Original story by Chrissy Arthur and Donna Field, ABC News
Thunderstorms are expected to bring more welcome rain to drought-stricken parts of Queensland’s interior today.
The flooded Belyando River crossing on Carinya station, north-east of Alpha. Photo: Sally McKeering
Major flood levels are being recorded at Jericho, east of Longreach, where more than 250 millimetres of rain has fallen.
The Barcaldine council is monitoring river rises in the Jericho area.
Barcaldine council spokesman Rob Bauer says it has limited information on river levels near the town.
He says graziers will welcome the rain but he is hoping there is no damage.
“If we can get away with no major damage to livestock, plant and equipment, I am sure they are rejoicing with the rain,” he said.
“It is just unfortunate in this world that we live we seem to have droughts and floods to end droughts and then in the meantime bushfires.
“It is just something we put up with in this part of the world.”
Mr Bauer says the Belyando River is still about a metre over the Capricorn Highway east of Alpha and he expects the road to be cut for most of the day.
Alpha residents rejoice with rain relief
A band of very heavy rainfall has delivered 200 millimetres at Rebecca Comiskey’s property at Alpha.
“You can’t help but quote Dorothea McKellar can you – I love a sunburnt country,” she said.
“It’s a perfect poem for where we live.
“Lots of before and after shots in my mind of a dry dam and dams that are well and truly full – it’s unbelievable.”
She says many properties in the drought-declared area were having to cart water because there was nothing left.
“When you’re sort of approaching the end of the growing season for grass, we only had sort of eight or so weeks left of growing time for grass,” she said.
“We were starting to plan our next de-stocking moves, so eight inches is a lot of rain.”
After such prolonged dry weather, the sound of rain on a tin roof is one of the most positive morale boosting sounds you’ll ever hear.
AgForce CEO Charles Burke
She says the rain has saved her from making some tough decisions
“We’d already had to make quite a few tough decisions in terms of selling classes of stock we normally wouldn’t like to,” she said.
“But the water situation was our biggest drama and we’re very thankful to have our water supplies replenished.”
Rain creates ‘atmosphere of hope’
With much of Queensland in drought, peak rural lobby group AgForce chief executive officer Charles Burke says this rain will be uplifting.
“That’s what this rain will do for a lot of people it creates an atmosphere of hope and it lifts morale and it lifts spirits,” he said.
“It’s quite amazing for those people who’ve never experienced this that after such prolonged dry weather the sound of rain on a tin roof is one of the most positive morale boosting sounds you’ll ever hear.”
But Mr Burke says the rainfall has been very isolated.
“There is just on 70 per cent of Queensland drought declared and by the figures that we have gathered, that represents about 6,500 properties,” she said.
“If you look at the map it’s basically everything west of the Great Dividing Range.”
Meanwhile, it is expected the Federal Government will announce details of a drought assistance package for Queensland and New South Wales soon.
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