The South Australian government has confirmed a newly built barge has carried more than 300 heavy vehicles to date transporting approximately 12,000 cattle.
The Cooper Creek barge, since commencing public operations at the start of November, has carried 608 vehicles, including 305 heavy vehicles and 1,664 passengers.
The $27.4 million barge, jointly funded by the federal and SA governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, allows for safe crossings in Cooper Creek until permanent road access is reinstated.
The barge is the largest of its type in South Australia, capable of transporting fully loaded A-Double trucks.
Constructed from 12 modular pontoons and assembled on site with two cranes, the barge ensures safe crossings until permanent road access is reinstated, effectively opening the Birdsville Track corridor for both freight and tourism.
Following the closure of the Birdsville Track in June due to floodwaters, cattle have needed to make a much longer journey to Adelaide or be sold in Queensland. This had a significant impact on the South Australian economy, putting both meat supply and jobs at risk.
The SA government says it continues to work closely with pastoralists and locals in the area to ensure operations are meeting their needs, including extending running hours to best accommodate truck movements and prioritising the transport of livestock and essential supplies.
The barge will continue to run seven days per week, from 7am to 5:30pm – including over the Christmas and New Year period. It is expected to continue operating throughout January 2026.
Water levels and weather conditions continue to be closely monitored, with planning also underway for the re-opening of the Birdsville Track. As this track has been inundated since June 2025, the government says some repairs are expected before traffic could safely travel.
The exact timing of the track re-opening and the barge finishing operations depends on any further heavy rains received, the volume of water travelling down from Queensland and impact on water levels at the crossing.
Historically, outback flood events have occurred in consecutive years – including 1974-1975, 1989-1990 and most recently 2010-2011.
With the barge fully owned by the SA government as a long-term investment, it will be ready to minimise disruption during any future major flood events.
“The Cooper Creek barge has already proven incredibly valuable, transporting more than 600 vehicles and more than 12,000 cattle in its first month of operation,” SA transport minister Emily Bourke says.
“This has kept our beef supply chain moving and protected local jobs across South Australia’s meat processing industries.
“This $27.4 million project represents a long-term investment in flood resilience for our outback regions.
“We know significant weather events and flooding are becoming more frequent, so futureproofing the area for when the next flood event does occur allows us to act quickly and minimise disruption to important industries and supplies.”