Editing Connie Sue Highway (section)

==History==
The Warburton-Rawlinna road was pioneered as part of a network of roads for the Weapons Research Establishment at [[Woomera, South Australia]]. Surveying began in July 1962, when [[Len Beadell]], with wife Anne and baby Connie Sue, left [[Adelaide]] and travelled via the [[Stuart Highway]] and the [[Gunbarrel Highway]] to Warburton.  From there they {{wikt-lang|en|bushbash|bushbashed|i=-}} roughly {{Convert|300|km|abbr=on}} south in his [[Land Rover]], until reaching the approximate latitude of the [[Anne Beadell Highway]], which was under construction from the east.  Turning east, they drove another {{Convert|150|km|abbr=on}} through the Great Victoria desert to a point west of [[Serpentine Lakes]] to join up with his [[Gunbarrel Road Construction Party]] (GRCP).  They ran out of fuel and water about {{Convert|10|km|abbr=on}} short of their destination, but with the aid of radio and flares, were joined by their team.<ref name=Bayly09>{{cite book |title=Len Beadell's Legacy |last=Bayly |first=Ian |year=2009 |publisher=Bas Publishing |location=Seaford Vic |isbn=9781921496028 |page=94   }}</ref>

Beadell and family then began a reconnaissance west towards [[Neale Junction]], followed by the GRCP.  After two weeks of intense activity during August, the Anne Beadell Highway reached Neale Junction.  From there, Beadell and party then commenced building a new road north towards Warburton.  Just north of Neale Junction, Beadell's infant daughter Connie Sue was observed standing up for the first time in her [[tea-chest]] bassinet.  It was decided there and then that the Warburton-Rawlinna road would be known as the Connie Sue Highway.<ref>{{cite book | author=Beadell, Len | title= Bush Bashers | publisher= New Holland Publishers (Australia) | year=1971 | isbn=1864367342 }}</ref>
The 320 kilometre section of new road reached Warburton on 15 September.<ref name=ms1998>{{cite book |title=A Lifetime in the Bush:The biography of Len Beadell |last=Shephard |first=Mark |year=1998 |publisher=Corkwood Press |location=Adelaide |isbn=1876247053 }}</ref> After obtaining supplies, the construction team turned south and by early October were back at Neale Junction.  Beadell then began surveying south towards Rawlinna to make the southern half of the new Connie Sue Highway.  The GRCP with bulldozer and grader followed Beadell's tracks, constructing the road as they went.  By the end of October the road was completed, and the Beadell family returned to Adelaide via the [[Eyre Highway]].<ref name=Bayly09/>