The Cooper Creek barge has carried more than 300 heavy vehicles transporting about 12,000 cattle, supporting the South Australia’s beef supply and local jobs in meat processing.
The barge has been ferrying vehicles and passengers across the flood affected outback for just over a month, reconnecting pastoralists, tourism operators and essential freight routes.
Since commencing public operations in early November, the barge has carried 608 vehicles, including 305 heavy vehicles, and 1,664 passengers.
The $27.4 million barge, jointly funded by the Australian and SA Governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements, enables safe crossings at Cooper Creek until permanent road access is restored.
“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,” said assistant minister to the Premier of South Australia Emily Bourke.
“This has kept our beef supply chain moving and protected local jobs across South Australia’s meat processing industries.”
The barge is the largest of its type in South Australia and can transport fully loaded A Double trucks.
Constructed from 12 modular pontoons and assembled on site using two cranes, the barge provides safe crossings until permanent road access is restored, maintaining the Birdsville Track corridor for freight and tourism.
Following the closure of the Birdsville Track in June due to floodwaters, cattle were required to travel much longer distances to Adelaide or be sold in Queensland. This affected the SA economy, placing pressure on meat supply and jobs.
The state government continues to work with pastoralists and local communities to ensure operations meet demand, including extending operating hours to accommodate truck movements and prioritising livestock and essential supplies.
The barge operates seven days per week from 7am to 5.30pm, including over the Christmas and New Year period, and is expected to continue operating throughout January 2026.
“This $27.4 million project represents a long-term investment in flood resilience for our outback regions,” said Bourke.
“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.”