Cooper Creek Ferry- needed in 2010??
Submitted: Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 10:42
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Member - Warrie (NSW)
Hi folks, this is the $64 question. 1990 was the last year the ferry was needed during the massive May floods. It's operation is controlled by Transport SA in
Port Augusta. They have a pic on the wall showing the two car ferry with a queue about a kilometre long!! Currently the ferry is sitting on the bank of the Cooper at the crossing which you can zoom into on the Google map. Even at the highest resolution I can't see it.
Below is the only pic I could find of the ferry, probably in the 1990 flood or even 1974. Has anyone been on the ferry?
This link will go to the Film and sound Archive where they have 3 clips from 1954 of the legendary Tom Kruse at the flooded Cooper
Link to Film Archives
Image Could Not Be FoundImage Could Not Be FoundImage Could Not Be Found
Visit the Wrightsair site to see all the latest pix
Wrightsair site
Water only flows down the Cooper at 3km per day and with 200km from
Walkers crossing to the ferry thats still another 2 months. There's a lot of sand out there for all that water to soak into. So will there be a flow at the Birdville track - that's the $64 question.... W
Reply By: Member - Ed C (QLD) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:04
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:04
Don't rule it out just yet ;-)
Big monsoon low over the Top End right now which is expected to track south- east....
A very strong likelihood that this will dump heavy rain over central Qld..
Ask me again in a weeks time ;-))
:)
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AnswerID:
406310
Reply By: Member - Warrie (NSW) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:07
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 11:07
Just found the BoM inland flood update for SA. Link is here
SA flood outlook
If the predicted rain falls then the current equations are altered considerably in favour of a ferry ride... W
AnswerID:
406311
Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 14:28
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 14:28
Hi Warri
I will give Patsy another call next week to see if anything else has happened over the weekend. If it does go over, that will be a long weekend drive just to have a ferry ride over the Cooper. I would even take the kayaks up.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 22:01
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 22:01
Hey Stephen, we are going to do the same thing! There was 8.5 m on the Causeway last weekend,
Coongie Lakes are full and this is the highest since 1990 - looking pretty good. Might meet you on the Ferry (we'll be coming from the south also)! Yahoo.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 22:36
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 22:36
Hi Ruth
If you will be coming from the south, are you over the coast fishing? There were warnings for all the outback waterways on the news tonight. All that rain up there will be worth millions to all the grassier. It would be great to see the Cooper over the Track.
Cheers
Stephen
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Josh J (NT) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:44
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:44
Image Could Not Be Found
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Follow Up By: Member - Josh J (NT) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:46
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:46
Image Could Not Be Found
The track in from the north where the ferry is is very difficult to follow, without a GPS i would not have found it.
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: Member - GREENDOG - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 23:23
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 23:23
Were is the ferry located when not in use.cheers GREENDOG
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Follow Up By: Member - Josh J (NT) - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 08:25
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 08:25
Greendog,
I dont have my maps with me so could be off a bit, coming down the track from the north you need to turn off to the left approx 5-10k's before the cooper crosses the track, i think it was then another 15 or so k's into where the barge is.
I would not call it a track anymore as shifting sand and vegitation have taken over many moons ago.
I was only able to find it as my GPS had the track on it and i was able to follow it that way, without it i would not have found it.
The detailed HEMA maps covering the track should show it's location, im pretty shore the NATMAP 250 topo maps also have the location.
Regards
Josh
FollowupID:
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Reply By: Member - Josh J (NT) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:57
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 12:57
Image Could Not Be Found
And the last
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Follow Up By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 14:23
Saturday, Feb 27, 2010 at 14:23
Hi Josh
You must have been a Boy Scout, but taking their Motto to the Extremes - "Be Prepared." You could be waiting for a while yet. LOL
Good Pictures.
Cheers
Stephen
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Reply By: Ozhumvee - Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 08:43
Sunday, Feb 28, 2010 at 08:43
We have actually had to use it to get across back in the early 90's (can't remember the exact year 93 or 4) and we didn't have to queue for long but it was late in the day , it stops of an afternoon and restarts in the morning. You want good clearance on the approaches as there were a few vehicles parked with damage to fuel tanks etc.
It could only fit a 4wd and small trailer, anything bigger you couldn't cross and they wouldn't let you put the trailer/van on and take it across alone. Our troopy plus small Cub hardfloor camper only just fitted between the ramps when they were raised.
It used a little Honda engine and cables to pull itself across.
AnswerID:
406450
Reply By: Dean - Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:06
Monday, Mar 01, 2010 at 13:06
Well I vaguely remember putting up a post about this 1-2 months ago, the info came from wrights air. Some of the
forum experts contacted other experts and there was no way this could happen, too much distance and not enough water. Well maybe wrights air just may be correct, I suppose it just goes to show locals probably do know best, especially if you own a plane.
Dean
AnswerID:
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