Flood recovery works on the Stuart Highway at Lake Windabout have been completed, strengthening one of Australia’s most important north–south freight corridors and improving resilience during extreme weather events.
The works follow extensive damage caused by intense rainfall and flooding in early 2022, which disrupted travel and the movement of essential supplies between South Australia and the Northern Territory.
Located about 150 kilometres north of Port Augusta, the 1.5-kilometre upgrade included raising the road level and installing new drainage structures designed to keep the highway open during future flood events. Additional erosion protection has reinforced pavements and shoulders to reduce the risk of washouts.
The Stuart Highway carries almost 900 vehicles a day through the Lake Windabout area, including around 300 heavy vehicles. In cooler months, traffic volumes can reach 1,300 vehicles daily, with freight accounting for roughly one-third of movements.
By improving flood resilience, the completed works will allow the road to return to service sooner after major weather events, reducing disruption to national supply chains and improving access for remote communities.
The project forms part of the $75 million Australian and South Australian Governments Flood Recovery Targeted Investment to Improve National Supply Chain Resilience program, delivered on an 80:20 funding basis over four years.
Construction planning ensured freight movements continued throughout the works, with several wide loads more than five metres across safely travelling through the site. Traffic management also allowed competitors in the World Solar Challenge to pass through the construction zone in August while travelling between Darwin and Adelaide.
The works supported 31 full-time jobs during construction and built on earlier flood repairs completed at Glendambo, where pavement rehabilitation, culvert upgrades and shoulder protection works were also delivered.
Emily Bourke, Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, says the Stuart Highway plays a vital role in connecting regional communities.
“By investing in flood resilience, we are improving freight efficiencies and delivering safer, more reliable journeys for the hundreds of thousands of people who travel this route each year,” she says.
Member for Giles, Eddie Hughes, says improving resilience along national freight routes was essential as extreme weather events become more frequent.
“We need to prepare to minimise disruption and assist communities that are at risk of being cut off,” he says.