Australia Weather News

From people "bunkering down" in Townsville to "one of Ingham's scariest nights", the flood of 2025 will be felt in north Queensland for years to come.

Parts of the Bruce Highway have crumbled underneath a torrent of water, isolating communities from critical supplies.

A woman has died in the Hinchinbrook Shire — an area facing its worst flooding disaster in at least 58 years.

Power has been cut to more than 10,000 homes and at least 1,700 homes have been atrisk of flooding.

While it's too soon for residents to calculate the cost of this disaster, north Queenslanders are drawing strength from community spirit and humour to get through the tough times.

'Dire straits' across the region

Ingham, just over 100 kilometres north of Townsville, is one of the worst-hit regions in north Queensland to be pummelled by the late season tropical low.

While the tight-knit community of 4,500 people is no stranger to summer rainfall, business owner Travis Cauchi said Sunday was "one of Ingham's scariest nights", with 456 millimetres in 22 hours.

"Whilst we knew to prepare, we certainly weren't expecting what we've got," he said.

Harvey Baker, 26, bought his first home a month ago in one of the highest parts of Ingham but the two-storey property is still surrounded by water.

"It's been like a proper welcome to Far North Queensland," Mr Baker said.

"Palm Creek looks like a massive dam. It's pretty much taken over the entire street."

At the house with brother Perry Baker, 21, and ABC reporter Sophie Johnson, who was visiting when the floods hit, the trio wade through knee-deep water to get to their car parked on the road.

Not that they can drive far; many roads are flooded and no shops are open, though they stumbled upon a service station on Monday offering 20 litres of fuel per person for the generator.

They've each been through other floods in Toowoomba, Townsville and Brisbane but say this event has "easily" been the biggest they've encountered.

And even with just a few fresh meals in the house but "so much tuna and noodles", 22 litres of fresh water, and a gas stove, they're in good spirits.

"The neighbour across the road, he got his boat prepared and ready to go … and then helped the house beside him and got their boat ready for a quick evacuation if it was needed," Perry Baker said.

Ms Johnson said everyone was "looking out for each other".

"There's been a lot of yelling [because] the way we're all communicating is walking onto the road and yelling out to each other … very old school," she said.

For new home owner Mr Baker, it has shown a sense of community he's proud to be a part of.

"Everyone is banding together … no-one is actually alone," he said.

'Stuck in the middle of nowhere'

But heading south from Ingham towards Townsville, resident Jenna Figueroa told the ABC she felt alone.

Ms Figueroa said she felt cut off from the world after the Ollera Creek Bridge collapsed into floodwater on Sunday, cutting the Bruce Highway in two.

She's also cut off from the road into Ingham.

"We're stuck in the middle of nowhere … so supplies are starting to dwindle," she said.

"It's a bit of a crisis — not something that I've seen in my lifetime that's for sure."

Ms Figueroa said she had about half a jerry can of fuel left for the generators, half a loaf of bread and her children had eaten all the fresh fruit, vegetables and milk in the house.

She was grateful to neighbours who shared some of their precious fuel so her family could get through the night.

"We're still in high spirits though, and we do have enough to get through," she said.

"I've got a lot to be grateful for in my situation."

Some areas, including Paluma Dam just north of Townsville, recorded more than 1,196mm of rain in 46 hours.

Balgal Beach resident Samantha Wilkinson said one side of her street had been "wiped out", with a key route out of town cut off when a bridge collapsed.

"Everyone's got water through their houses. There's a lot of people down there with no food, no power obviously — people aren't coping," she said.

"A lot of people haven't got insurance because they can't afford it."

In Townsville, Shan Isis evacuated her home in a public housing lot on Sunday.

"I'm extremely worried because I don't have a large income so I'm going to lose everything," she said.

"I'm worried about all my neighbours because at the present time I still have a job and none of them do so they're going to be in dire straits when the floods are over."

Ms Isis said during floods in 2019 she "was the one out helping people".

"This time around I'm going to need help," she said.

'Deja vu' from 2019

Townsville father Tony Colella evacuated his home at Idalia, just outside of a black zone at risk of deadly flooding, but has since returned.

"[The kids] are a little bit nervous obviously, but they're not showing it," he said.

"But we're staying calm and just seeing what unfolds next."

Craig Budden's home nearby flooded in 2019, but has avoided damage so far this time.

"It's a bit of deja vu," he said.

"We only had 10 centimetres in the house but that's enough to destroy the house. We were out of it for a year."

Mr Budden said he was feeling cautiously optimistic this time around.

"We'll deal with whatever we have to deal with," he said.

Anxious wait for what's next

While the widespread, intense rainfall since Friday is forecast to ease, the Bureau of Meterology has warned that the flood risk will remain.

Rosslea resident Sheila, 83, has been staying at Townsville's Heatley Secondary College evacuation centre since Sunday, with three sets of clothes and a hospital bag.

"I found it a little harrowing but everybody, the staff, are wonderful," she said.

Sheila, who requested her surname be withheld, is anxious about her unit, which was badly damaged in the 2019 flood.

"But what will be, will be so if when I go back it all has to go out, I'll have to go to St Vinnies," she said.

Megan Jefree, from the Mystic Sands Golf Course about 60km north of Townsville, said more than 1.5 metres of rain over four days was "pretty devastating".

But she said the local community had already started banding together.

"My husband, who's a small mechanic, has been out fixing people's generators … we've got three spare bedrooms in our house for anyone who might need a bed."

At nearby Balgal Beach, north Queensland's humour remains intact.

Greg Goon said he was ready for the clean-up and the fridge was well stocked.

"I've got plenty of beers mate so it's all right," he said.