, heading north-west, Eagle-On-The-Hill (2004).

And again, this time with a close up of the north-west bound tunnel, Eagle-On-The-Hill (2004).

View north-west of the South Eastern Freeway (end) at Crafers Interchange (2004).

Waverly Ridge Road, looking north-east in Crafers approaching the freeway on-ramp(2004).

Northbound fork for freeway on ramps for both east and west bound traffic, Stirling Interchange (2004).

Old style directional sign with NH1 shield westbound on the off-ramp at Bridgewater Interchange (2004).

View north-west over the SE Freeway taken from the Verdun Interchange (2004).

View west over the SE Freeway at the Mt Barker Interchange (2001).

Direction sign on Adelaide Road heading north from Mt Barker approaching the freeway on-ramp for eastbound traffic, Mount Barker (2004).

Looking west along the eastbound lanes of the SE Freeway over the Mt Barker Interchange (2004).

Distance sign heading east from the Monarto Interchange. Note how "Princes Hwy" is favoured as the underlying road name which is unusual practice, albeit consistent for the freeway's length (2004).

View east over the SE Freeway and part of Murray Bridge from Whites Hill Interchange (2004).

Looking west over the Swanport Bridge and the end of the SE Freeway, Swanport (2004).

Approach sign on the A1 (Princes Hwy) heading north-west a few kilometres before the M1 starts, Swanport (2004).

	Approaching the start of the M1 near the A1/A17/A3 junction, Glen Osmond (2004).
	First distance sign, heading east from Glen Osmond on the Adelaide-Crafers Hwy (2004).
	Same again, this time without the shrubbery although its harder to read the lettering on the sign :), Glen Osmond (2001).
	View over the Adelaide-Crafers Hwy taken from the parallel bike track, Glen Osmond (2004).
	View north-west over the Adelaide-Crafers Hwy at the Mt Osmond interchange (2004).
	And again, this time looking south-east (2004).
	The Heysen Tunnels on the Adelaide Crafers Hwy, heading north-west, Eagle-On-The-Hill (2004).
	And again, this time with a close up of the north-west bound tunnel, Eagle-On-The-Hill (2004).
	View north-west of the South Eastern Freeway (end) at Crafers Interchange (2004).
	Waverly Ridge Road, looking north-east in Crafers approaching the freeway on-ramp(2004).
	Northbound fork for freeway on ramps for both east and west bound traffic, Stirling Interchange (2004).
	Old style directional sign with NH1 shield westbound on the off-ramp at Bridgewater Interchange (2004).
	View north-west over the SE Freeway taken from the Verdun Interchange (2004).
	View west over the SE Freeway at the Mt Barker Interchange (2001).
	Direction sign on Adelaide Road heading north from Mt Barker approaching the freeway on-ramp for eastbound traffic, Mount Barker (2004).
	Looking west along the eastbound lanes of the SE Freeway over the Mt Barker Interchange (2004).
	Distance sign heading east from the Monarto Interchange. Note how "Princes Hwy" is favoured as the underlying road name which is unusual practice, albeit consistent for the freeway's length (2004).
	View east over the SE Freeway and part of Murray Bridge from Whites Hill Interchange (2004).
	Looking west over the Swanport Bridge and the end of the SE Freeway, Swanport (2004).
	Approach sign on the A1 (Princes Hwy) heading north-west a few kilometres before the M1 starts, Swanport (2004).