Borroloola: Fresh food supplies finally make it through Carpentaria Highway morass
There has been a big sigh of relief in the remote Gulf town of Borroloola after a trio of food supply trucks finally managed to navigate the damaged road network to make a crucial delivery.
Northern Territory
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There has been a big sigh of relief in the remote Gulf town of Borroloola after a trio of food supply trucks finally managed to navigate the damaged road network to make a crucial delivery.
On Saturday, it was revealed it had been about two-and-a-half weeks since the township last had a delivery, with the flood-damaged Carpentaria Highway impassible.
A delivery had been expected that day, but it was ultimately unable to proceed.
On Sunday afternoon, Chief Minister Eva Lawler took to social media to advise relief was around the corner.
“In good news, three trucks with double trailers have got through the road work detour on the Carpentaria Highway and will get to Borroloola late this afternoon or early evening to deliver perishables and groceries,” she said.
Ms Lawler pointed out works were ongoing to upgrade the highway, with stage two of a $150m upgrade, jointly funded by the NT and Australian governments, due for completion in late 2024.
The upgrade will ultimately see a 148km stretch of highway upgraded to double-lane bitumen alongside a variety of lifting and flood immunity improvements.
The highway reopened to high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicles under 4.5 tonnes on Monday morning.
A Borroloola business owner, who previously told the NT News she had been forced to shut up shop on Thursday due to her perilously low food stocks, confirmed the three food supply trucks had made it through the morass.
“We’re working hard unpacking and will reopen tonight [Monday],” she said.
Borroloola food situation nears crisis point after highway severed
February 24, 3.30pm: A business owner in Borroloola has told the NT News it has been about two-and-a-half weeks since the Gulf township has received a food delivery due to the ongoing closure of the Carpentaria Hwy.
On Friday, Barkly MLA Steve Edgington posted pictures of denuded shelves at the township’s ALPA Malandari Store, advising locals that a delivery was expected on Saturday.
“With little food on the shelves there is some good news for Borroloola,” he said.
“A food truck will now be permitted to travel the Carpentaria Highway to Borroloola tomorrow [Saturday] to provide much needed food supplies.”
However, according to the business owner, who asked not to be named, residents received an email from the local NT Police sergeant on Saturday morning advising that there was “more drama out there,” and a delivery was now unlikely.
“The canned food isn’t going to last forever, but hopefully it will come in over the weekend or on Monday,” she said.
“There’s no fresh food, fruit, anything like that, we haven’t had any for a while.
“They are saying there’s a lot of frozen food available but the prices are horrendous.
“For a 1kg bag of frozen barbecue lamb chops, they’re $31.31.”
The business owner said she was lucky in that she had a large on-site freezer, but stocks had gotten so low that she was forced to shut up shop earlier in the week.
The business owner expressed anger that Borroloola had not been considered for aircraft food deliveries – especially in light of an announcement earlier this week that Robinson River, 145km southwest of the township, would receive an additional $69,000 from the Commonwealth for wet season supply flights.
“You can’t be angry, but I think the government can do a little bit more,” she said.
“They fly food out to Robinson River during the wet, why can’t they bring it in here?
“We’re remote too.”
A spokeswoman for Malandari Aged Care Centre said they still have 12 days worth of frozen food to feed residents and fulfil Meals on Wheels deliveries, thanks to a big order placed just before the flood event, but that they were having to get creative with their meal prep.
“There’s just nothing, no fruit and veg, no potato, no onion, nothing,” she said.
“It looks like it’s just rice with everything.
“The butcher [Gulf Meats], he’s got nothing.
“People in the community, it’s really affecting a lot of them.”
The centre’s kitchen was abuzz with activity as staff transformed plentiful self-raising flour into scones and damper, which had been a big hit with residents, the spokeswoman said.
The centre’s eight loaves of bread were being carefully rationed out for toast to serve with the residents’ breakfast.
According to Road Report NT, Carpentaria Hwy between the Stuart and Tablelands highways was due to reopen to high-clearance 4wd vehicles at 6am Saturday, but the region “received more rain over night impeding the ability to undertake road repairs to allow vehicle access”.
The Northern Territory Government has been contacted for comment.
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