As you can easily tell from its unusually high wheel base, this now retired Dodge Truck has a story to tell.
It has been adapted to the challenge of ferrying passengers, mail and food supplies across the flooded Paroo River. The truck was generously given to the local shire council in order for them to modify it for flood duty, following the record breaking wet season of 1990. It was finally pensioned off and parked here when the when the new flood truck was first used in 2017. Floods are a special problem on the Paroo as the floodplain is so widespread. Waters may not be that deep – but they can spread out go for miles!
Across the late 1800s and into the 1920s, the locals relied on using a punt to ferry essential services like the mail coach across the river when the floods were on.
Unfortunately the limitations of this approach were proven early in the new year in 1926, when the punt sank while attempting to ferry a lorry across the swollen river. While the construction of the present day bridge across the river solved the crossing issue in 1928, locals were still having to resort to boat crossings to get the mail out in the 1930s.
The Second World War however was coming bringing with it the vast production of all terrain vehicles like the renowned Bren Gun carrier. These were sold off en masse after the war with one being acquired locally for use on Boorara Station. After floods in 1947 held up the mails for several weeks the decommissioned carrier was brought in to solve the river crossing conundrum.
Today however, this spirit of adventurous make do when it comes to crossing flooded roadways is recognised for the extremely dangerous activity that it is.
Just as legions of travellers across the outback have known for generations, the most reliable flood crossing solution is to sit back and wait for the waters to subside.