Cattle dead after extreme weather event

Queensland’s cattle industry has been “brought to its knees” as extreme flooding continues to inundate the northwest of the state. WARNING: DISTRESSING IMAGES

Distressing images of dead cattle at Eddington Station 20km West of Julia Creek, Qld in North West Qld following the floods. Photo: Rae Stretton

QUEENSLAND’S cattle industry has been “brought to its knees” as extreme flooding continues to inundate the northwest of the state.

Swift water rescue teams are still assisting in operations around Cloncurry and Hughenden, after an elderly man had to be evacuated on Thursday night near Richmond.

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More than two years’ of rainfall has fallen in the northwest in the past 10 days causing flooding to a vast expanse of cattle properties and small towns.

Distressing images have also emerged of the sheer devastation caused to livestock, crops and farmers’ livelihoods.

Distressing images of dead cattle at Eddington Station 20km West of Julia Creek, Qld in North West Qld following the floods. Picture: Rae Stretton

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk yesterday described the situation in the west as “horrific”.

“This is a crisis for our cattle industry,” she said.

“People have gone through years and years of drought, and now they have gone smack-bang into a natural disaster, the likes of which no one out there has seen before. As we’ve said, we have seen high rainfall, unprecedented levels. It is horrific what they’re dealing with.

“The extreme flooding event out west … is bringing our cattle industry to (its) knees.”

Central-west Queensland farmer Ren Field said he had recorded 835mm of rain over a 10 day period and lost 70 per cent of his cattle.

“We have lost 700 cattle out of 1000 (so far) from exhaustion, starvation, freezing winds and floodwater,” he said.

“The stock that haven’t died from floodwater and cold weather have had to be humanely put down.”

Distressing images of dead cattle at Eddington Station 20km West of Julia Creek, Qld in North West Qld following the floods. Picture: Rae Stretton

A co-ordination centre has been set up between the State Government, emergency services and local councils to provide assistance.

However, Ms Palaszczuk yesterday said the severe weather was preventing efforts in dropping fodder for starving cattle.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services Commissioner Katarina Carroll became emotional when describing the scenes her team had witnessed out west.

“Never in our lifetime have we seen anything like this,” she said.

“From the fires we experienced at the end of November, to now, never in the history of our state have we seen anything like this.

“When you look at the devastation of the cattle dying on the ground, it’s confronting and you come here and see what’s happened (in Townsville) it’s also confronting.”

Distressing images of dead cattle at Eddington Station 20km West of Julia Creek, Qld in North West Qld following the floods. Picture: Rae Stretton

AgForce president Georgie Somerset has urged farmers affected in the north and west Queensland shires to take advantage of grants and low-interest loans.

Yesterday Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Category D recovery grants would now be available to producers, meaning payments up to $75,000 will be available.

“We have all seen, I think, the images, the devastating scenes, of what’s occurring in North Queensland,” he said.

“This is a very significant flood event. We are expecting hundreds of thousands in terms of stock losses.

“This will be heartbreaking to these communities, that have been experiencing years of drought, only to see that turn into a torrential inundation, which threatens now their very livelihoods in the complete other direction.”

Mr Morrison said the Federal Government had been “unhesitating” in moving to ensure the level of assistance that was needed would be provided.

“We will stand with these communities every step in the way, and stand in very close contact,” he said.

Originally published as Cattle dead after extreme weather event