Townsville to Mackay roads closed by flooding, stranding families

Travellers hoping to beat the wet conditions and head home through Mackay and Bowen’s tumultuous flooding are stuck camping out in their cars on the roadside.

Toni Kelly, her family and others have been stranded on their way home.

Travellers hoping to head home to Townsville through Bowen and Mackay have been left high and not so dry as many of the region’s major roads have been closed due to flooding.

Families such as Toni Kelly’s, who was intending to travel home to Townsville from Mackay via Bowen on the weekend, have been left seeking shelter as they face an uncertain wait to find their way home.

Ms Kelly and her partner Dave Loveridge, who live in Bohle Plains, managed to make it to Bowen from Mackay on Sunday, but were forced to seek emergency accommodation after being turned back by police.

“We were very lucky to get accommodation for the night,” Ms Kelly said.

“We headed off yesterday morning and got to just before Wangaratta where we were turned around by the police as it was closed.”

Scores of travellers have been left high and not-so-dry on the roadside.

Now, after waiting through all of Monday, Ms Kelly said she and her partner are waiting along with scores of other travellers for the water to recede, hopefully when the tide goes out.

“We’re sitting in the car. Yesterday a lot of people who were turned back on the highway like us stayed on the road side and they were lucky enough to get through at low tide when the water subsided enough. We are going for the same thing today.”

Flash flooding across the state's north has left travellers to Townsville stranded and waiting for days.

Despite waiting for hours this morning from word from the police on-site who are directing traffic, there’s still no signs of the roads being clear enough to drive through.

“It’s very, very, very wet. The info is a little conflicting. We could have an update in an hour or it could be three hours.”

Despite the struggles, and the long road back from visiting family in Mackay, Ms Kelly said she was very grateful for the helpful attitude of the locals.

“A massive big thanks to Bowen for looking after the stranded travellers.”

ROAD CLOSURES AS OF 9AM TUESDAY:

Charters Towers Regional Council

Ayr-Ravenswood Road, Ravenswood

Burdekin Falls Dam Rd, Ravenswood

Flinders Hwy between Black Jack and Hughenden (water over road, but is still open)

Tablelands Regional Council

Coolgarra Rd, Mt Garnet

Nymbool Rd, Mt Garnet

Shire of Hinchinbrook

Pomona Rd, Toobana

Hawkins Creek Rd, Dalrymple Creek

Newtons Crossing Rd, Peacock Siding

Burdekin Shire Council

Bruce Hwy, Home Hill

Morris Creek Rd – Hodel Rd, Giru

Ayr-Ravenswood Rd, Mulgrave

McMullen Rd, Clare

Beach Rd, Alva

Patricia Rd, Ayr

Hillier Rd, Brandon

McAllister Rd, Jarvisfield

Waterview Rd, Mt Kelly

Reed Beds Rd, Cromarty

Drynie Rd, Brandon

Banister St – Evans St, Brandon

Menso Rd, Mt Kelly

Airville Rd, Airville

Five Ways Rd, Airville

Kilrie Rd, Jarvisfield

Mulgrave Rd, Clare

Groper Creek Rd – Coppo Rd – Mt Alma Rd, Inkerman

Hurney Rd – Dunne Rd – Newman Rd – Foreman Walsh Rd, Osborne

Lena Rd, Mt Kelly

Cromarty Creek Boat Ramp Rd, Giru

Downs Rd, Jarvisfield

Jordan Rd, Jarvisfield

Ivroy Rd, Airville

Jerona Rd, Jerona

Barratta Rd, Upper Haughton

Allen Rd, Barratta

Whitsunday Regional Council

Bruce Hwy, Bowen (emergency services on scene)

Bruce Hwy, Gumlu

Lascelles Avenue, Goorganga Plains

Shute Harbour Rd, Mt Julian

Drays Rd, Bowen

Russells Crossing, Bowen

State Route 77, Newlands (Bowen River flooding and flowing over bridge, water over rd at Stragglers Gully)

Bootooloo Rd, Bowen

A1, Hamilton Plains

A1, Kelsey Creek

A1, Lethebrook

State Route 59, Hamilton Plains

Gregory Cannon Valley Rd, Sugarloaf

Collingvale Rd, Gregory River

Strathmore Rd, Springlands

Burdekin Falls Dan, Mt Wyatt

Lower Don Rd, Bowen

Queens Rd, Bowen

Originally published as Townsville to Mackay roads closed by flooding, stranding families