Australia Weather News

Residents near the Copperfield River in Far North Queensland's Gulf Country are being urged to evacuate now after the Etheridge Shire Council issued an emergency alert.

The council said there was a flash flood Emergency Warning about the Copperfield Dam and Copperfield River.

Residents around the Copperfield River and Einasleigh township must leave immediately.

Gregory Developmental Road between Einasleigh and Gulf Developmental Road has been closed due to the flooding, according to QLDTraffic.

Heavy rain also closed the Gilbert River Bridge between Croydon and Georgetown.

Mayor Barry Hughes said residents should quickly move to higher ground on the Einasleigh-Forsayth Road.

"The latest report is that houses are now being threatened with inundation if not already inundated," he said.

"We already have some of the residents that have left town that are situated at a muster point in a safe zone on the outskirts of town."

Police say heavy rain has led to spilling of the Copperfield Dam, leading to "very dangerous" conditions. 

"It's over-topping the spillway over 6 metres, which is a massive amount of water," Cr Hughes said.

"We recorded rainfall of 250 millimetres in the catchment of the Copperfield River system overnight, which is contributing to the current height and the inflow of water that's coming over that spillway."

He said it was unknown when the flood would peak.

"We're sitting in close proximity to the low that's embedded in the monsoon trough and, with the ongoing heavy downpours that we're experiencing right across the catchment of the Gilbert, the Robertson, Copperfield and Einasleigh river systems, we're at the mercy of Mother Nature as we speak," he said.

Community evacuates

Chelsea Mosch at Jardine Station, north of Einasliegh, said she had never seen the water rise so quickly at the station before.

"It's rising pretty quickly. I think a metre every hour," Ms Mosch said.

"It's pretty crazy, it's all just come at once, but it's like a big ocean."

Ms Mosch said she was packing up to leave for higher ground, but she was hoping the water would not affect the house.

"It's pretty scary … it hasn't stopped raining all day, all night," she said.

Publican Tayla Wellby took over ownership of the Einasleigh Hotel on Friday, but has now evacuated her young family to higher ground.

She said the Copperfield River rose quickly and flooded the pub.

"It's a little bit scary to be honest. The water is very high. A lot of people here, their houses are under," she said.

"It's running through the pub. We've been watching chairs and tables and barbecues float away."

Ms Wellby and husband Braydon, along with three children under four, had relocated 300 kilometres from Townsville to their new home in recent weeks.

She said the former publican of 26 years told her he had never seen the river so high.

At least six homes had flooded, to Ms Wellby's knowledge.

There was no flood evacuation centre in the township, but authorities were offering to fly affected residents by helicopter to nearby Georgetown.

"I've never been through anything like this to this extent. I do feel quite nervous," she said.

"I think myself and the kids are going to get on the helicopter to Georgetown just to keep us safe."

Roads cut

Meanwhile heavy rain is causing flooding on roads throughout north Queensland, with the Bruce Highway cut north of Ingham at Seymour River.

The highway section, about 130 kilometres north of Townsville, was cut early on Tuesday and drivers are being told to expect lengthy delays.

A moderate flood warning has been issued for the Herbert River and communities in the Lower Herbert area are expected to soon be isolated.

Mayor Ramon Jayo said the heavy rain was likely to force multiple road closures in the area by Tuesday evening.

"Any residents of the Lower Herbert should be considering their travel plans right now," he said.

Communities throughout the Hinchinbrook Shire, including Ingham, suffered devastating flooding in early 2025 but Cr Jayo said no major flooding was expected during this event.

"We are expecting a little more rain but nothing substantial that would indicate we will have any major flooding to contend with," he said.

"But those things can change in a heartbeat."