Hi All
What I now am going to post will open a can of worms with information that has not been made Public and I am now letting all know.
As most will know, I have contacts at Etadunna Station, which I have been keeping in very regular contact re the
water situation and the possibility of the
Cooper Creek going over the
Birdsville Track.
The latest this week is that the body of
water is now around 16 kilometres away from
Lake Hope, with the flow slowing down. Jason and Patsy have been making regular flights to check on the progress and Patsy said that Jason thinks now that the flow should cross the
Birdsville Track about July. This is the easy bit, now for the can of worms:
The information that I am now posting is not "Chinese Whispers" as mentioned to me by one official.
I have been in contact and speaking personally with the Following:
Etadunna Station
Transport SA-Northern Roads Section
The Local Liberal State Member of Parliament for that Area
Mr Dan Heaton, Technical Officer for the Diamantina Shire Council - Queensland
At this stage, the State Government of South Australia has made no indication about spending around the half a million dollar mark to get the ferry running in the event of the Cooper going over the
Birdsville Track. There is just too much
water for it not to cross the
Birdsville Track, with local reports estimating it should close the Track for around 6 months. The last time the ferry was put into action, it was in 1990 and it then ran for around 9 months, keeping up vital supplies of food and fuel for the running of the stations along the
Birdsville Track, as
well as keeping the
Birdsville Track open and saving the very long road detour to get to
Birdsville.
Because of the very large amounts of
water received in the northern parts of the state, as can be expected, there were very large sections of road damage. Dan Heaton, Technical Officer for the Diamantina Shire Council knew that it would be impossible for Transport SA Staff and machinery to undertake the said repairs, as everyone knows the
Birdsville Track was Closed and has now only just open allowing road access to
Birdsville. Dan contacted Transport SA,in early March offering to send road crews and machinery from Queensland to start on the road repairs, hastening the opening of the
Birdsville Track. Transport SA refused point blank any offers of help - WHY???
When Dan received his reply, everyone in the Shire Council could not believe what they had been told and to this day are left for words as to why Transport SA refused the very generous offer to get the northern section repaired and hastening the opening of the northern section of the
Birdsville Track.
The Government Officials in
Adelaide should get out of there glass cocooned offices, take a trip up north and speak first hand with the Station people that are living in the area. There is no way that this would happen in the suburbs and why are the station people being stranded when the
Cooper Creek floods the
Birdsville Track.
No smart replies from city Government officials, just take a trip and see first hand how station people and travellers will be effected.
Cheers
Stephen