The Innamincka Sporting Club has announced the cancellation of several events due to roads damaged by flooding and compromised racetracks. This has impacted both gymkhanas and a significant cultural festival in the area. For the second consecutive year, tourism in a remote town in far northern South Australia has declined as it continues to recover from the floods that occurred in 2025.
Despite the setbacks, local graziers and residents are appreciating the lush greenery and thriving cattle that have emerged from the recent rainfall, although it has led to the postponement of cherished annual celebrations. The landscape is reportedly in the best condition many have witnessed, following record rainfall; however, the closure of key access routes has deterred tourists and forced the cancellation of much-anticipated community events.
This situation is particularly challenging for Innamincka, a small township that has faced significant flooding issues in recent years. Recently, it was isolated for several weeks due to floodwaters from Queensland.
According to Janet Brook, treasurer of the Innamincka Sporting Club, “We had buildings that suffered severe damage; it’s hard to imagine nearly two meters of water inundated the area.” After a long 15-month recovery process, the town was finally prepared for its annual Innamincka Bush Sprints and Gymkhana weekend, scheduled for late August. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled last week due to an underwater section of the Strzelecki Track, marking the second year in a row that it has been called off.
To reach Innamincka from South Australia, visitors must travel along the 472-kilometer Strzelecki Track. While much of this route is navigable by four-wheel drive vehicles, approximately 60 kilometers of the 105-kilometer stretch between Moomba and Innamincka remains completely submerged.
This situation has left South Australian tourists with no choice but to detour through New South Wales and Queensland, as Brook explained, “We depend on those visitors to bring their horses to participate in the bush sprints and gymkhana.” She lamented, “This would have significantly impacted the number of races we could run. It’s disappointing; many of these participants have been attending the race weekend for nearly two decades. It’s a substantial loss to our community gatherings.”
In a similar predicament, the small town of Milparinka, located about 350 kilometers southeast of Innamincka, had to cancel its gymkhana earlier this month due to the racetrack being submerged. Tim Maxwell, a regular competitor, mentioned that alternative plans were considered, but the grounds were simply too saturated for use. “The area is on the floodplain of the Evelyn Creek, and when it floods, it affects the racetrack,” he added, noting that some locations received up to 80 millimeters of rain just last week.
Furthermore, approximately 220 kilometers south of Milparinka, the annual Mutawintji Cultural Festival was also called off just weeks before the scheduled early-August dates. The event, which is hosted at Mutawintji National Park—home to 300 recorded Aboriginal sites—is a two-hour drive from Broken Hill. Warlpa Thompson, chair of the Mutawintji board of management, shared his disappointment: “It’s a wonderful gathering of people sharing their stories, songs, and dances. It is one of the best experiences I have ever attended.”
Thompson noted that the region has experienced “at least 600 millimeters” of rainfall in the past six months, which is nearly triple the annual average of approximately 220 millimeters. “While we are fortunate to receive this rain, it complicates hosting a festival where dirt roads are involved,” he said. The board made the difficult decision to cancel the festival, emphasizing the importance of preserving the land as a top priority.
Many of the outback’s regular events, although centered around competition, serve a greater purpose of community bonding. The gymkhana in Innamincka typically draws 200 to 300 attendees. Brook expressed, “These events provide an essential opportunity for many to reconnect, which we eagerly anticipate.” This comes at a time when the town is experiencing a notably quiet visitor season, with an average annual tourist count of 30,000 to 40,000.
Brook remarked, “This is now the second year of very low visitor numbers. While no one is to blame for the weather, it is unfortunate that roads remain closed.” On the other hand, Thompson described the Mutawintji Cultural Festival, which began in 2022, as a vital chance to reconnect with culture and the land. “Caring for the land and each other, along with celebrating our culture, is an essential part of what we do.”
Despite the disappointment surrounding the cancellations, the rain has been positively received. Thompson reflected, “It’s like a roller-coaster of emotions. At times, I feel sad because I wish to see many of our local community members, including my nieces, nephews, and children, experience this magical event. However, I am relieved to know that the rock wallabies we have released are thriving due to the ample food supply.”
Although the challenges faced by Brook on Cordillo Downs Station are significant, they are manageable compared to those encountered during drought conditions. “It remains a logistical challenge to complete our cattle work, but we are making progress. These are the types of issues we’d prefer to have,” she concluded.
