$27.4 Million Heavy Vehicle Barge Officially Opens on Cooper Creek

In a significant infrastructure development, a $27.4 million heavy vehicle barge constructed from twelve bolted-together pontoons has been officially opened for traffic on Cooper Creek in northern South Australia. This new transport solution is set to restore vital connections for pastoral properties that have been isolated due to flooding.

The barge, capable of carrying fully loaded cattle trucks, is instrumental in reconnecting flood-cut pastoral properties in the state’s far northeast with processors in the south. This connection comes after months of isolation caused by slow-moving floodwaters that have rendered the Birdsville Track impassable.

This large-scale project was jointly funded by the South Australian and Australian Governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. The opening of the barge not only restores cattle movements but also ensures the transportation of essential goods and tourism across this economically important outback route.

For much of the year, slow-moving floodwaters from record rainfall in Queensland have inundated vast areas across the Thomson, Barcoo, and Cooper Creek river systems, affecting approximately 32,000 square kilometers—roughly half the area of Tasmania. The floodwaters reached one of the highest levels on record at Innamincka, surpassing the major flooding event of 1974.

This deluge severed the Birdsville Track at Cooper Creek, preventing access to southern meat processors for months and stranding over 10,000 head of cattle to the north of the floodwaters.

The newly commissioned barge is now open to the public and can accommodate fully loaded A-Double cattle trucks, marking it as the largest of its kind in South Australia. Constructed from twelve modular pontoons, the assembly required two heavy cranes transported to the remote crossing for installation.

Securing the Cattle Supply Chain

The investment aims not only to reconnect remote communities but also to safeguard South Australia’s red meat supply chain. Without this barge, thousands of cattle could have been diverted to processors outside the state, a scenario that would have jeopardized local jobs in the meat processing industry.

“This investment secures the supply of quality South Australian cattle from the region into our southern processing facilities, supporting jobs in the meat processing industry,” said Livestock SA CEO Travis Tobin. He emphasized the importance of producers in the northeast as integral to both South Australia’s red meat supply chain and the regional economy.

“Without this barge, pastoralists and businesses in the region would have faced severe losses, leaving communities isolated for months,” Tobin added.

The project, which resulted from advocacy within the industry, serves as a testament to what can be accomplished when government and industry collaborate effectively.

The South Australian Government has indicated that significant work was done on both approaches to the crossing, ensuring the safe loading and unloading of vehicles. Government ownership of the barge will provide assurance of its availability for future flood events, establishing long-term security for pastoralists and tourism operators in the region.

The Birdsville Track, a 517-kilometre road linking Birdsville in Queensland with Marree in South Australia, is not only essential for the cattle industry but also a major tourism attraction.

With the barge now operational, regular transport activities are beginning to resume in the outback for the first time since the unprecedented floodwaters arrived.

Booking Information

Individuals and businesses can now make bookings for barge crossings through the South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport website. Here, users can select timed slots and access detailed information regarding costs and operating terms.