Description
Named after Australian former professional road bicycle racer Stuart O'Grady, the Stuart O'Grady Bikeway is a 23-kilometre-long (14 mi) shared path that runs along the eastern side of the Max Fatchen Expressway in the northern suburbs of Adelaide.
The bikeway crosses several roads at-level with five expressway exits; two of these junctions cross two roads, with Wingate Road at Two Wells Road providing a local road crossing over the Gawler River and Heaslip Road found at Womma Road. Pedestrian and bike gates are placed on several minor roads that are bisected by the expressway to offer access to the shared path from roads unable to reach the expressway directly.
Situated to the west of most of the nearby suburbs, the bikeway is exposed on the Adelaide Plains, making it susceptible to strong winds in some areas because of the minimal tree cover. The surrounding land comprises almond and olive orchards, vineyards, cereal crops, market gardens, and vacant land. Along the route lies the historic Smithfield Magazine munitions store, where some of the former buildings are still standing. Still, there is no access to water or food anywhere on the path, with only two picnic shelters available for a quick rest between adventures. One shelter is located on the north side of the Gawler River in a native planted garden while the other shelter is found close to a small cemetery and ruins of the Zoar Bible Christian chapel that served the Penfield community. All of the bridges to cross the expressway are named after famous military battles that involved Australian forces, with interpretive signs marking these landmarks.
An extension of the Stuart O'Grady Bikeway is proposed to link with the
[See more][See less]