NT Police rescue punter who got washed away trying to cross the Derwent River near Papunya

One punter’s car is still submerged after a river crossing went awry in the Red Centre, leading police to issue a stark reminder to those trying to cross rivers: ‘if it’s flooded, forget it’. SEE THE VIDEO.

One man has been given a lesson in just how wet December is set to be in the Red Centre while sitting on the roof of his car in a raging creek.

Northern Territory Police said the man was rescued from Derwent Creek, more than 180km west of Alice Springs, on Tuesday morning.

He’ll be without his car and trailer for “at least” 24 hours, police said, with the vehicles submerged in the creek.

With the help of good Samaritans, a WA police officer based in Kintore, and Aboriginal Liaison Officers from Papunya, the man was pulled back to land using two ropes.

The man on the roof of his car in the Derwent Creek. Picture: Action for Alice

A video of the man stranded made it was to social media, where it was shared on Facebook page Action for Alice.

In the comments, residents were asking if there were crocs in the Red Centre creek, to which Peter Cairns replied by calling the area “King Brown (snake) country”.

“And they’re pretty good swimmers and blend in with the muddy water,” his comment said.

The rescue comes days after Bushfires NT lifted the fire danger period for Alice Springs in the wake of a “wet December”, forecast by the Bureau of Meteorology.

The Bureau is expecting above average rainfall for “almost all of Australia” in December, which has increased in recent weeks.

NT police Superintendent Robert Griffiths said the incident was a timely reminder to plan ahead when travelling throughout Red Centre.

“Check road reports through the NT Roads app, drive to the conditions, and if it is flooded, forget it,” he said.

“People who takes these risks place themselves and all those who come to assist in grave danger, we don’t need to see lives put at risk or worse, lost, unnecessarily at any time and especially not this close to Christmas.”