Work complete on Stuart Highway outback flood repairs

Thursday 16 October 2025

In January 2022, intense rainfall and subsequent flooding caused extensive damage to sections of the highway, significantly disrupting the transport of essential supplies and services.

The works covered a 1.5-kilometre stretch of the highway immediately north of Glendambo, and included pavement rehabilitation and sealing works, excavation and upgrades to culverts, and shoulder and batter protection works.

The $13 million project forms part of the Australian and South Australian governments’ $75 million (80:20) Flood Recovery Targeted Investment to Improve National Supply Chain Resilience program, delivered over four years.

Key improvements delivered through the project include:

• raising the road surface to reduce the likelihood of flooding and road closures,
• increasing the number of drainage structures, and
• strengthening road pavements and shoulders to help prevent washouts during future flood events.

The Stuart Highway is the primary road link between South Australia and the Northern Territory, connecting Port Augusta to Darwin. The South Australian section of the highway runs for almost 1000 kilometres from Port Augusta to the Northern Territory border.