It started just like every other wet season.
The skies opened, it began to rain and then … it just didn’t stop.
As quickly as the rain came down, streets filled with water, homes were overcome and people were rescued by our heroic SES, fire, police, ambulance and army crews.
Neighbours helped neighbours; colleagues helped colleagues and a community came together.
The ‘monster monsoon’ left more than a billion dollars worth of damage in its wake — with many in the region still picking up the pieces 12 months on.
A year since the spill gates were opened, the Townsville Bulletin takes a look back at the flood event that will stay in our minds for the rest of our lives.
January 30, 2019: Bluewater goes under
Police declared an exclusion zone in the Bluewater area due to extensive flooding, giving officers the power to arrest anyone who did not co-operate with warnings to avoid the area.
Nearly two dozen Bluewater residents were evacuated in a rescue effort unseen in Townsville for years.
“My staff are telling me that this is quite a significant event that hasn’t been seen at this scale at that location for quite a number of years,” Queensland Fire and Rescue Assistant Commissioner for the Northern Region David Hermann said at the time.
January 31, 2019: Spill gates open
Levels to Ross River Dam rose to 100 per cent on January 30, leading to the spill gates opening for the first time in almost five years.
Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill said opening the spill gates was normal procedure following heavy rainfall.
A monsoonal trough continued to dump heavy rain over the city.
The Bureau of Meteorology warned people in North Queensland should brace for serious flooding.
More than 500mm of rain was forecast over three days.
Forecaster Michael Gray said it had been nine years since Townsville had this much rain, when 543.2mm of rain fell in January 2010.
Landslips closed walking trails on Castle Hill while the Bluewater Community Centre was set up as an evacuation centre.
February 1, 2019: Year’s worth of rain hits
Dr Richard Wardle from the weather bureau said the Townsville area had been swamped with more than a year’s worth of rain.
In an attempt to save more houses, major water releases from the dam were authorised.
Cr Hill said there were no guarantees the plan would work.
Releases exceeded what’s usually allowed under Townsville’s emergency action plan but Ms Hill said authorities had no choice with more days of torrential rain ahead.
The dam reached 180 per cent capacity – its highest level since it was built 48 years ago.
At least 50 homes were flooded and authorities ordered power cuts to about 400 properties due to safety concerns.
February 2, 2019: Move to higher ground
Police and soldiers door knocked in Oonoonba, Idalia, Rosslea, Hermit Park, Railway Estate, South Townsville, Cluden, Townsville City and some areas in Hyde Park to warn residents of rising water.
The dam reached 210.6 per cent or 491,165 megalitres.
Residents were told to decide if they should evacuate and move to higher ground or move to one of several evacuation centres around the city ahead of further opening of the Ross River Dam spillway gates.
“We ask anyone who is door knocked and lives in a low-set home to consider leaving because their home may be flooded,” Cr Hill said.
“Residents living in higher areas and in high set homes should consider the conditions where they live and make an appropriate decision.
“There are no forced evacuations at this stage but I’m asking everyone to please use common sense and stay safe.”
February 3, 2019: City in ‘uncharted territory’
In an emergency alert, residents in more than 20 suburbs were warned of rapid rises of the Ross River pending the opening of the dam gates.
It was feared flash flooding from the dam release would more than double the height of record water levels already raging through the heart of the North Queensland city.
“Everyone should ensure they move away from river- banks and get to higher ground,” the alert said.
“The dam spillway gates may open to their full setting between the hours 8.30pm and 6am.”
Police Acting Chief Superintendent Steve Munro said: “We are in uncharted territory. There’s more water coming”.
Townsville Airport all flights in and out of the facility just after 6pm due to safety concerns.
In just seven days, the city copped a staggering 1012mm of rain, eclipsing the previous record of 886mm set on the ‘Night of Noah’ when vast swathes of the city went under in 1998.
February 4, 2019: Police search for missing men
Boats, helicopters and tip trucks were used to rescue residents inundated by the ongoing emergency as fears rose for two men missing.
The army, police and emergency crews helped more than 1100 people evacuate their homes as the swollen Ross River Dam gates opened the night before, sending walls of water into the city.
Police were looking for Troy Mathieson, 23, and Hughie Morton, 21, who are feared to have been washed away by floodwaters after running away from the scene of an alleged looting.
Cr Hill expressed frustration amid complaints from residents that they were caught out by record water releases.
“We doorknocked for three days. You can’t say you weren’t warned that something could happen,” she said.
Acting Chief Superintendent Steve Munro said police officers had to put their lives on the line to attend to calls for help.
Two officers spent half an hour clinging to trees after their patrol car was washed away in a “scary” incident while carrying out evacuations in the city.
February 5, 2019: Bodies of missing men found
Townsville’s devastating flood claimed the lives of two men as residents started the costly clean up.
The bodies of Troy Mathieson and Hughie Morton were found by police in a drain near the Aitkenvale Library.
Members of the Ethical Standards Command flew into Townsville from Brisbane to start an investigation into the deaths, a standard procedure.
Kandace Wyles, who said she was a cousin of the men, and grew up with them, was left devastated by their deaths.
“I try to be strong … I had a big cry,” she said. “They (the family) are not coping at all. We’re just all upset. They were beautiful boys.”
Deadly wash up
At Groper Creek, Home Hill man Justin Scott vanished into flood waters after the boat he was travelling in crashed near a jetty near Hinkson Esplanade on February 8 about 5.35pm.
Mr Scott has not been seen since.
The devastating floods also led to Townsville’s worst outbreak of the deadly soil-borne disease melioidosis, an uncommon disease caused by a germ, in recent years.
The disease claimed the lives of three people, two in February and the last in April.
It is understood all victims had underlying health issues.
Hundreds of thousands of cattle died in floodwaters in North West Queensland.
Mobs of dead cattle could be spotted all over, as pilots their best to keep them alive.
Russell Lethbridge, on the board of Meat and Livestock Australia, told the Townsville Bulletin some of the cattle death numbers he heard were “horrifying”.
“What makes this even worse is the fact that people have been fighting to keep their cattle alive for at least seven years of drought. People have done what they can during the drought and they are still doing what they can in the flood to keep cattle alive, but with so much water and mud the situation in many cases is hopeless,” he said.
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