New access to Riverland Field Day site

Published 10th February 2026

Council will soon commence construction on a new access road to the Riverland Field Days site, replacing the former route that was included in a land sale in 2023.

In August 2023, Berri Barmera Council sold a piece of land, which included the ungazetted road that runs parallel to the Riverland Field Day site, meaning the public no longer had road access to the grounds.

Berri Barmera Council CEO Tim Pfeiffer – who began in December 2023 after the sale occurred – said while immensely frustrating, Council has worked tirelessly to address prior mistakes.

“Re-establishing permanent access to the Riverland Field Days site has been an absolute priority over the past two years and while it’s been a challenging process, Council is satisfied that the best outcome is being delivered,” he said.

Council sought to register a right of way over Field Day Drive prior to selling the land. However, the sale transfer occurred prior to the relevant minister signing off on the proposed easement in August 2023.

Since August 2023, Council has leased the road from the new landowner to ensure public access to the site.

In November 2025, after exploring numerous options to acquire the existing road, council resolved to construct the new access road, which is expected to be completed in coming weeks.

“Building a new road was assessed as the most viable and practical option considering timing, cost and legal constraints,” Mr Pfeiffer said.

“We understand the community will be disappointed in what has transpired.

“Council has taken this matter very seriously, with a full independent investigation undertaken to determine how this situation occurred and more so, ensure it never happens again.”

Council’s independent investigation found that the incorrect land transaction resulted from a combination of inadequate oversight, along with communication issues both internally and with external service providers.

The review also identified systemic issues, including unclear accountabilities, disrupted workflows during the River Murray flood event and gaps in property law knowledge.

“An error was made a long time ago, which we have been working hard to rectify,” he said.

“It is important for us to be transparent and inform the community what happened, but more importantly, how we’re fixing the problem and ensuring it never happens again.

“Our focus is now delivering the new access road efficiently and effectively.”