Qld floods: Impact could prove a multi-generational disaster

Struggling Queensland landowners face the prospect of selling generations-old farms with the estimated livestock deaths at more than 100,000 as the flood recovery could stretch for a decade.

Struggling Queensland farmers could take up to a decade to recover from record-breaking rainfall, with some facing the prospect of selling generations-old family farms.

It comes amid fears for the mental health of graziers who might need to dig mass graves for lost livestock, echoing harrowing scenes from 2019.

Some farmers estimated it could take a week to get machinery in to remove carcasses, while the Department of Primary Industries revealed at least 7000km of fences, private roads and other infrastructure had been damaged by the worst flooding since 1974.

As the focus shifts to recovery in the coming weeks, residents in Thargomindah who had taken shelter in a council depot have been forced to an airport near the inundated town.

The Bulloo River at Thargomindah was at 6.95m above the 1974 level of 6.78m on Tuesday, with levels still rising in a number of Outback rivers.

Farm Angels founder Natasha Johnston said: “We’ll see farmers walking away, selling their properties after generations out there, it’s just going to be absolute devastation.

Livestock surrounded by floodwaters near Windorah. Picture: Helen Commens

“After the 2019 floods they just had to sort of dig big mass graves.”

Premier David Crisafulli said the devastation was immeasurable, with Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett confirming more than 500,000sq km was affected.

Mr Crisafulli returned to Longreach on Wednesday to announce further disaster funding for impacted primary producers.

He said the latest disaster impact surveys revealed losses from 100,000 to 150,000 with Mr Crisafulli saying the number would rise.

“We have to absolutely make sure we get them back on their feet and support must continue to flow to get these individuals back to where they need to be,” he said.

“The magnitude of stock losses continues to rise, we are now approaching 150,00 lost sheep, cattle and other small livestock. Somewhere in the order of 70,000 cattle, 70,000 sheep and 10,000 goats and horses.

“I stress that this number will continue to rise.”

Mr Perrett announced an increase to assistance grants for primary producers from $25,000 to $75,000.

“That will give some comfort to some of the affected communities and affected producers.

Many people have not yet been able to inspect damage to stock.

Mr Perrett said there were more than two million cattle, sheep and goats, in the region, which is now under water.

More than 3200km of fences and 4076 private roads were affected, including a $92m exclusion fencing project.

Station owner Louise Hoch said her Quilpie property received 502mm and put her repair bill in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Ms Hoch said some neighbours had lost all their stock and fencing and might never be able to recover.

The state government has appointed Stuart Mackenzie as state recovery co-ordinator and Queensland police chief Troy Pukallus as his deputy.

Ashlee Stevenson, 3, with hay bales her parents have assembled for fellow flood-hit farmers

Mr Mackenzie, a lifetime grazier and past Quilpie Shire mayor, was expected to provide local expertise to help recovery efforts.

Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said Mr Mackenzie and Chief Superintendent Pukallus’ local knowledge would ensure affected communities would receive appropriate aid.

Queensland Farmers’ Federation CEO Jo Sheppard said western Queensland needed a strong, co-ordinated response from both state and federal governments.

“Support for the wellbeing of impacted people will be paramount, as recovery in many cases will take years,” she said.

Flooding on a station at Quilpie

Quilpie farmers Dale and Dannielle Stevenson were busy organising emergency hay bales for other farmers despite being flooded themselves.

They said they considered themselves lucky after losing only some stock and fencing.

Meanwhile, the region will receive a much-needed weather radar regardless of who wins the federal election, after Labor matched the Coalition.

The government confirmed late on Tuesday it too would invest $10m in a weather radar called for by Quilpie Mayor Ben Hall.