Australia Weather News

Shacks in the fishing village of King Ash Bay in the Northern Territory's Gulf of Carpentaria have been flooded by the McArthur River.

A tropical low passed over the region and has intensified into Tropical Cyclone Alfred, dumping more than 300 millimetres of rain in Borroloola over the past three days.

King Ash Bay residents were at risk of flooding and Cyclone Alfred making landfall later on Monday.

All roads into King Ash Bay have been cut off by floodwaters, stranding about 20 to 30 people.

Retired fisherman Greg Quail lives near King Ash Bay on the banks of the McArthur River.

As he spoke to ABC Rural on Monday morning, water was almost at his front door.

"We've still got torrential rain. It has been raining since the day before yesterday [Saturday]. It hasn't even stopped once," Mr Quail said.

"The river at the moment is six foot [1.8 metres] from the door, but I would say it will be through here in another couple of hours.

"We have packed clothes and a few dry things to head up to the fishing club, and we will go and see how they are going up there."

Mr Quail moved as many belongings as he could onto tables and higher ground before leaving his shack.

"We have lifted all our freezers up on tables, fridges up on things, anything electrical I have as high as I can get it," he said.

"The tables have stuff on them everywhere."

High winds cause damage

Wind gusts of up to 110 kilometres per hour were recorded at Centre Island, with many trees uprooted by winds at King Ash Bay.

Mr Quail said there had been well over 200mm of rain at his shack, but he could not be certain because his rain gauge was underwater.

Borroloola resident Trish told ABC Radio Darwin the Rocky Creek bridge had flooded, cutting access to either end of town.

"We can't go up to the main end of town, and the McArthur River bridge is over and they are both still rising," she said.

"There is a lot of damage on the Rocky Creek bridge."

Rain good for fishing

Despite damaging property, Mr Quail said the flood would be good for fishing and mud crabbing in the region, which had seen poor catches over the past few years.

"This river needed a flush, it was dead," he said.

"It was the worst fishing, over the last couple of years, that I have ever seen here.

"The fish like the fresh water, they will come in. Usually this time of year we get the snapper come into the river to breed, so they will be here."