Wide Bay weather: Flash flooding, over 220mm falls across South Burnett

A driver has waited for rescuers on the roof of his car overnight, while others were lucky to escape injury after getting stuck in floodwaters, as two days of wild weather left Qld roads cut and creeks flooded.

A 4WD partially submerged in floodwaters at Stewart Valley Rd, Goodger, after its driver tried to cross the flooded road as the South Burnett was inundated for a second day by wild weather. Picture: Tammie Scholl, Facebook.

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Two people have been rescued from floodwaters in the South Burnett overnight and school bus runs cancelled due to flash flooding as heavy rain continued to inundate parts of the Wide Bay and Burnett.

More than 220mm of rain has now fallen in less than 24 hours at Brooklands, nestled between the Bunya Mountains and Nanango, while another 176mm was recorded across the same time at nearby Dandabah as the wild weather rolled across the region and into Gympie and the Fraser Coast.

On Tuesday afternoon and night, 72mm was also recorded at West Barambah and 70mm at Cherbourg.

Parts of the South Burnett experienced flash flooding from the inundation, with multiple major roads flooded, including the Burnett Hwy at Reedy Creek, 21km north of Nanango, Palms Rd at Cooyar, Walsh Rd at Glan Devon, Alford St at Kingaroy, Memerambi Barkers Creek Rd at Wattle Creek, and Greenview Rd at Wondai.

A 4WD partially submerged in floodwaters at Stewart Valley Rd, Goodger, after its driver tried to cross the flooded road as the South Burnett was inundated for a second day. Picture: Tammie Scholl, Facebook.

Several smaller roads in the region, including Tarong Railway Rd, Paige Rd, McNamara Rd, Kunioon Rd, McCauley Broome Rd, Darley Crossing Rd, Darley Estate Rd, and Nanango Brooklands Rd, and Mt Stanley Rd at Avoca Vale, Emmert St at Yarraman, and Kingaroy Cooyar Rd have been cut by floodwaters in the past two days as well.

All were still shut by 9am Wednesday.

Parts of the South Burnett have experienced flash flooding after being inundated Monday and Tuesday with reports of heavy rainfall of more than 220mm in some areas. Picture: Charlie Spagalli Photography & Videography

Emergency crews were rushed to Kumbia and Parker roads, Ellesmere, about 8pm on Tuesday after a ute became stuck in floodwaters.

They arrived to find the driver of the vehicle sitting on the roof waiting for rescue.

It was one of two call-outs for help fielded by the Queensland Fire Department.

Units were also called to Bouldery Rd at Brooklands about 6am Wednesday morning, but emergency crews arrived to find the occupants of the vehicle safely on the opposite bank of the flooded creek their vehicle was stuck in.

Middle Creek on Kingaroy-Cooyar Rd in between Tarong and Brooklands was among more than a dozen South Burnett roads cut by flash flooding across Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Picture: Ronna Sheppard, Facebook.

Images emerged on Wednesday morning of another 4WD partially submerged in floodwaters at Stewart Valley Rd, Goodger, after its driver tried to cross.

The image prompted renewed calls by social media users of “if it’s flooded, forget it”.

Heavy rainfall was recorded in the region and Fraser Coast too.

At Goomboorian, between Gympie and Tin Can Bay, 108mm was recorded in the past 24 hours while headed up the Bruce Hwy 67mm fell at Mt Kanigan 67mm and 54mm at Glenwood.

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Gympie received 57mm of rainfall overnight, while Moy Pocket had 75mm and Imbil had 57mm.

Hervey Bay recorded 34mm of rain the he past 24 hours.

Wednesday is expected to be the last of the wild weather, with forecasts across the next week predicting no more than 1mm of rain on most days.