The rain has finally eased at Peter Batt’s property, but he isn’t going anywhere soon.
“We are in heavy black soil country. You could bog a duck here at the moment—you can’t get out the front gate,” he told AAP.
“Moving around the property is not possible. You can’t go anywhere unless you are in a helicopter.”
The worst flooding in more than 50 years has cut roads and isolated communities across central and southwest Queensland, forcing many to flee including an entire town.
Batt will be stuck at his property near Stonehenge for some time.
“We won’t be able to get out on a vehicle for a week and getting to Stonehenge to the pub for a beer it will take at least a month,” he said.
Related Stories
Batt reckons his home alcohol supply will last the long wait for floodwaters to subside.
“We haven’t hit panic stations yet,” he said.
He feels for those at Stonehenge, which copped the brunt of the wet weather, triggering flooding not seen since 1974.
“We flew in the helicopter there for a look and there is a massive flood, way higher than the previous record,” Batt said.
Jundah and Windorah have also been hit hard by flooding after some areas recorded up to 600 millimetres, nearly double the average annual rainfall.
“We’ve had a ridiculous amount of rain, it’s unprecedented, unbelievable really,” Batt said.
“I think the rain has finally gone but I have been saying that for a couple of days and then it pours—hopefully it gives us a spell.”
Rain began easing in the southwest on March 28 as the big wet began impacting northern New South Wales (NSW).
However, floodwaters are set to remain for at least a week in some regions, prompting many across outback Queensland to evacuate.
The entire population of Adavale—a southwest community of about 30 people—was relocated by helicopter on March 27, but not entirely smoothly.
A helicopter pilot carrying an Adavale evacuee was forced into an emergency landing, the Queensland premier confirmed.
“There’s always a level of risk and the fact that everyone was able to get out of there safely, it really is one of the one of those small rays of sunshine in an otherwise really dark time,” David Crisafulli told reporters.
Adavale residents were taken to nearby Quilpie which is surrounded by water, missing its last two food truck supplies.
The wet weather derailed Koss Siwers’ plans to reopen his Adavale Pub, which he usually runs for tourists from March to October.
He had been stuck at his other residence in Brisbane due to the impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred.
After mopping up from Alfred, he was about to take the 10-hour drive to the pub for a belated reopening when he saw pictures of an inundated Adavale.
“Here I was in Brisbane and then this bloody cyclone came, so I thought ‘gees I better stay’ because I was a bit concerned about the property and the neighbours,” Siwers told AAP.
“I was just about ready to go on Saturday, now this flooding has happened—it’s bloody unbelievable.”
Personal hardship assistance has been activated along with concessional loans and freight subsidies to help primary producers.
Major flood warnings remain across western and inland Queensland.
A major flood warning has also been activated for the Pioneer River near Mackay in the state’s north.
The wet weather is set to shift again on March 29, with showers expected to stream down the east coast.
