Monsoonal rains for already drenched North Queensland coast

A North Queensland airport has been closed with reports waiting passengers were being evacuated from the building amid flooding concerns as the region is battered by rain.

Whitsundays flood cameras show the Don River submerging the Inversion Road Bridge, Bowen this morning

Whitsunday Coast Airport is closed with reports waiting passengers were being evacuated from the building amid flooding concerns as the region is battered by rain.

Extra swiftwater rescue crews, police and boats are also being sent to Mackay and the Whitsundays ahead of an expected deluge, as the Bruce Highway is closed in both directions south of Proserpine.

Premier David Crisafulli said at a press conference on Friday a new centre of operation had been activated in the Mackay district with resources “pouring into that district” to be able to service that region from both Townsville and Mackay.

Seven floodwater boats were deployed to Mackay, four to the Whitsundays, as well as swiftwater rescue teams in both of those locations.

“Police are currently mobilising from the south to fly into Mackay and Townsville. We are determined to make sure as we did for this event we have people on the ground to support North Queenslanders in their hour of need,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Flood waters submerge parts of the Bruce Highway at Midge Point towards Proserpine closing traffic in both directions.

Whitsunday Coast Airport confirmed it shuttered its doors on Friday because of “the high potential for road closures … and further heavy rain forecast”.

As a result all flights to and from Whitsunday Coast Airport for Friday have been cancelled.

This has impacted 137 Qantas passengers, with extra flights organised for Saturday weather permitting and if the airport is reopened – some passengers will be accommodated, while local resident will return home.

Whitsunday Coast Airport. Picture: Laura Thomas

There is only one flight for Qantas in and out of Whitsunday Coast Airport.

Hamilton Island, which was the scene of a dramatic aborted landing, is open with one flight already coming into the airport on Friday.

It is understood there will be conversations today about whether or not it will be safe to reopen the Whitsundays airport.

Jetstar has also confirmed its flights to and from the airport were cancelled on Friday and it is unknown how many passengers were impacted – all were being offered refunds or the opportunity to reschedule flights.
Virgin also only has one flight in and out of Whitsunday Coast Airport. It was also in contact with

Whitsunday Regional Council has also been called for comment.

Jenny Wellings posted on Bowen Community Notice Board that it was announced over the airport’s PA flights were cancelled and “the airport was being evacuated”.

Whitsunday Regional Council flood cameras for water over the roadway at Hamilton Plains.

Multiple roadways are cut off because of flooding including the Bruce Highway around Bowen and Proserpine, however there are reports drivers are ignoring the road closed signed and driving through the flooded roads.

The highway is closed to all traffic at Lethebrook south of Proserpine and at Bowen.

Flood cameras caught a man with his pants down at Funnel Creek on Sarina Marlborough Road prompting Isaac Regional Council to push a cheeky message about safety.

Isaac Regional Council posted a censored image of on its Facebook after the image was captured at 8.42am on Friday, stating: “Uh oh, not another pothole to patch”.

The image shows the man who appears to be partially bent over while standing in floodwaters measuring just under the two metre mark.
Isaac Councill posted the cheeky message, “Don’t be caught in floodwaters with your dacks down like this bloke. If it’s flooded, forget it.”

Isaac Regional Council posted this cheeky pic of someone caught on the flood cameras at Funnel Creek.

The Bowen Community Sunday Market has also announced it has been cancelled for February 9 because of the wet weather.

North Queenslanders are being warned more monsoonal rain and flash flooding is set to lash our already-drenched region.

Mackay received 66mm of rain overnight while Mount Pleasant copped 54mm.

Drivers are being warned of road closures on Mackay Habana Road and Hicks Road in Glenella

Mirani and North Eton residents can expect more road closures as Leichhartd rd and Kintchant Dam road remains flooded.

Commuters are also being warned not to drive through flood waters on Koumala Bolingbroke rd in the Sarina Range.

Pugley Street on the Peak Downs Highway in Walkerston is experiencing flooding with road closures.

Some drivers in Beaconsfield woke up to flooded roads with Golf Links Road appearing submerged by flood waters as road closures have been put up in North Eton on Eton Road at Sandy Creek near Hannan’s Road.

Kelsey Creek was submerged overnight near Bowen, Photo:

Parts of Bowen received 160mm in the past 21 hours since 9am yesterday with reports flooded roads have terminated school bus services for the morning.

Telegraph Road copped the most rain while Bowen Airport recorded 131mm overnight with the rains causing road closures on the Bruce Highway near Albeitz road.

Queens Road at Bells Gully is totally flooded as well as the Inversion Road Bridge over the Don River.

Daniel Hayes, a Community Information Officer at the Bureau of Meteorology says he expects the rain to move further north of Mackay by Monday meaning Mackay can expect wet weather throughout the rest of the week.

“There’s plenty of moisture available in the atmosphere meaning it’s a heavy chance of flash flooding if we get that intense rainfall, around 50 – 100mm within an hour or half an hour,” he said.

Moranbah residents escaped major rainfall with only 14mm of rain.

Hamilton Plains is experiencing flooding over the Bruce Highway. Photo: Whitsundays Regional Council

Up River Road coming into Proserpine received 74mm of rain the past 21 hours while Cannonvale in the Whitsundays regions got up to 70mm of rain.

Within the four days to 9am Thursday, the Bureau of Meteorology recorded a total of 296mm for Mackay while Hamilton Island reported a staggering 413mm.

Sarina recorded 310mm during that four day total while Moranbah copped 134mm.

During the same period of time, parts of Proserpine copped 193mm total with the Proserpine airport recording 129mm of rain.

In its latest advice for North Queensland, on Friday morning, the weather bureau said six-hourly rainfall totals between 140 to 200mm are possible.

“Isolated 24-hourly rainfall totals up to 250mm are possible.

“Rainfall is expected to increase from late tonight, with isolated heavy falls possible through the remainder of the weekend, before easing during Monday morning.” Authorities are warning there is potential for landslides and more damage to already crippled roads.

Locations which may be affected include Townsville, Palm Island, Ingham, Ayr, Giru and Lucinda.

Overnight, South Townsville had 142mm of rain in the 19 hours until 6am, Alva Beach had 121, Townsville 101mm, Black River 98mm, Deeragun 81 and Mt Bohle 80mm.

The Telegraph Road alert at Bowen recorded 152m of rain.

Senior Meteorologist Sarah Scully said the widespread rainfall would hit flood-affected parts of the northeast tropical coast over the weekend.

“There is a lot of tropical moisture sitting across northern Queensland at the moment and that is combining with (a) monsoon trough to bring rain areas, and an increase in both shower and storm activity.

“By Saturday we are expecting there to be a burst of widespread heavy rainfall about the northeast tropical Queensland coast extending further inland.”

Originally published as Monsoonal rains for already drenched North Queensland coast