Queensland man uses jetski to save locals trapped by ex-Cyclone Jasper floods

A Queensland man took it upon himself to rescue locals trapped in flooding in Far North Queensland on his jetski after authorities struggled.

A Queensland man has been praised as a hero after venturing out into dangerous floodwater to rescue locals trapped by floods near Cairns.

Floodwaters have trapped dozens of Far North Queenslanders for days in the wake of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper which saw up to 800mm of rainfall in 24-hours.

With heavy rainfall and treacherous conditions continuing in the days following the cyclone, emergency services have been unable to reach some locals trapped in the Cairns area, including the town of Wujal Wujal.

Hundreds of people were trapped by floodwaters. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brian Cassey

Resident Boe Willcox decided to spring into action after seeing a video of an elderly man stuck in chest deep water inside his home.

“I headed down the main street on my jetski and started calling out to people, just if they needed assistance, if they needed to get out or needed any supplies,” Mr Wilcox said on A Current Affair.

He says the first people he rescued were a mother with a nine-year-old and one-year-old baby.

“They were actually at their neighbour’s house on the second floor. Her house was under, same as a car, and she just wanted to get out of there,” he said.

“They were scared, especially the one-year-old...but I’m pretty happy once I dropped them off to the SES.”

On his first trip out on the jetski, he said he came close to a four-metre crocodile.

“He was heading out of the flow of water and I was heading in and he was probably thinking ‘’you’re going the wrong way mate’.”

Mr Wilcox said he saw an enormous crocodile on his first trip out but was determined to help out. Photo: A Current Affair

Despite the threat of animals and debris hidden under the murky water, he said he was motivated by the thought of the vulnerable people trapped in their homes.

While he’s been praised by locals for his heroism, some are saying he shouldn’t have been the one to perform the rescues.

“There was very little support for them from the SES and navy,” he said.

“They were actually saying that I’ve done more in about four hours and than some of the emergency services did in one night which is a bit unfortunate.”