Australia’s biggest wooden beam arrives at Adelaide Aquatic Centre under police escort

It weighs more than 10,000kg, needed a police escort, and blocked multiple streets on its way from Austria. Watch as this huge piece of wood is trucked through Adelaide.

Dramatic drone footage shows police escorting Australia’s largest wooden beam through Adelaide streets ahead of its arrival at the new $135m Adelaide Aquatic Centre.

The centre has received twenty beams and 32 columns, weighing more than 143 tonnes combined, to be installed in its pool halls.

The state government said the materials were so large they had to be specially milled in Austria because the Australian timber industry was unable to manufacture such massive beams.

They were transported to Belgium and shipped to Melbourne, before being transported by trucks to Adelaide under police escort in early February.

The biggest beam is 22.85 cubic metres and weighs 10,282kg – the largest in Australia. Several of the beams are 37m long.

The largest wooden beam in Australia arrives in Adelaide at the new aquatic centre worksite. Picture: Dept of Transport and Infrastructure

A truckie negotiates a tricky turn on the way through Adelaide. Picture: Dept of Transport and Infrastructure

Police escorted the trucks as they brought the massive beams from Melbourne. Picture: Dept of Transport and Infrastructure

Infrastructure Minister Tom Koutsantonis said the government had been at pains to build the centre with locally-sourced, low-carbon emission materials, but there was not local capacity to produce such large beams.

“These enormous wooden beams being lifted into place helps us better visualise how this new centre will look once it’s complete,” he said.

“It’s very pleasing to see it on track for opening next summer.”

Construction at the North Adelaide centre will increase next week while the timber is installed along with more than 200 roofing panels.

The construction site of the new Adelaide Aquatic Centre. Picture: Dept of Transport and Infrastructure

Pools were filled at the Adelaide Aquatic Centre in late 2025. Picture: SA Government

The 50m, Learn to Swim and Warm Water Rehabilitation indoor pools were filled late last year with a combined three million litres of water.

Construction of the remaining pools – including an indoor splash zone, outdoor lagoon and 25m pool – is underway.

The centre will be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy. It will include water slides, a gym and fitness centre, and a sauna and steam room.