Council is undertaking critical upgrades to improve safety and access for the community.
When
Mid July 2025 to late March 2026 (Weather permitting)
Where
Southern Ports Highway between Southend Access Road turn off and Beachport outlet
More information
Wattle Range Council
council@wattlerange.sa.gov.au
Quick Links
Permits
What is happening
Roadwork to reconstruct a 13.8 km section of the Southern Ports Highway from the Southend Access Road Junction to the Beachport outlet.
The project will be completed under an investment from the joint Federal and State Government’s $168 million Road Safety Program.
The roadworks are being undertaken by Wattle Range Council on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT).
Works are scheduled to commence mid-July 2025 and are expected to be completed by late March 2026. To minimise disruption, roadworks will pause during the summer school holidays.
How the roadworks and road closures will affect you
The reconstruction will be completed in stages including periods of full road closures with detours in place. This allows the work to be carried out efficiently while ensuring manageable disruptions to residents and businesses.
Council understands the road closures will cause a temporary inconvenience; however, it’s a necessary step to ensure the reconstruction of the road is delivered to a high standard, in a cost-effective manner, and within a reasonable timeframe.
Local residents and businesses who regularly travel between Southend and Beachport may be eligible for a permit to allow direct access under restricted conditions (25 km/h).
Apply for, activate or find out more about the permit process
Expected delays
Road users without a permit will need to detour. The detour will add approximately 15 minutes to your normal travel time. The official detour is via Hatherleigh and Kangaroo Inn.
Drivers accessing the road with a permit will be required to travel at reduced speeds, the resulting delays are expected to also be around 15 minutes.
*Important note: There will be no impact for users driving between Millicent and Southend.
Keep up to date with what is happening and how the roadworks will affect you
Signage will be installed to alert road users to changed conditions and whether the detour via Hatherleigh and Kangaroo Inn must be used.
The community are encouraged to download the Antenno app and add the Southern Ports Highway as a ‘place of interest’ to be notified of changes to access conditions.
Find out more about the Antenno App.
Permit holders who access the road are requested to follow onsite traffic signage and the direction of traffic controllers while works are in progress. Speed restrictions will remain in place until all works are complete.
General Roadworks Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Construction is scheduled to take place between mid July 2025 to late March 2026, with closures occurring in stages.
Roadworks will pause during the peak summer holiday season (13 December to 28 Jan) to allow uninterrupted travel noting some traffic management (which may include reduced speed) may be in place over this period.
Stage 1 – mid July to August 2025
Roadworks on 3.5km stretch of road between Beachport outlet and Burke Island Rd.
Stage 2 – September to October 2025 Roadworks on 3.8km section of road between Burke Island Rd and Illuka Road.
Stage 3 – November to mid-December 2025 Roadworks on 2.3km section between Illuka Road and Southern Ports Hwy Parking Bay.
Pause for Summer Holiday Season
Stage 4 – late January to February 2026 Roadworks on 4.2km section between parking bay to Southend Access Rd turn off.
Stage 5 – February to end March 2026 Final line marking, guidepost, guard railing installation and signage.
The works are being undertaken by Wattle Range Council on behalf of the Department for Infrastructure and Transport (DIT). Council has partnered with DIT to complete this project. Both parties are confident this decision will result in a better built road at a reduced cost and within a faster timeframe.
We are using a mix of locally employed staff, Council owned plant, local material and a significant number of local contractors to do the work, and the vast majority of the project funding will be spent in the local area
No, we do recommend you communicate with your customers and suppliers and give them a heads up that they will need to use alternate methods to access the road during the upgrade and will be subject to additional travel time. Highlighting that the outcome will be a much safer road once works are completed.
No, Council’s primary interest is to build a safe and high-quality road for its community at an affordable price for the State Government.
The project costings cover Council in the event of unforeseen circumstances to ensure project costs will not hit the hip pocket of our ratepayers.
The road is a South Australian Department for Infrastructure and Transport Road. This project will be completed under an investment from the joint Federal and State Government's $168 million Road Safety Program.
The primary reason for closing the entire road is to achieve the highest possible standard of construction.
A full closure also ensures the safety of both workers and the public.
Kennedy Road and Wandilo Forest Road, Glencoe are examples of Council’s ability to build high-quality roads.
Working on a fully closed section also allows crews to complete work faster and minimises the total duration and therefore cost of the project. Keeping the road partially open would slow progress and significantly extend construction time.
Due to the scale and nature of the works—including road base reconstruction, vegetation removal, drainage upgrades and surface realignment—there is not enough room to safely maintain traffic alongside construction equipment.
It is the Council’s aim to ensure a quality road is delivered free of potholes and the need to ‘patch’ it up in the future. Closing the road gives Council the best chance to deliver this.
Permit system and access during the road works
Local residents and businesses who regularly travel between Southend and Beachport may be granted a permit and allowed access under restricted conditions (25 km/h). The expected delay when travelling between Southend to Beachport with a permit is approximately 15 minutes due to the reduced speed.
Council has been in contact with residents of Southend and businesses who have been identified as requiring a permit, these permits have been issued and the recipients will be required to activate them prior to using the road.
If you have not received a permit and believe you require one, please see the permit information under Permit and Access FAQ’s below.
Each access permit has a unique reference number which will be activated when matched with resident’s name, address and car registration number.
All road users with a permit are required to activate their permit. A register of permitted road users will be kept by Council.
Access and Permits Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Please read the permit FAQ information below.
Each access permit has a unique reference number which will be activated when matched with your name and car registration number.
There are three ways to activate your permit.
- Call the Council on 08 8733 0900
- Activate your permit online
- Call in and see us at our new Council Service Centr.
If you live in Southend and did not receive a permit, have more than one registered driver living at your address and you believe you require one you will need to Apply for a Permit
Permits will only be issued to valid residents, businesses and individuals that need to drive from Southend to Beachport and vice versa on a regular basis (multiple times per week).
- Scenarios where permits will not be issued;
Travellers from Rendelsham or Millicent to Beachport as they will be required to use the detour via Hatherleigh and Kangaroo Inn.
- Scenarios where permits will be granted;
Residents of Southend
Residents of Beachport who work in Southend
Residents of Beachport who regularly travel to Southend for family reasons
Businesses that travel between the Beachport and Southend daily
School buses
Emergency vehicles.
Permits will be issued to individuals requiring regular access between Southend and Beachport. It generally will be residents of either town but in some circumstances may be an individual associated with a business travelling each day between the two townships such as a business delivering to Southend and then Beachport daily.
The permit will be linked to the businesses who then nominate drivers. We request that the businesses keep Council updated of driver’s details.
Please contact Council on 08 8733 0900 to be reissued a hard copy permit. Your permit number and details will still be on the access register.
Emergency service providers are being fully briefed and will have coordinated access to ensure emergency response times are not compromised. We will also ensure that under emergency conditions access is available to all premises.
Council is working closely with local schools to regarding bus routes and minimise disruption for students and families.
Works staff will be conducting random checks at various stages of the project to ensure permits are in place. Road users found without a permit will not be granted access. If travelling from Millicent, this will mean travelling back to Rendelsham and accessing the detour, adding an additional 20 minutes to the travel times.