Kimba’s Koch family recreates historic SA flood photos

They don’t know if the massive downpour that hit them this weekend will ever come again, but a Kimba family’s photo album proves they’ve been in this deep before.

The heavy rain that swept through the Eyre Peninsula over the weekend, causing flooding across the region, was like nothing the Koch boys – Denzel, Jaeden and Evan – had ever seen.

But it was a different story for their grandfather, Barry Koch, who paddled a homemade canoe through floodwater on the family’s property at Cortlinye, northwest of Kimba, in 1968.

And before that, Barry’s father, Reg Koch, and a group of neighbours had paddled across the same flooded paddocks following a deluge in 1933.

On Tuesday, the fourth generation of the family to live on the property took the canoe – now more than 60 years old – out to mark their own place in the history books.

“Being able to recreate the memories that they have in this canoe has also made memories that we can share with our families later on in life,” Denzel, 13, said.

“That’s if this ever happens again – we don’t know.”

Fourth Generation Boongala children, Denzel, Evan and Jaeden paddle the canoe their Grandfather Barry Koch, built to paddle on the same flood filled low laying land in the floods of 1968. Picture: Emma Brasier

Family friend and neighbour Alex Sampson in Barry Koch’s hand-built canoe. Picture: Emma Brasier

Great Grandfather Reg Koch secnd from left, in a regatta with neighbours on Gordon’s Lagoon after the foods of 1933. Picture: Emma Brasier

The property received 174mm of rain over the weekend, which left paddocks covered in water as deep as two metres, and swept away several sections of fencing.

The boys’ father, Jeff Koch, said summer rainfall was always welcome, but some paddocks will be too waterlogged to sow during the coming season.

He said it was too early to assess the full extent of the damage to the property, which spans 2800ha across multiple sites.

“From what I’ve seen, a lot of our fencing washouts are probably 200m sections, where it’s washed through a flat or a hollow,” he said.

“We haven’t lost huge sections, but we’ve lost a lot of little bits, which is going to make keeping livestock in a challenge.”

He said water left from heavy rainfall in 1992 had taken about two years to dissipate, but this flood brought “way more”.

“It’s just good red clay (in the soil),” Mr Koch said. “It becomes like a dam essentially.”

Several roads across the district remain closed, while Kimba Mayor Dean Johnson said an early estimate put the council’s damage bill at about $5m.

“For a council with a $4m budget every year, we’re going to have to find some help from somewhere,” he said. “I don’t think there’s a road in our district that’s not severely damaged.

“We’re going to be years repairing things.”

Mr Johnson, who had “never seen so much rain”, said buildings had flood damage, and farmers had a “huge” amount of work to do.

“There will be dozens of kilometres of fencing that’s either non-existent or not operational,” he said.

Olympic Dam Highway repairs. Picture: Roxby Council

Communities split by broken road rejoined after emergency repairs

By Polly Haynes, Dixie Sulda

The road to Roxby Downs and Woomera that was split by the recent deluge has now reopened after emergency repair work, ending two days of isolation for the area.

The Olympic Dam Highway between Pimba and Woomera spectacularly split after the record-breaking rains, leaving locals cut off over the weekend.

Roy Blight, chief executive of the Roxby Council said the road reopened for trucks on Monday afternoon before closing again overnight to allow for further drying.

“There have been deliveries into Roxby Downs and trucks are moving this morning,” Mr Blight told The Advertiser on Tuesday.

South Australian outback roads temporary closures, restrictions and warnings after historic floods. Source: Department of Infrastructure and Transport

“We’ve got very capable contractors in Roxby Downs and those contractors were mobilised … it was obviously a priority to get that opened.”

He said the Department of Transport had assess the road and ensure it was safe for transport.

“We’re certainly keen to have talks with the department … to provide a more resilient solution to ensure in the next weather event, the same thing doesn’t happen,” he said.

The Stuart Highway between Port Augusta and Pimba has also reopened, the Roxby Council says.

“We appreciate the patience of the community and there’s certainly a sense of relief that the road is now open and access has been restored,” Mr Blight said.

Motorists were urged to take care in a Facebook post from Roxby Council.

“There is a large volume of traffic on the roads please proceed with caution and stick to speed limits at all times,” it said.

Various other roads remain closed after the floods including the Strzelecki Track, Borefield Rd, and Birdsville Track.

You can see the Department of Infrastructure and Transport’s map of road closures here.

BEFORE: The road to Woomera and Roxby Downs after the rain on Saturday. Picture: Spud's Roadhouse, Pimba

Under repar: Olympic Dam Highway repairs Picture: Roxby Council

Olympic Dam Highway repairs. Picture: Roxby Council