Australia Weather News

The federal government has announced an extra $100 million in disaster relief for Queensland's flood-ravaged north.

Federal Emergency Minister Jenny McAllister said the package will help farmers, small businesses, and not-for-profits. 

It's the second round of funding activated by the federal and Queensland governments, with grants for eligible applicants in Burdekin, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Hinchinbrook, Palm Island, Townsville and Yarrabah. 

Ms McAllister said the ADF flew 200,000 in supplies to communities cut off in the floods. 

"Queenslanders are tough and they are resilient, and I saw that with my own eyes, but that doesn't mean they can be left on their own."

"Recovery takes time … psychologically, financially, physically," Ms McAllister said. 

Federal Agriculture Minister Julie Collins said banana and sugar cane farmers had been hit particularly hard. 

About 4 per cent of the country's agriculture production falls within parts of north Queensland affected by the floods, she said. 

"This money will be critical … as they recover from these floods," Ms Collins said.

Ingham sugar cane farmer Lawrence Di Bella said producers couldn't afford to take out loans to recover from the latest floods.

He said damage to farms had been "extensive" and funding was unlikely to fully cover the losses.

Ongoing flooding in parts of Hinchinbrook had begun killing cane crops, he added.

"We've actually got slippages into river systems, so we need to stabilise riverbanks," Mr Di Bella said.

"The bills are going to rack up pretty quickly so we're not going to have enough funds to do the repairs."

Charities to get $1.5m

Meanwhile the Queensland government will donate $1.5 million to five charities helping people recover from the floods. 

The Salvation Army, the Australian Red Cross, Lifeline, and St Vincent de Paul Society will each get $250,000. Half a million will go to GIVIT.

Premier David Crisafulli said the charities would give mental health support and financial counselling. 

He urged people to give if they could. 

"There has been a level of devastation that's really rocked these communities to a level that many haven't seen before," he said. 

"To know that other Queenslanders have got their back will mean the world to them and it will also help lift those economies that are really doing it tough."

Disaster Recovery Allowance

Far North Queensland Senator Nita Green said the flood damage "is incredibly wide reaching".

Funding has now been extended to communities in Carpentaria, Cook, Croydon, Douglas, Flinders, and Wujal Wujal "to give those communities some comfort as we recover".

She said Services Australia had already paid out about $2 million under the Disaster Recovery Allowance.

"I really can't wait to get home … I'll be on the ground as soon as I can," she said.

The federal package includes: