Floodway upgrades set to build resilience of two key outback connector roads

Wednesday, 7 June 2023

Floodway upgrades along Kempe Road and Anne Beadell Highway, near Coober Pedy in the state’s Far North, have gotten underway to improve the resilience of the roads and keep outback townships connected during future flooding events.

The $3.4 million worth of floodway upgrades are funded by the Australian Government’s Local Roads and Community Infrastructure (LRCI) Program.

The upgrades on Kempe Road will be undertaken at Lora Creek and Arckaringa Creek, between Coober Pedy and Oodnadatta, and the Anne Beadell Highway upgrades will occur at two floodways between The Ghan railway line and Coober Pedy.

Kempe Road is a key road linking Coober Pedy with the remote community of Oodnadatta and wet weather can cause significant damage to the road, as occurred during the early 2022 flood event when road access was cut off to Oodnadatta.

Anne Beadell Highway is heavily used by bus companies to commute tourists from The Ghan services to Coober Pedy and when the road becomes flooded during wet weather tourists have to remain on the train for extended periods of time.

Works on both roads are being undertaken by SA Road Services on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure and Transport and will include floodway repairs and improved drainage.

The Kempe Road works commenced on Wednesday, 24 May and are expected to be completed by the end of August 2023, weather permitting. The Anne Beadell Highway works commenced shortly after and are expected to be completed in late June 2023.

Speed and lane restrictions may be required during work hours.

Meanwhile, the Outback Communities Authority (OCA) is delivering 30 projects that have been funded by the LRCI Program, ranging between $5,000 and $1 million in value. This includes a $1 million contribution in partnership with RFDS to build the organisation’s new $2 million purpose-built remote area health clinic at William Creek.