People in north Queensland are mopping up after five days of torrential downpours triggered floods across the region as the severe weather threat moves north.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the Atherton Tablelands towns of Mareeba, Atherton, Gordonvale, Ravenshoe, Babinda and Mount Garnet in coming hours.
However, forecasters expect no further significant rainfall or flooding in the Mackay region where daily rainfall totals have topped 200mm in multiple places since Friday.
“No further significant rainfall is expected over the next few days,” the bureau said in an alert on Wednesday afternoon.
“Outside the flood watch area, flood warnings and minor to moderate flooding are occurring across several of the coastal catchments between the North Tropical Coast and Central Coast.”
Traffic is flowing north and south of Mackay after the reopening of the Bruce Highway, the region’s main road artery, which has been cut in multiple places for a number of days.
Thousands of residents are no longer isolated in communities and stranded travellers are moving through the region, but the Mackay Regional Council has urged drivers to be careful because many roads have emerged from floodwaters with cracks and potholes.
“Council, RoadTek and contractors are working hard to undertake repairs to the damage, when the weather allows,” the council said in a Facebook post.
“We are asking motorists to please be safe, slow down and drive to conditions until repair works can be completed.”
Mackay resident Jackie Dunne said she saw many drivers changing flat tyres because of the “massive potholes” south of Bloomsbury.
She was stranded for three days in Prosperine and thanked locals and fellow travellers for helping her and others who were isolated by the floods.
“We were lucky enough to get a room after only one night in the car but we saw nothing but kindness and charity helping those who weren’t so fortunate,” Ms Dunne wrote on Facebook.
“We met some lovely people along the way who were in the same boat, it’s about kindness and community and it was great to see everyone coming together.”
The council warned people to stay away from the water and beware of mosquitoes, which would likely breed quickly in the water left by deluge.
Environmental groups are concerned about 11 coal mines releasing untreated water into the Fitzroy River Basin, which is legal during floods.
Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland director Coral Rowston said one mine had released the equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool every eight seconds, which contained salt and heavy metals toxic to the flora and fauna in the river and the Great Barrier Reef downstream.
“Climate change impacts, such as the floods we are experiencing at the moment, are going to become more frequent and severe,” she said.
“We can’t afford to build more coal mines in central Queensland and expect to be able to manage even greater discharges of dirty water into the largest Great Barrier Reef catchment.”
In the state’s far west, major flooding on the Georgina River is easing at Marion Downs, but Eyre Creek is set to remain above a major flood level for the next few days.
The bureau warned a major flood could hit 150 residents at Bedourie, downstream from Eyre Creek, at the weekend.
© AAP 2023
