Funding win for Lyrup Road

Lyrup Road, which is of strategic regional significance to the Riverland, was considerably damaged by the 2022/23 River Murray flood.
Berri Barmera Council Mayor Ella Winnall said she was “relieved” the State Government had agreed to 100 per cent fund Lyrup Road’s repair.
“We thank the State Government for reaching a common-sense decision for the flood damage on Lyrup Road,” she said.
“Berri Barmera Council has tirelessly advocated for this to be addressed.
“It’s great that the wider Riverland community will now have some certainty in regard to the longer-term access to the ferry.”
In November 2023, about nine months after flood waters subsided, Berri Barmera Council became aware of significant longitudinal cracks along the verge of Lyrup Road.
Had the damage been identified within three months of the water subsiding, the State Government would have fully funded the repairs as part of Local Government Disaster Recovery Assistance Arrangements (LGDRAA).
However, given the damage was identified after the three-month deadline, Council was expected to fund 30 per cent of the estimated $2.99 million repair cost.
Lyrup Road was originally built by the South Australian Government and connects the Lyrup Ferry to the Sturt Highway. The road then came under Council’s care and control after a Council boundary change.
While regionally significant, Lyrup Road has no rateable properties and primarily serves Lyrup residents, who reside within the Renmark Paringa Council area.
In August, Mayor Winnall, together with Renmark Paringa Mayor Peter Hunter and Loxton Waikerie Mayor Trevor Norton wrote to the Department of Treasury and Finance to request extraordinary assistance as part of the LGDRAA.
“This funding announcement is a great outcome and a testament to the three Riverland councils who strongly advocated for this result,” Mayor Winnall said.
“We thank Renmark Paringa Council and District Council of Loxton Waikerie mayors for standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us in advocating for this outcome.”
Now almost two years after the flood, Mayor Winnall said the district still had some “complex” flood recovery works to undertake.
“These cannot be undertaken without funding and all of it takes time and resources away from Council’s day-to-day operations and regular planned projects,” she said.
“Lyrup Road is one of the biggest projects to undertake, so it’s good to finally start work on what will be a big project to complete.”
Mayor Winnall thanked Lyrup residents for their continued patience while adhering to speed restrictions along Lyrup Road.
Following the funding announcement, planning and reconstruction design works will soon commence.