The flood crisis is severely impacting graziers in north-west Queensland, and the forecast indicates more rain is on the way for the tropical coast.
Jessica Bridges, a ringer, has taken to turning on the television at night just to drown out the sound of the rain. "There's a lot of anxiety and big emotions in many households right now," she shared. The memories of the catastrophic events that unfolded in 2019 still haunt her, creating a sense of what feels like PTSD for those living through similar circumstances again.
Currently, as the rain begins to subside in the north-west due to a diminishing tropical low moving southward, Ms. Bridges remains concerned about the potential for further flooding. "While the rains are easing, there is still significant water yet to flow down the channels," she explains. At Gilliat Plains, her family's cattle station located west of Julia Creek, exhaustion has set in.
"Many people are inquiring about the extent of our damages or losses, but the reality is that cattle could have been present yesterday and be gone today," she noted. "I've encountered some truly horrific accounts from the Julia Creek watercourse, where individuals are struggling to locate their cattle entirely."
The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has warned that there is still a risk of isolated heavy rainfall in areas that are already inundated. Meteorologist Shane Kennedy indicated that while these falls should be less widespread than in recent days, they still pose a significant threat. He noted, "We could see an additional 15 to 40 millimeters of rain per day, with isolated pockets receiving between 50 to 100 millimeters." He cautioned that major flooding is anticipated in Richmond starting late Friday.
A week of relentless monsoonal rainfall has wreaked havoc across the northern and north-western parts of the state. Tragically, a man in his seventies lost his life in Normanton, and a father and daughter had to be rescued from rising floodwaters near Boulia. Communities are finding themselves cut off, with access denied to numerous roads, including vital highways, leaving travelers stranded. Additionally, seven individuals were rescued after becoming trapped in floodwaters at Lannercost, near Ingham, late Thursday evening.
Emergency services reported that although these people managed to escape their vehicle, they were isolated, prompting the deployment of swiftwater rescue teams to assist them. Several areas in the north-west have also set new records for December rainfall, with Burketown, Normanton, Cloncurry, and Julia Creek receiving between 450 and 550 millimeters.
Acting Superintendent of the Mount Isa District, Paul Austin, emphasized that while conditions are improving, people should remain vigilant. "There is still a considerable amount of runoff with water flowing through rivers at major flood levels," he stated. "Additionally, several residents are trapped in smaller towns."
Graziers are anxious to evaluate their stock losses and move their cattle to higher ground. In the Gulf of Carpentaria, Ashley Gallagher described how his pilot faced an unexpected challenge while attempting to relocate cattle—crocodiles. "When the cows moved into the water, it caused quite a stir, and they all retreated back under the helicopter because there were four large saltwater crocodiles nearby," Gallagher recounted. "Ultimately, he had to leave the cows on the island."
With more rain forecasted for Cloncurry and Julia Creek, Gallagher expressed concern over what the Gulf still has in store. "We’re really hoping this water can recede a bit before more arrives," he commented.
The risk of flooding is not yet over for the east coast either. A severe weather warning is expected to persist from south of Ingham to north of Bowen throughout the weekend. Onshore winds are converging over the north-east coast, leading to more rainfall, with heavy showers predicted around Townsville, according to BOM's Kennedy. Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto added that king tides anticipated in the coming days, following this week's heavy rainfall, indicate that the flood threat for the city is ongoing. "We want to ensure residents are prepared, so we will be restocking sandbags as needed," he explained.
Residents, including Duncan Fyfe, expressed their frustration over the situation. "It’s been absolute hell, to be honest. It feels like we’re stuck in a cycle; we just can’t keep enduring this flooding," he lamented. "Trying to sleep at night is difficult—you’re constantly monitoring the rain and checking BOM maps, and it becomes emotionally exhausting."
The Bureau of Meteorology predicts that this weather system should shift offshore by early next week.
