The relentless roar of helicopter rotors has replaced the sound of heavy rain across flood-ravaged north-west Queensland, where pilots are racing to air-drop hay bales to thousands of stranded cattle.
In one of the hardest-hit areas around Julia Creek, coordinator Cody Rogers has overseen the delivery of at least 70–80 bales in recent days.
“We’ve got a terrific team of pilots… they’ve done really good work in the last two days swimming cattle to higher ground,” Mr Rogers said.
Although sunshine has returned to parts of the region, vast stretches of floodwater persist, turning remote communities into isolated islands and severing roads, rail lines, and airstrips.
The Queensland and federal governments have announced a jointly funded $2 million emergency fodder support package for producers in the McKinlay Shire, aimed at covering helicopter operations and hay supplies.
While some graziers report minimal livestock losses, others are discovering entire paddocks of missing cattle. Official figures on deaths are pending from the Department of Primary Industries.
Townsville Mayor Nick Dametto has urged residents to stay prepared amid an unusually early wet season that could bring cyclones or further flooding until late March.
The Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a tropical low developing in the northern Coral Sea from Monday, with a small chance of intensifying into a cyclone later in the week.
Crocodile Sightings Surge Amid Flood Chaos
The flooding has displaced wildlife, with 22 crocodile sightings reported from Cairns to Townsville since Boxing Day. Authorities say the reptiles are seeking quieter spots to wait out the waters.
The deluge has also claimed one life: a man in his 70s was found dead inside a submerged vehicle in Normanton on Tuesday.
A day later, a Victorian father and daughter escaped their 4WD through the windows after nearly being swept away.
With dozens of roads still closed, police have deployed extra resources to the worst-affected McKinlay area and warned against bypassing barriers.
Acting Inspector Paul Austin emphasised safety: “We’ve already had a tragedy in the district… If people are going around road signs, we will prosecute them.”
