WYNARKA farmer Paul Anderson says utilising SA's railway infrastructure not only helps keep freight costs down but improves road safety for regional drivers.
Mr Anderson, who crops 1800 hectares around Karoonda and Wynarka, and delivers grain to the Karoonda and Tailem Bend silos, welcomed news that Viterra and Genesee & Wyoming Australia had reached an agreement to keep railway lines from Pinnaroo and Tookyerta to Tailem Bend open for 12 more months.
"I think that's a big plus for everybody - not just for farmers - because it takes a number of trucks off the road, so that's got to be a good thing," he said.
Despite the new agreement, the future of Mallee rail lines appears grim.
Mr Anderson was also pleased the state government had committed $2.3 million to improving the 'terrible' Karoonda Highway in anticipation of the rail line's likely closure in coming years.
"A lot of people are not experienced with this road, and because it's so rough and the edges are so poor people can get into real trouble," he said.
"They do little temporary patches all the time from Karoonda all the way through, but within no time the trucks just pound it out and it's back to where it was. It needs a proper fix, not just these little band-aid measures."
* Full report in Stock Journal, August 28, 2014 issue.
Jacinta Rose
Stock Journal's online editor.
Stock Journal's online editor.
