Queensland, March 08: Parts of far western Queensland have turned into an inland sea with floodwaters spreading 20 kilometres wide.
Record rain fell on the Channel Country over the weekend, causing major flooding around Bedourie, Windorah and moderate flooding at Birdsville – flood warnings are current for the Diamantina River as well as Georgina and Eyre Creek.
In Bedourie a record 319mm fell on Sunday, beating the average annual rainfall in just 24 hours.
The floodwaters are slowly moving through Eyre Creek, after peaking at Bedourie at 5.68 metres overnight, the highest level in 40 years.
Steve Cramer, from Glengyle Station, south of Bedourie, said he’s never seen floodwaters like it.
“It’d be 20 kilometres wide where that Mulligan (River) runs in down there,” he told ABC Radio.
“It’s probably a foot-and-a-half higher than the 2009 flood and I haven’t seen it like that before.
“We got up in the plane and there are a lot of fences gone – what you can see of them that aren’t underwater – and wing banks on dams gone.
“We’re still in for a good month of floodwater around the station.”
Forecaster Rick Threlfall said it could take about a week for the heavy rain to drain away from the region.
“With it being so flat out there, it could take a while,” he told AAP.
“There’s a chance of an afternoon storm, but the good news for them is that we’re not expecting too much more rain there.”
A massive rain band in north Queensland across the Townsville area dumped up to 265mm in 24 hours, causing flash flooding and keeping emergency crews busy overnight.
The Department of Community Safety told AAP one woman and three children were helped to evacuate their Mount Low home when it was inundated, ankle deep and rising, about 7pm.
Meanwhile, a 48-year-old woman, who was medically unwell, became stranded between rising causeways at Black River, just north of Townsville, about 10pm.
She was taken to Townsville hospital in a stable condition.
About an hour north, flood waters have risen across the Bruce Highway, cutting the road north and south of Ingham.
The lower Herbert river, which runs through Ingham, is at a minor to moderate flood level.
Hydrologist Jeff Carey said no homes are expected to be flooded.
He said BoM will be closely watching as the massive rainband over Townsville moves north to areas that were hardest hit by Cyclone Yasi.
Overnight, Tully had already received 86mm and Innisfail 129mm, but falls could increase over the coming days.
Some minor to moderate flooding is expected during today in the coastal rivers and streams along the North Tropical Coast.
A severe weather warning is current for heavy rain leading to flash flooding.
“All those coastal streams are going to receive those rainfalls,” Mr Carey told.
——–Agencies