Outback ferry set to launch after break of 20 years

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Ferry may go back into service on Cooper Creek.
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Flooding in central Australia could see an outback ferry launched again after a break of 20 years. The 40-year-old ferry is based about 150 kilometres from Marree along the Birdsville track, near Cooper Creek.

Peter Short from the Transport Department says the ferry was last used for seven months in 1990. He says it took more than 10,000 people and thousands of head of cattle across the creek. Mr Short says the ferry has been maintained over the years ready to be used again.

"It's a bit of a 50-50 bet at the moment so far whether the water will get down that far ," he said. "But look, at the moment we've got guys looking at what might need to be done and working out if in fact we might need to launch it or not, so at this stage we're still sort of assessing the situation day by day."

More: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/04/2836203.htm?section=justin

Queensland pub has no fear of floods

As a record flood converges on the southwest Queensland town of St George, one publican is not concerned in the slightest.

Mario Strasek, the owner of the St George Hotel, is literally a stone's throw away from the Balonne River, however he says a steep bank incline has made his pub one of the highest points in town. "The pub is about 30 metres away from the river. Well, usually, that is. It's only about 20 metres away at the moment," he said on Friday.

"If we go under, then the whole town will definitely go under. "With any luck I might be the only pub (in the region) not under water." It's predicted the flood will exceed the levels of the legendary 1890 inundation, with the flood peak height now estimated to be 14 metres by Saturday.

The increase is both one metre higher than the 13m forecast given for the area throughout the week, and the 1890 flood. While it's expected to hit the town of 2700 late Friday or Saturday, Mr Strasek said the mood amongst the locals had remained quite calm.

Many of those that aren't in the pub are making what they can of the water rise. "Everybody is fishing at the moment," Mr Strasek said. "Once the water starts coming up, the worms come out a little more, as it pushes them up to higher ground. "People were going around with buckets and picking the worms up ... there's been lots of bites."

Fortunately for the locals, and even more so for Mr Strasek, the beer truck also managed to make its delivery on Wednesday. "I was lucky, it has been the only truck to get in to town for the last couple of days," he said. "So they got their priorities right that's for sure."

More: http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-national/qld-pub-has-no-fear-of-floods-20100305-pojm.html