cooper creek

Submitted: Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 19:43
ThreadID: 86824 Views:2353 Replies:3 FollowUps:5
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Can anyone tell me if the ferry across the Cooper is operating yet please.
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Reply By: Member - TJ (VIC) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 19:49

Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 19:49
Hi Graham,

The Transport SA website states as at 4.01pm today;


COOPER CREEK FERRY INFORMATION
The Cooper Creek Ferry ceased operation on Friday 21 January 2011. The track conditions will continue to be monitored and it is expected that the ferry may need to be recommissioned when flood waters from Queensland reach South Australia in the next few months. While the ferry is out of action, minor modifications have been undertaken to increase the flexibility of this ferry if and when flood waters return.

http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/quicklinks/northern_roads/area1.asp

TJ...
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham N (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 08:03

Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 08:03
Hi TJ
Thanks for your reply I had been away for a couple of weeks and was under the impression that the Cooper was about to cross the Birdsville track when we left and could not believe the Gov. website (me of little faith) when we arrived home hence the question thanks again.

Graham
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Reply By: Member - Stephen L (Clare SA) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 20:53

Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 20:53
Hi Graham

I have just had to cancel my first reply that I was writing, as I have only just got off of the phone from Jason at Etadunna and had it interrupt him from his beer out in his beer garden...LOL

The very latest news is that one of the men, Paul from Etadunna flew up the Cooper the other week to check of its progress. For reason unknown to them, its seems to have put its brakes on and the progress is at a snails pace and Jason said it will still be at least 3 weeks before it again reaches the actual ferry site, and then it has to get out as far as the Birdsville Track.

Unlike last year when the floodwaters coming down were at a very fast rate, they rose 1.2 metres in depth over the Birdsville Track in just a 24 hour period. From my dealings with Transport SA, they will only put the ferry back into operation when the depth of the water is 600mm in depth over the Birdsville Track, or if it is boggy and unsafe for normal conventional vehicles.

I know that they is still 4 metres in depth of water over the causeway at Innamincka and all that water has to head south, so there is still a lot of water to come down.

When I asked the ultimate question to Jason, he said that the ferry will have to go back into operation this year but he would not like to put a time frame on just how long it will take before it reaches the Birdsville Track and deep enough to get the ferry going again.

The moment that I something positive to report, all the reader will be the first in Australia to know what is going on.


Until me next update.



Cheers


Stephen
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Follow Up By: Member - Graham N (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 08:13

Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 08:13
Hi Stephen,
Thanks for your reply looks like we will head for Innamincka and try a spot of fishing (hope not too many fish get on the line and disturb the peace) and do a round trip back down the Birdsville track and have a look for that memorial I wrote to you about early this year.
Thanks for the info. and all your updates we certainly appreciate them.

Cheers
Graham
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Reply By: Sand Man (SA) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 21:08

Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 21:08
Graham,

The influx of water travelling down the Cooper is moving fairly slowly and it may be a month or two yet before it cuts the Birdsville track, invoking the ferry operation.

Member Stephen posts updates from time to time as he has personal contact with Patsy on Etadunna Station where the ferry is located and a contact with Transport SA that is responsible for the ferry operation.

You could try sending Stephen (Clare SA) a member message or wait for his next update.

I was up there over the Easter/Anzac break and there is plenty of water in the Cooper Creek at the Ferry site. (with fish in it as well)
The ferry is moored on the southern side (where the ferry operators' mobile accomodation is) but the operators themselves will only arrive as and when needed to commission the ferry service again.
Bill


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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 21:11

Tuesday, Jun 07, 2011 at 21:11
Well now, Stephen was on the ball and answered while I was compiling my reply:-)
Bill


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Follow Up By: Member - Graham N (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 08:19

Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 08:19
Thanks Bill,
I hope you left some fish for us and thanks for your reply

Cheers
Graham
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Follow Up By: Sand Man (SA) - Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 18:49

Wednesday, Jun 08, 2011 at 18:49
Hi again Graham,

Should be plenty of Callop still in the Cooper.
We caught a half dozen in the middle of the day on red meat so you shouldn't need to be a skilled fisherman to score some.

We filleted and removed the skin of our catch, coated in a beer batter then shallow fried.
They were absolutely delicious that night for dinner for four of us.
If we had more time we would have tried a second lot grilled just to compare.

Callop (Yellow Belly) are fine eating fish.


Bill


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