Study shows a return of NT cattle transported by rail could save producers big money

A study looking at the viability of transporting cattle on rail to Darwin and South Australia is being conducted by the NT Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade. Key points: A study has looked into a potential return of the cattle on NT rail Rail transport has not been used for cattle since 1998 Pastoralists could save up to $120 per head on freight to South Australia if incorporating rail transport Currently, all Northern Territory cattle are moved to markets on road trains, but a desktop review has found pastoralists could save by putting cattle on rail for a portion of their journey. Mr Christian said stations would truck cattle to rail heads in centres such as Alice Springs or Tennant Creek where they would be loaded onto trains and taken to their prospective markets. Herbie Neville, a cattle industry veteran and branch manager of Elders Alice Springs, used to organise cattle trains for markets in South Australia. Gary Prior, another player in the NT's cattle rail game, used to run the Roe Creek Cattle Yards in Alice Springs during the 1980s and recalled the time fondly.