Normanton area cut off since January by severe wet season flooding

Towns across the Gulf remain isolated by floods as the worst wet season in a decade keeps its grip on the region with one community cut off since early January.

Towns across the Gulf remain isolated by floods as the worst wet season in a decade keeps its grip on the region with one community cut off since early January.

As the Bureau of Meteorology announced they expected 2023 to be one of the wettest wet seasons on record, they said rainfall is excepted to increase over Cape York and northern Queensland.

Jil Wilson of Tirranna took this image as her family were evacuated from Tirranna to Burketown by helicopter as the most significant wet season in a decade impacted their property. Picture: Supplied

This is thanks to the current monsoon burst which delivered wind, rain and thunderstorms resulting in a 400mm record over a seven-day period, the town of Normanton is entering its 63rd day of being marooned by floodwaters.

Some communities are faring worse than others, with the Carpentaria Shire’s District Disaster Management Group co-ordinating with local councils to increase supply drops into the communities of Normanton, Karumba, Burketown, Doomadgee and surrounding cattle stations.

Heavy rains from the most significant wet season in a decade have impacted the Far North with flooding isolating towns and communities including around Normanton and Burketown. Picture: Supplied

Carpentaria Shire Council chief executive Mark Crawley said for the Normanton community it was “business as usual”.

“It’s been longer than the last couple of years with all the roads in the shire closed on-and-off since January 4,” Mr Crawley said.

“We are doing chopper resupplies to rural properties and cattle stations.

“Bradley Hawkins at Hawkins Transport Group has been very good with his assistance with transporting via truck and his flood boats.”

Members of the State Emergency Services in Normanton and Karumba using flood boats have been integral to ensuring food supplies are distributed to remote towns and communities isolated by the longer-than-usual west season. Picture: Supplied

Mr Crawley said regular food drop-offs and assistance by the State Emergency Service had been led by Jake Daniels.

Mr Daniels, 34, said paradoxically, the rise in water levels made it easier to use flood boats to transport food supplies to Normanton.

“At times the water levels were too low reach the roads,” he said.

Jil Wilson and her family were evacuated by helicopter from Tirranna to Burketown as heavy rains from the most significant wet season in a decade impacted the Far North with flooding isolating towns and communities including around Normanton and Burketown. Picture: Supplied

But for Tirranna Springs Roadhouse managers Tim and Jil Wilson the deluge had been devastating.

Mrs Wilson said her children had fever and gastro and she they were heartbroken having to leave their beloved dogs and other farm animals behind on the highest ground they could find.

“We are awaiting photo updates from choppers surveilling the area,” she said.

“We hope so much our dogs and some of our farm animals are high enough.

“All of our buildings are under water, we just don't know how far.”

Food is unloaded at a Cape York community as part of not-for-profit remote store operator Community Enterprise Queensland which spent over $735,000 on 27 separate air charters to Kowanyama, Pormpuraaw, and Doomadgee and delivered more than 85,000 kilograms of products. Picture: Supplied

Meanwhile, senior Bureau meteorologist Dean Narramore, said the tropical low over the region is staying put for at least another week.

“Up until a week ago places like Weipa and further south were having their wettest wet season on record,” he said.

“It’s one of the wettest wet seasons for parts of the Peninsula.

”For much of the Gulf coast once we crunch the numbers, this could be their wettest on record.”

As the most significant wet season in a decade impacted the Far North with flooding isolating towns, Tirranna resident Jil Wilson took this image as her family were evacuated by helicopter to Burketown. "No high ground all the way," she said. Picture: Supplied

He said the Cairns region could expect some showers and isolated heavy rainfalls and thunderstorms to Tully and Innisfail.

Originally published as Normanton area cut off since January by severe wet season flooding