Locals pitch in the rescue people from flooded homes in Cairns’ northern beaches

Holloways Beach residents say they were sitting on the roof of their homes, already flooded with a metre of water, when an emergency alert came through. The Premier has since defended the weather bureau.

Holloways Beach residents say they were sitting on the roofs of their houses, already flooded with a metre of water, when an emergency alert came through from the Cairns Local Disaster Management Group on Sunday night.

It’s the first test of the new system, and to Holloways resident Wayne Featonby, “it’s not working at all, hey”.

Overnight Saturday and on Sunday morning, rising floodwaters cut off Holloways Beach Road, though the community had already been isolated after the Barron River Bridge was closed late on Saturday night and the Captain Cook Hwy at Thomatis Creek that afternoon. 

“Like 6.30am or something, and the road was flooded, or whatever,” Mr Featonby said.

“Saturday night, they closed the road at the Barron River there.

“But then there was no warning to get out of flood-prone areas or anything, like it’s already flooded.”

Wayne Featonby, from Banksia Close in Holloways Beach, with his boat.

At 7.52pm on Saturday, an email alert landed from the Cairns LDMG saying persistent heavy rain was impacting the region, low-level flooding had been experienced, and the Captain Cook Hwy at Thomatis Creek and access to Holloways Beach, Machans Beach, and Yorkeys Knob was likely to be affected.

The information was dated 7pm.

At 7.29am on Sunday, Mr Featonby said he received a watch and act alert for Caravonica, Lake Placid, and Kamerunga.

It was followed up with a major flood warning at 9.15am via text message, urging people to move to higher ground if it was safe to do so.

But that was too late for Holloways Beach residents who were already isolated by flood waters.

Then came a flood emergency warning at 7.56pm on Sunday night which told of widespread flooding at Yorkeys Knob, Holloways Beach and Machans Beach.

“No shit, We’re in it,” Mr Featonby said.

By that time, beaches residents were already in the process of being evacuated from flooded homes and had been for hours, and others were sitting on their roofs waiting to be rescued.

When asked why the LDMG’s posture was relaxed after Cyclone Jasper and no warnings were sent to residents ahead of the torrential rainfall, Cairns’ mayor Terry James said the LDMG, which he leads, was taking its advice from the Bureau of Meteorology.
“The Bureau had forecasted the cyclone to move across Cape York and into The Gulf, but instead it just sat right above us, which brought all that rain,” Mr James said.
“We thought we would have a one-in-50-year flood, but we ended up having a one-in-100-year flood.”
The Premier later said the
scale of the disaster that descended on Far North Queensland could not have been predicted by Bureau of Meteorology’s weather tracking systems.

The freshly minted state leader was asked if the weather forecast body gave enough warning to residents of Cairns and surrounding areas ahead of the record-breaking rain and flooding event.

“I think the Bureau gave all the notice and warning they could based on the information that was available to them,” Mr Miles said.

“It couldn’t be predicted based on their observations and systems just how much rain would fall overnight.

“They do the best that they can.”

The Premier said the scale of the devastating weather event was unprecedented.

“It was anticipated that the rainfall would track the cyclone across the Cape – that’s not what we’ve seen,” Mr Miles said.

“We’ve seen the rainfall intensely concentrated in Cairns.

“There’s a lot about this weather event that is unusual and has never been seen before.

“There’ll probably be at some point in the future where we can talk about what’s driving those kinds of changes in weather patterns.”

But the Premier also insisted the influences of climate change on devastating weather was a discussion for another day as the government focussed on addressing the urgent needs of those in the Far North.

Locals rescue people caught in flood zone

Already by 8.45am on Monday morning, Edmonton’s Boe Willcox had ferried a dozen people in and out of Holloways Beach on the back of his jetski, as the Far North wakes to a disaster zone.

Mr Willcox is not alone.

Far Northerners with boats toiled overnight alongside emergency services, and will continue to do so today, rescuing people from flooded homes on Cairns’ northern beaches.

A home in Holloways Beach on Monday morning, December 18, 2023.

“So far this morning, my first load was a mum, a one-year-old, and a nine-year-old,” Mr Willox said.

“I’ve probably ferried a dozen people so far in and out. Took (people) to their agistments because they need to give their horses medicine and stuff, and I’m going to give them a lift back after.

Euramo Hotel floods

VIEW GALLERY

Another bloke he gave a lift to was heading back home to Holloways Beach to grab his 13-year-old daughter.

“And I’ll probably be taking them back out,” he said.

Edmonton resident Boe Willcox has been ferrying people back and forth between Holloways Beach and Stratford on Monday morning, December 18, 2023.

Already, stories are filtering through of heroics from ordinary people who wanted to lend a hand.

“I know last night there was a local with his boat doing most of the work, he got 60 people out.”

Mr Willcox also wanted to know where the assistance from the defence force was.

“If I can get out here on my jetski and help, why aren’t the navy here?”

Follow @petercarruther1

Originally published as Locals pitch in the rescue people from flooded homes in Cairns’ northern beaches