| Type: | highway |
| Road Name: | Anzac Highway |
| State: | sa |
| City: | Adelaide |
| Urban: | yes |
| Length: | 8.7 |
| Direction A: | Northeast |
| Direction B: | Southwest |
| Coordinates A: | -34.9157°N 138.6227°W |
| Coordinates B: | -34.9363°N 138.5884°W |
| Alternative Location Map: | nomap |
| End A: | West Terrace |
| End B: | Colley Terrace |
| Exits: | |
| Region: | Eastern Adelaide, Western Adelaide, Southern Adelaide[1] |
Anzac Highway is an 8.7adj=midNaNadj=mid main arterial road heading southwest from the city of Adelaide, the capital of South Australia, to the beachside suburb of Glenelg.[2]
Originally named the Bay Road, it mostly follows the track made by the pioneer James Chambers from Holdfast Bay, the first governor's landing site, to Adelaide.[3] [4] It gained its current name in 1923, to honour the contribution of the ANZACs in World War I.[5]
Beginning at the intersection with South Terrace, West Terrace and Goodwood Road on the Adelaide city centre's south-western corner, Anzac Highway heads southwest through the Adelaide Park Lands, through Plympton, before turning west through Camden Park and terminates at the bayside suburb of Glenelg.
The highway is serviced by a 15-minute "Go Zone", serviced by the 262, 263 and 265 buses.
The road from the city to Holdfast Bay was originally named the Bay Road.[6] After the state government was lobbied in 1917 the by the ANZAC Memorial League to rename it in honour of the ANZAC troops who fought in World War I, it was renamed Anzac Highway in 1923, at the same time doing some roadworks. In 1937, the government, in collaboration with the West Torrens Council, Unley Council and Glenelg Council Council agreed on a plan for the future of the road, which was ratified by Parliament by the passing of the Anzac Highway Memorial Act 1937. The plan included developing a dual carriageway which included trees on the central reservation and along the verges, to be maintained by the respective councils. Claret ash trees were chosen.[7]
On 18 September 1918, a tram line opened from Sturt Street in the city, via West Terrace and then down the Bay Road to Keswick. It was used to transport soldiers returned from World War I to the military hospital there.[8] Known as the West City Line, it ran down West Terrace and Goodwood Road, and turned west into Park Terrace, now Greenhill Road, before turning in to Bay Road. It terminated at the entry to the Keswick Barracks. After redevelopment of Anzac Highway in the 1930s, the tram line was truncated at the new Keswick Road Bridge in March 1939, at a stop known as Wayville West. In December 1957, this line was closed.[9]
The South Road intersection with Anzac Highway had major construction works in 2007-2009, as part of a South Australian Government initiative to transform South Road into a non-stop north–south route. Both routes became grade-separated, with South Road travelling through an underpass, with bi-directional controlled exits onto Anzac Highway. The underpass model is a diamond interchange. In October 2007, construction began. In March 2009, the underpass was opened, and named the Gallipoli Underpass, in keeping with the Anzac theme. Each of the four corners of the intersection has a display to commemorate those who fought in the war.
Anzac Highway is mentioned in the song "One More Boring Night in Adelaide" by Redgum, on their 1978 album If You Don't Fight You Lose.