Arrival of Australian Defence personnel into flood hit communities met by monsoon

As much as 269mm of rain has lashed parts of Far North Queensland still trying to recover in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper as the defence force gets to work in isolated communities.

Picture: Pema Tamang Pakhrin

As much as 245mm of rain has lashed parts of Far North Queensland still trying to recover in the aftermath of Cyclone Jasper as the defence force gets to work in isolated communities.

One Cow Bay resident and business owner said they were feeling dejected after heavy rains and flash flooding isolated communities north of the Daintree once more.

The now sole connection between Cairns and Port Douglas and beyond has been closed, with flash flooding forcing the closure of the Bushy Creek Bridge outside of Julatten on the Mossman Mount Molloy Road just before 10.30am on Friday.

The road is closed to all traffic and long delays are expected.

Daintree residents received the largest downpour, with Stewart Creek Valley gauge recording 269mm in the 24 hours to 9am this morning while Diwan and Daintree Village both recorded 234mm of rain in the same time period.

Floravilla Ice Cream Factory owner and Cow Bay resident Betty Hinton said the recent rain was devastating on top of the existing damage from Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

“Unless you’ve lived here, you have no idea what it’s been like,” Ms Hinton said.

“We’ve had no access to anywhere at all here in Cow Bay, Diwan and Cape Tribulation.

“My shop has been closed for a month and I’ve not earned a single cent because tourists can’t get here.”

Ms Hinton said while the rain can’t be helped, authorities needed to prioritise recovery in the region.

“The weather, it’s just circumstance it’s not anyone’s fault, but when it’s possible again we need the machinery and the people to get back here.”

“We can feel so isolated, Port Douglas had the Premier visit but they just seem to fly over this area and you wonder: are they even looking?”

The Bushy Creek bridge on the Mossman Mt Molloy Road was closed around midday Friday due to flooding after heavy rain fell across the Far North. Photo: Kate Elyse

The Bureau of Meteorology issued a severe weather warning for the areas between Port Douglas, Mossman, Wujal Wujal and Daintree Village on Friday morning at 5.07am as a monsoon trough was set to bring heavy rain, leading to possible flash flooding.

The warning was cancelled at 10.44am as the immediate threat of severe weather passed; however there remains a slight chance of heavy rainfall developing overnight in the region.

The weather system was forecast to bring possible six-hourly rainfall totals between 140 to 180mm, with the eight rainfall stations along the Daintree and Mossman river catchments recording between 140 to 270mm of rain in the last 24 hours.

Drone footage of Daintree village on January 12 after a monsoon low dropped more rain as the region recover from ex-cyclone Jasper. Photo: Vincent O'Flaherty

The heavy rain is now easing across the region, according to the BOM.

Douglas Shire Council have closed all roads north of the Daintree River after heavy rainfall overnight caused further landslips and rock falls.

The badly washed out Bloomfield Road at Wallaby Creek. Photo: Supplied

As more rain falls the ADF has also begun its operations aiding the recovery effort.

On the evening of January 8, Defence accepted a request for urgent recovery assistance from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to provide ADF support to access and resupply isolated and vulnerable communities in the vicinity of Douglas, Cook and Wujal Wujal.

The Australian Army’s Joint Task Group 629.3 is now acting in the region.

On January 10 an amphibious unit from 10th Force Support Battalion sailed from Townsville to Cairns on January 10 to collect cargo, including heavy equipment and building materials, for the reconstruction and recovery of the affected areas.

Vessel Master CPL Ridge Debono prepares to depart Townsville aboard Landing Craft "Snoopy" for flood assist tasking in Far North Queensland. Photo: Defence Media

Chinook helicopters and a landing craft are working to transport bulk resupply and delivery of engineering equipment into the isolated communities and defence will also provide personnel and equipment to help clear larger scale debris to access isolated communities, as well as specialist aviation and maritime planners and light engineering support.

Commander of Joint Task Group 629.3 Brigadier Richard Peace said Defence had been in continual discussions with the relevant authorities to prioritise the recovery process.

“The ADF has very specialist capabilities, which is why we sent ADF planners to Cairns to provide specialised support to the Queensland Reconstruction Authority,” Brigadier Peace said.

Previous fears that another tropical cyclone could form in the region over the next week have now eased as the Bureau watches to see if a low will form in The Gulf of Carpentaria.

“If it does form the expectation is that it will be slow moving as it tracks towards the coral sea, with the probability of it forming into a cyclone only a 15 per cent chance,” a spokesman said.

“For the most part we are seeing these tropical lows bringing showers and storms rather than cyclone development.

Originally published as Arrival of Australian Defence personnel into flood hit communities met by monsoon