Cyclone threatens more havoc as far north battens down
Flood-stricken properties are preparing for a double deluge in the far north as farmers warn of mounting stock losses amid forecasts of more heavy rain.
While fires threaten the southern half of the country, the tropical north remains on high alert for more flooding as a menacing cyclone lurks off the coast.
A monsoon trough extending across far north Queensland and a tropical low moving slowly towards the coast mean there will be no reprieve for communities that have endured flooding during the New Year period.
Sarah Scully from the Bureau of Meteorology told AAP there was a 25 per cent to 45 per cent chance the low could develop into a tropical cyclone before the system crossed the coast, forecast for about lunchtime on Saturday.
She said because the low would not remain over the water for long, it was unlikely to develop into a cyclone any greater than category one in strength.
“Regardless of whether it does develop into a tropical cyclone or not, it is expected to bring a lot of rainfall and wind to the coast,” Scully said.
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She said six-hour rainfall totals of between 100mm and 180mm were possible, with isolated falls of more than 200mm in coastal areas.
The tropical low was embedded within the monsoon trough and would move southwest towards the Gulf of Carpentaria after crossing the coast, Scully said.
Further falls of up to 150mm were possible on the west of Cape York, especially further north.
That will be unwelcome news to desperate farmers in Queensland’s Gulf Country, who are fighting to save cattle sick with exhaustion after slogging through black soil and floodwaters in search of higher ground.
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Cody Rogers, from Wyangarie Station near Julia Creek, said pneumonia, tendonitis and rain scalding – where hair was effectively burned off because animals were unable to dry out – were all common problems.
He said midges and sand flies were causing the animals additional stress.
“Cattle, man and machine – we’re all getting tired,” Rogers said, as he prepared to move his stock again.
“The Flinders (River) keeps coming up. A lot of the cattle we got away from it, but they’re no longer really safe there any more.
“We’ve got 750 of them on the road. You can see they’re doing it pretty tough, the poor buggers.”
He said he didn’t want to think about what more rain would mean for the station and stock.
“It’s pretty nerve-wracking, a fair bit of anxiety waiting for that to turn up,” he said.
“All we can do is day by day at the moment. As cattle producers, we love our cattle more than anything. So we’re just looking after them the best we can.”
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning extending from north of Cooktown south to Hamilton Island in the Whitsunday group.
