Livestock in Gympie, North Burnett, Fraser Coast missing after being swept away by flood waters

Footage of a lone calf swimming to shore has highlighted a rare survival story as countless animals die or remain missing in the Wide Bay flood zone. NEW VIDEO, PHOTOS.

Heartbreaking stories continue to emerge from the Wide Bay flood zone with staggering numbers of cattle, sheep and beloved farm pets found dead or still missing.

The flooding event, which saw largely unprepared rural properties on the outskirts of Gympie and Maryborough swamped by hundreds of millimetres of rain in one night, is another blow to the farmers who were suffering from drought and hay shortages this time last year.

A missing bull who was spotted on a sandbank in River Heads near Hervey Bay after surviving a 100 kilometre journey down stream sparked rescue hopes but despite a massive rescue effort, died on Monday.

The bull went missing in flood waters.

Farmers and land owners in the dozens have continued to post on social media desperate to find their missing animals, including Fraser Coast hobby farmer, Kerri Dixon, who said she felt “helpless” seeing her animals in trouble, including her beloved sheep, struggling in neck-deep water.

Kerri checked her paddocks and could still see grass before going to bed at midnight on Friday night.

“I usually bring my sheep up every night into a pen but because it was raining, I didn’t want them to have to sleep in the mud,” she said.

“I woke up at 3.30am and realised it was still raining so I raced down to the sheep paddock straight away to realise the waters were higher than we’ve ever seen and I could just make out the sheep's eyes with our torches at the back of there paddock, neck-deep in water.

“They heard us and started to try and come across but the current was so strong it just swept them all away before our eyes.

“I (will) forever kick myself for not putting them away that night.

“We had 7 sheep, 2 lambs, 4 murray grey cows and 2 calves. We are a hobby farm and our animals are more like pets so it’s been very distressing to lose them.”

Her son desperately tried to rush in and save the animals, but the current was too strong, forcing them to watch on and pray they would wash up alive further down the creek.

“It was so heartbreaking to watch and not be able to help them,” she said.

“We spent all day Saturday watching helplessly as other lost cattle kept floating past our house on either side.

“We managed to get about 8 cattle and 3 calves to make their way to dry ground by calling them as they floated past, but any that were in the strong current couldn't make it to shore.

“A lot of the cattle that washed up here are mothers constantly calling and trying to keep searching for their babies, and the tiny calves that we’ve had arrive are bellowing trying to find their mothers.

“To hear cows bellowing all day and again not be able to do anything is so sad.

“I had to turn the TV on so I couldn’t keep hearing them.

“It’s going to be a huge job just getting babies and mothers back together and the sooner we can do that the better.

Thankfully, a neighbour found three of Ms Nixon’s cows and both their calves, but she’s been unable to get to them until water falls in the Munna Creek, which could take another painstaking week.

Fortunately for Kerri, a calf, captured in a video swimming to the shore, and one more animal has been found alive.

“One of our sheep has been found which were going to try and reach her today.

And all the neighbours downstream were on the lookout for the rest of the sheep,” she said.

“The news that some of our animals have been found has been a miracle and I’m still praying for more of my sheep to turn up safe, but until we can freely start moving around, it’s too dangerous to look along the creeks for them either dead or alive.

“I still can’t talk about my sheep without crying.”

Kerri’s neighbour lost 40 head of cattle, and there are more animals left unaccounted for on farms across the region.

Families are also on the look out for beloved family pets lost during the deluge.

Jackie Mackenzie posted on the Facebook group, Lost Livestock – Fraser Coast 2022 Floods

asking people for information on his lost kelpie.

“Can anyone shed any light on our missing kelpie male named Digger in flood waters at Booyal-Dallarnil. Adored family pet,” the post read.

While heartbreaking stories of lost animals continue to emerge, some hope has come out of the Fraser Coast where a local family came to the rescue of an echidna found on a sand bank in Urangan, Hervey Bay.

The echidna survived the ordeal and has since been passed on to a wildlife rescuer.

It comes as fish, feral pigs and other animals were found on the beach at Urangan on Monday morning.

This cow is stranded on Kangaroo Island, Hervey Bay with no fresh food or water.

Search and relocation efforts continue to be documented on social media, however, hundreds of animals are still missing with recoveries desperately required.