Trans Australian east-west rail line lengthy closure

The Trans Australian rail line (Port Augusta to Kalgoorlie) closed on 10 March 2024 due to significant flooding, especially (though not limited to) between Rawlinna and Naretha in Western Australia, with over a metre of water submerging some of the line.

The Australian Rail Track Corporation said today:

While ARTC crews have made considerable progress with track repairs at multiple impacted sites, there are still a number of sites with a substantial amount of water over track which cannot be safely accessed to undertake recovery efforts at those locations.

Continued assessments of the conditions are being undertaken daily with detailed analysis.

Following assessments today, and with water levels not receding at a rate we had hoped for, ARTC advises that the rail line will not open before Easter.

An opening date will be reassessed as conditions change and access to flooded sites becomes available.

ARTC has a significant workforce in the area with senior engineers, specialist consultants and our maintenance crews on the ground.

Maybe the extra costs imposed on COL are at least partly recoverable through insurance, but given rail carries the lion's share of freight across the Nullarbor as it has a huge cost advantage over road, and coastal shipping can be infrequent and most unreliable, it's not helpful to supermarket operators such as COL.

The Eyre Highway between Eucla and Norseman had also closed for two or three days but has reopened.

It's unlikely that road transport would have sufficient trucks and drivers to suddenly take over completely from rail.

Let's hope the water levels recede faster, enabling earlier reopening of this transcontinental rail line.

While I lack proof, last time this occurred, supermarkets in WA suffered from stock shortages. Did some panic buying contribute?