ABC North West Queensland

02/01/2026

🌧️OVERNIGHT RAIN TOTALS

👉Cloncurry - 10mm
👉Richmond – 25mm
👉Julia Creek - 5mm
👉Burketown - 23mm
👉Winton - 10mm

⛈️ WHAT THE WEATHER IS DOING

Isolated heavy rainfall is still possible at the weekend in parts of the North West, although the worst of the severe weather has passed.👏

💦Scattered showers and thunderstorms north of Longreach, tending widespread at times with periods of rain east of Richmond.

🥶Maximum temperatures near average in most places but tending to be well below average inland between Richmond and Winton.

💬Bureau of Meteorology’s Shane Kennedy said there is a major flood warning for Walkers Bend and potentially major flooding at Richmond and Winton.
“Catchments are very wet across northern Queensland so any further rainfall is likely to produce some flash flooding as well as further river rises,” he said.

🚧ROAD INFORMATION 🛑
⏰Saturday 6:50am

👉The Flinders Highway from Mount Isa to Richmond is CLOSED 🛑 to all traffic.

👉The Landsborough Highway from Cloncurry to McKinlay is CLOSED 🛑 to all traffic.

💦Floodwaters are several metres over the roadway in some areas, and conditions may change quickly.

A reminder that when roads do start to re-open, McKinlay Shire Council has warned travellers there is no accomodation availble in Julia Creek.

🚨Authorities are urging motorists not to travel on a CLOSED road.
Before travelling, please check the website: https://qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/

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02/01/2026

❗️The Commonwealth and Queensland Government's have announced a $2 million emergency fodder support package for primary producers in the McKinlay Shire Council, following monsoonal flooding.

The funding is being delivered through the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DFRA) and is aimed at helping graziers feed isolated and stranded livestock while floodwaters recede🌾🐄.

The support can also be extended to other impacted areas if needed.

📞 Primary producers needing access to emergency fodder are being advised to contact their local council.

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02/01/2026

📸 Local photographer Casey Lawrence has captured the colour change at Mary Kathleen, 50km outside of Mount Isa, after significant rain fell in the region.

Check out this before-and-after 👀

"All I can say is I was not expecting it to be like that, but the landscape and colour display around the mine site is definitely putting on a show, and it's absolutely beautiful to see," she said.

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02/01/2026

McKinlay Shire Council mayor Janene Fegan said despite significant warnings, travellers are still disobeying road closures. ⛔️

"I was just talking to someone locally in McKinlay and they saw people go around the side of the sign," she said.

"The police will be out there. Be prepared to get a fine."

🐂 Cr Fegan reminded travellers to also look out for livestock on the road.

"We don't have a lot of resources, and the resources we do have with police and emergency services, we need on the ground to deal with the flood situation, not rescuing people with things that are avoidable," she said.

🚓 Mount Isa District Acting Superintendent Paul Austin said extra police resources have been sent to McKinlay.

"There have been prosecutions throughout the district," he said.

"We will continue to prosecute people for driving around road closed signs and driving through flooded roadways." 🚨

Check roads before travelling: qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/

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02/01/2026

❗️✈️ “FLOOD DAMAGE" TO CLONCURRY AIRSTRIP, SAYS LOCAL MAYOR

Cloncurry Shire Council Mayor Greg Campbell said it "could be some time" before commercial flights resume at the Cloncurry Airport, following severe damage caused by recent weather.

Speaking with the ABC, Cr Campbell said the damage is the result of both extreme conditions and the age of the airstrip, and the airport is currently closed to all aircraft except helicopters. 🚁

❗️Council is working with airport staff on a staged recovery plan, prioritising emergency access first.

“We’ll look to allow access for the Royal Flying Doctor Service first, then general aviation, to give us time to get emergency repairs done before we turn our attention to larger commercial aircraft.”

A Qantas spokesperson said affected customers will receive cancellation notifications by text and email today, outlining their options, including:
🚌 Bus transport between Mount Isa and Cloncurry, or making their own way
💳 A refund, travel credit, or an alternative flight

Qantas said it thanks customers for their patience and understanding while the works are completed, and more information will be available via Qantas travel updates shortly.

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01/01/2026

🚤🍎 A Gulf transport company has been working with SES and local government to bring supplies in to Normanton, Karumba and Mornington Island.

Check out these photos taken of the Norman River on the Normanton Croydon Road.

🚧 Check roads before travelling: qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/

❗ Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater❗​​​​​​​

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01/01/2026

🚧ROAD INFORMATION - FRIDAY January 2, 7:30am 🚧

The Flinders Highway is CLOSED 🛑 Cloncurry to Hughenden.
The Landsborough Highway is CLOSED 🛑 Cloncurry to Winton.
The Donohue Highway is CLOSED 🛑 Boulia to NT border.

A reminder that when roads do start to re-open, McKinlay Shire Council has warned travellers there is no accomodation availble in Julia Creek.

Check roads before travelling: qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/

❗ Never drive, ride or walk through floodwater❗​​​​​​​

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01/01/2026

🌧️ Multiple flood warnings remain for rivers across the region.

⚬ Major flood warning for the Flinders River, with major flooding possible at Richmond from late Friday.
⚬ Major flooding at Walkers Bend is expected to continue rising slowly well into next week.

ℹ Get the latest weather warnings: https://reg.bom.gov.au/qld/warnings/

🚧 Check roads before travelling: qldtraffic.qld.gov.au/

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01/01/2026

As rain eases in the north west as a weakening tropical low tracks south, "there's still a lot of water to come down the channels".

Pilots are taking to the skies to shift cattle to higher ground, drop fodder and assess damage 🚁🌨️

Rain has hit saturation point in parts of northern Queensland as communities remain isolated, and cattle lost.

01/01/2026

“The water was flowing extremely fast and was quite deep.” 👇

Two people from Victoria are rescued after climbing through the window of their car, which was washed away by floodwaters in the Queensland outback.

31/12/2025

🎉 GREGORY DOWNS HOTEL RE-OPENS JUST IN TIME FOR NYE 🥂

In Gregory, the population dwindled to four this week, as water rose over the bridge Christmas Day, cutting them off. 🌧

The Gregory Downs Hotel shuts Christmas Day every year, but this year didn't reopen for nearly a week.

💬 Susie Shultz, who works at the pub, said owner Jo had never seen it that quiet.

“Jo's had this pub for over 40 years and this is the longest she's ever been closed for,” Ms Shultz said.

“Even when they had the big floods in 2023, the wet came later, so there were a lot of workers here, chopper pilots, the rooms were full.

“People couldn't go anywhere, so they would just sit in the pub and drink.”

🎄 This year, most of the town had already left for Christmas.

“We had a pub full of beer and no one to drink it,” she said.

Fortunately, the bridge into the township cleared just in time for New Year's Eve, and Jo and Susie were able to invite nearby station owners in for a drink. 🍻

“We are cleaning out the cool rooms, throwing together a barbie, the beer and the wine will be flowing," Susie said.

"I'm really excited that people are actually coming in, despite there not being many people around. Everyone deserves a good New Year's."

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31/12/2025

Dozens of stranded travellers have welcomed in the new year from cut-off outback towns. 👇

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Outback towns remain cut off, and floodwaters are expected to linger in the north-west for weeks. Graziers have started to assess their properties and count stock losses.