Media Release - Council Levels Up With New Caterpillar Grader
The Flinders Ranges Council Road Network gets a major boost
The Flinders Ranges Council is excited to announce the purchase of a brand-new Caterpillar model 140 grader, which will help deliver improved efficiencies and higher quality outcomes across the district’s extensive unsealed road network.
The purchase follows a rigorous tender and evaluation process, during which staff visited neighbouring Councils to inspect and trial different makes and models of graders. After careful consideration, the Caterpillar model was selected as the most suitable for the unique conditions of the region’s dirt roads.
Our Council area, in South Australia’s upper mid-north, covers 4,198 square kilometres, extending from Saltia in the south, to Arkaba in the north, a distance in excess of 100 kilometres. It is bounded by the District Councils of Orroroo Carrieton and Mount Remarkable to the south, Port Augusta to the southwest, and the arid unincorporated area of South Australia’s outback to the north.
The Flinders Ranges Council is home to around 1,650 people, 1,400 kms of roads to construct and maintain and with over 600,000 overnight visitors passing through the Flinders Ranges and Outback region each year Council needs a second grader.
Mayor Anderson said the new grader represents a significant investment for Council and the community. “It’s a big deal for us to purchase a brand-new grader,” Mayor Anderson said. “This machine will improve the quality of our road maintenance work and also deliver greater reliability with less downtime from breakdowns. It also shows Councils long term commitment to the community and demonstrates a responsible investment that will deliver better value for ratepayers.”
The new grader will work alongside Council’s existing grader, allowing for more consistent maintenance scheduling and faster response times across the network. Our graders are also critical during bushfires to construct firebreaks and to keep roads open. After flooding the graders come into their own reopening roads.
To celebrate the arrival of the new machine, Council will soon launch a ‘Name the Graders’ competition, inviting community members to put forward their most creative ideas for naming both of Council’s graders.
Further details about the competition will be shared on Council’s website and social media channels in the coming weeks.
FRC last took possession of a new grader in 2001
Left to Right – Jim Matthews, Travis McCourt, David Smith and Victor Clark
New grader delivered in October 2025
Left to Right – Shane Hanson (Cavpower), Sean Holden (CEO), David Sowerby, Blair Miller, Mark Austin (Director of Works), Mark Finlay and Danny Martin