$10.6 million to reconstruct and improve Oodnadatta Track

One of SA’s most remote Outback tracks is to get a major upgrade to floodproof it after recent heavy rainfall. So what does it mean for people using the tourist drawcard.

Works have begun to floodproof the Oodnadatta Track in the state’s Far North to improve access after major rainfall for motorists travelling to and from the remote outback town.

SA’s Oodnadatta Track stretches for more than 600km and connects Marla in the north-west via Oodnadatta to Marree in the south-east. Five major floodways will be reconstructed along an 80-kilometre stretch of unsealed road between Marla on the Stuart Highway and Oodnadatta.

The project will be funded by the federal government’s Roads to Recovery Program and the state government, and will see $10.6 million spent on the improvements.

The Oodnadatta Track at Coober Pedy, Oodnadatta. Picture: Ben Clark

Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Catherine King said the government would continue to work with state counterparts to deliver much needed road infrastructure.

“The Australian Government is committed to working with our state counterparts to deliver local road and community infrastructure projects that have a lasting impact in communities big and small,” she said.

“Our Roads to Recovery program helps local councils deliver priority local road and community infrastructure projects across the country to improve safety and keep communities connected.

“The Oodnadatta Track upgrades in South Australia will do just that for this busy road network and make it easier and safer for motorists, particularly during severe weather Events.”

The entire stretch of road will remain open during construction.

The reconstruction will also see formation works take place to raise the surface level of the track in targeted areas. This will create table drains that will allow water to run off the road, enabling the road to remain open or be reopened after rainfall.

Oodnadatta local, Simon Gunther welcomed the news and said he hoped the improvements worked as other works in the area have not made the roads better.

“Until we’ve even seen what they’ve done, it’s very hard to predict that it’s going to work,” he said.

“It would be good but at the end of the day, the longest I’ve ever seen the roads closed here has been a week and a half but I know the longest in the last 10 years has been six weeks.

“But yeah it would be good to see and I hope that it does what it’s supposed to.”

The entire stretch of road will remain open during construction, with speed and lane restrictions in place throughout the affected 80-kilometre section.

Construction of the upgraded floodways and formation works are expected to be completed by mid-2024.