Not much more direct than this; but that is not always a bad thing, especially when you consider the area around Adelaide that this route covers. To the east of where the Barrier Highway starts/finishes in Adelaide is the Barossa Valley, one of Australia's premier wine growing regions. Not far from the Barossa Valley, and on the other side of the highway is the Clare Valley... which is regarded as one of Australia's most beautiful wine regions. Not a bad start/finish for the Adelaide-Broken Hill tour.

From there, it is an easy 3 hour drive along the Barrier High to Broken Hill.

The Murraylands and Riverland route passes through Murray Bridge (a great stopover place and the largest SA town on the Murray River) and heads north to Loxton to meet up with the Sturt Highway and joining the Barossa <> Sturt route described below.

While the Sturt Highway route is a little 'limited' by comparison to the route the incorporates the Barossa and the Claire wine regions, this route is doe have the advantage of travelling along the mighty Murray River via Blanchetown and rejoining it at Waikerie and Renmark before crossing it again near Curlwaa. Alternatively, a great add-on to this route is to visit Morgan, the point at which the Murray changes direction and flows in an east-west direction.

From Mildura on the Victorian/NSW border it is a shot trip downstream to Wentworth where the Darling and Murray rivers meet.

From Wentworth (or Mildura) there are three choices; straight up the Silver City Highway, up the Darling River via Pooncarie and Menindee Lakes, or via the awe-inspiring Lake Mungo in Mungo National Park. (The Darling River Run and Lake Mungo require driving on unsealed roads). The last two options also take in the wonderful Menindee Lakes and Kinchega National Park.