GPSA relaunches campaign to identify dangerous freight routes and push for funding to improve regional roads
Grain producers, truck drivers and regional communities are being asked to help identify South Australia’s most dangerous and deteriorated grain freight routes as Grain Producers SA (GPSA) relaunches its highly successful ‘Worst Grain Roads’ campaign.
The campaign invites road users across South Australia’s grain-growing regions to nominate roads that are unsafe, inefficient or in urgent need of repair.
GPSA will use the nominations to develop a new list of South Australia’s Worst Grain Roads and advocate directly to the Federal, State and local governments for funding to address the routes of greatest concern.
From worst road to major rebuild on the Yorke Peninsula
The first campaign in 2022 attracted submissions for almost 60 different roads, with the Upper Yorke Road between Arthurton and Kulpara voted the state’s ‘Worst Grain Road’. After a sustained campaign to State and Federal Governments, the 35 kilometre stretch of road received funding for a significant upgrade. This work was announced in March 2024 and was completed by May 2025.
GPSA Chief Executive Officer Brad Perry said the transformation of Upper Yorke Road demonstrated what could be achieved when road users spoke up and sustained advocacy followed.
“When grain producers nominated Upper Yorke Road in 2022, they described a narrow and badly deteriorated route that was damaging vehicles, reducing freight efficiency and putting lives at risk,” Mr Perry said.
“GPSA took that evidence directly to government, worked with the RAA to assess the road and brought the Regional Roads Minister, Primary Industries Minister and senior transport officials onto the route to experience the problem firsthand.
“The Regional Roads Minister publicly acknowledged GPSA’s advocacy when the funding was announced. It is a strong example of how evidence from grain producers, backed by persistent advocacy, can help move a road from the government’s problem list to its works program.”
Mr Perry said South Australia’s grain industry depended on an extensive network of highways, arterial routes and local roads to transport grain, machinery, inputs and workers.
“Every tonne of grain begins its journey to market on a road, but too many of those roads are narrow, crumbling, or are simply not designed for the size and volume of modern agricultural freight,” he said.
“We now want road users to tell us what has changed since 2022, which roads remain neglected, and which routes have deteriorated to the point that urgent intervention is required.
“We are looking for specific nominations supported by local knowledge, photographs and firsthand accounts. That evidence will allow GPSA to present governments with a clear and credible case for where future road investment should be directed.
“The success of the Upper Yorke Road upgrade shows that making a nomination is worthwhile. If there is a grain road in your district that governments cannot afford to ignore, now is the time to put it forward.”
Grain producers, truck drivers, agricultural businesses and regional community members can nominate a road at www.worstgrainroadssa.com.au.
