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Published: 22 July 2026.

Old Norton Summit Road, winding from the top of Magill to Norton Summit, takes its name from Robert Norton, one of South Australia’s first colonial settlers.

Arriving in January 1837 aboard the Coromandel, Norton built a simple log and clay house in the area that would later become known as Norton Summit.

Norton is credited as the first person to drive a team of bullocks up the steep section of Giles' Hill to Norton Summit. He was also among the first settlers to cultivate vegetables during the summer months, supplying Adelaide with fresh produce from the Hills.

Old Norton Summit Road became an important route linking Adelaide with these growing agricultural settlements. Today, the road offers a glimpse into the challenges faced by early travellers and settlers making their way into the Mount Lofty Ranges.

Photograph: Old Norton Summit Road, circa 1930. Burnside Local History Collection.