ON TRACK IN THE OUTBACK

Written by the Department for Infrastructure and Transport

The Australian and South Australian governments have jointly funded (80:20) a $215 million upgrade and sealing of the historic Strzelecki Track in the South Australian Outback.

The project includes pavement rehabilitation and sealing of the existing road surface to mitigate deterioration caused by traffic usage and erosion. Sealing the road will also minimise damage caused by inclement weather events. The existing road is highly corrugated, with below the natural surface level. As a result, it floods frequently rendering it impassable, resulting in increasing costs to service delivery, goods, and vehicle maintenance.

The road is a vital supply line for the nationally significant oil and gas extraction operations in the Cooper Basin. The work includes pavement rehabilitation, drainage improvements and sealing of the roadway, along with improving existing road alignments and junction upgrades.

The project is expected to support approximately 225 full-time equivalent jobs per year over the life of the construction.

The Strzelecki Track is a 472-kilometre unsealed Outback road that links the towns of Lyndhurst to Innamincka in the north east of South Australia. Approximately half the daily users of the track are commercial vehicles.

Simon Morony, Executive Director of Infrastructure Delivery at the SA Department for Infrastructure and Transport, said the track’s history as an unsealed road has made it inaccessible in the past.

“Unfortunately, during wet weather and flood events, the water would impact on the safe and efficient use of the road as an outback access route,” he said. “Even when it’s dry, the track’s surface can be problematic with loose stones and dust.

“Upgrading and sealing the track will mean it remains usable year-round.”

The project is being delivered in three stages.

The first stage, which upgraded almost 80km of the track, between Lyndhurst to Yeralina Creek (74km) and Innamincka to Dillon's Highway (10km), was completed late 2021.

The second stage which is currently underway is working to seal the 93km section south of Moomba to the Strzelecki Creek Crossing. So far 73km has been sealed and opened to traffic in April 2023. Construction is also underway along a 41km section south of Innamincka known locally as Dillon's Highway. This section has so far seen 33km of road sealed and opened to traffic.

“We’re very pleased to see the work progressing,” Mr Morony said.

“The current stage has another two sections to work on, a 50km stretch known locally as Della Road and a 47km section from the Strzelecki Creek Crossing to Cobblers Sandhills.”

The third and final stage, which incorporates the 153km section between Cobblers Sandhills to Yeralina Creek, is currently in the planning phase.

“Sealing the road will ensure yearround access for both the industry in the region, and for outback tourism.

As of May 2023, a total of 188km, around 40 per cent of the Strzelecki Track, has now been sealed.”

The Strzelecki Track follows a route pioneered by stockman, drover and cattle thief Harry Readford in 1870. He stole 1,000 head of cattle from a remote cattle station in Queensland, before driving them down the track through the Strzelecki Desert and selling them at a station in Outback South Australia. The track later became a stock route in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. When gas was discovered in the 1960s, the track saw more and more traffic up towards Moomba.

Mr Morony said: “Some sections were sealed over the years but this project will ensure more of this iconic Outback route is sealed and accessible for all road users in this unique part of the world.”