Longreach Braces for Major Flood Peak as Waters Flow West
Queensland’s outback is currently grappling with significant floodwaters, with the town of Longreach in the firing line. The deluge, which has been steadily pushing westward across the state, is expected to see the local river reach a peak of 6.7 metres by this evening, marking a major flood event for the region.
As of earlier today, floodwaters were observed to be slowly but surely encroaching on the town, with streets beginning to be submerged. The rising water has already begun to impact the local infrastructure, cutting off roads and inundating low-lying areas. This has also forced native wildlife to seek higher ground, often wading through the unprecedented water levels.
In a concerted effort to protect homes and businesses, State Emergency Service (SES) crews have been working tirelessly, filling and deploying sandbags. By this afternoon, nearly 2000 sandbags had been prepared and distributed. Diesel Stenholm, the local controller for SES in Longreach, described the ongoing efforts:
“We’ve been busy sandbagging doors, front and back doors on most homes, and, we’ll continue to do that whilst we have the opportunity, but the water is definitely here now and it’s rising.”
Recognising the scale of the challenge, additional support is being mobilised from across the state. “We have six of our local volunteers and they’ve been joined by eight from around the state,” Stenholm confirmed, highlighting the collaborative response to the crisis.
Community Resilience in the Face of Rising Waters
The tight-knit community of Cramsie, located within the broader Longreach region, has also been actively preparing for the flood’s impact over the past few days. Residents have been taking proactive measures to safeguard their properties against the rising threat.
One such resident, Jackarra Jones, from Longreach, shared his family’s desperate measures. The Jones family has constructed a one-metre-high levee wall around the perimeter of their property in a last-ditch effort to protect their home. “The water is rising quite quickly, we’ve built it around the set of yards as well, because we’ve got some horses in there,” Jones explained. Despite their significant efforts, a sense of apprehension remains: “I am a little bit concerned that it will not be enough,” he admitted.
A Tale of Two Towns: Flood Peaks and Flood Recovery
While Longreach focuses on preparing for the imminent flood peak, other communities in Queensland are already embarking on the arduous task of cleaning up and rebuilding in the aftermath of receding floodwaters.
This is particularly evident in Bundaberg, where the resilience of the community is on full display. A dedicated group of volunteers, affectionately known as the ‘mud army’, have been instrumental in commencing the mammoth clean-up operations. Their tireless efforts are crucial in helping residents restore their homes and lives following the devastating inundation. The contrast between the ongoing crisis in Longreach and the recovery efforts in Bundaberg underscores the widespread and varied impact of Queensland’s recent flood events.
