Australia Weather News

A large swathe of water is making its way through western Queensland, as Longreach braces for flooding this weekend.

Residents in low-lying areas of the town have spent the past few days filling sandbags and preparing for floodwaters to peak on Sunday.

The Longreach Regional Council issued a Flood Watch and Act warning on Friday, bracing for a flood peak around 6.7 metres from Saturday evening — levels that are being compared with the flood in 2000.

Authorities warned that access could be cut to some estates outside of town for more than seven days.

Resident Jackarra Jones said her family had built a levee around her grandmother's house at Cramsie to divert floodwater.

Nearby at the Arnolds' property, cars and contents of their saddlery shed have been moved to higher ground.

"The last flood [2000] came up extremely quickly, and it came up to where we've sandbagged," John Arnold said.

'Extraordinary amount of water'

Alan Smith runs a tourist business on the river and said it was not his first time preparing for a "ripper" run in the river.

"We've put a good flood rope on the boat and pontoon … it's just tying stuff up that could float away, moving stuff that can't get wet," he said.

"It is a bit of a kick in the bum to get moving … the last time was 26 years ago."

Mr Smith said flooding that occurred last year across the outback had a significant impact on tourism, but this one should not.

"We have to educate people on how good this is and it's part of the cycle, and it will come up and it will go down," he said.

"The tourist season can only benefit from it, the ecosystem going mad, the flush of green, the contrast of country."

The flood is occurring because of rain that fell around Aramac and Muttaburra last weekend, areas more than 100 kilometres from Longreach.

That water has been making its way into and down the Thomson River.

North of Aramac at Thistlebank Station, grazier Ben Simpson has been mustering cattle in flooded paddocks and dropping hay to stock stuck on islands.

"Certainly, water in the paddocks is higher than I've ever seen … just an extraordinary amount of water," Mr Simpson said.

Mud army assembles elsewhere

While one town braces for a flood peak, other communities across the state are cleaning up.

In Bundaberg, the Burnett River peaked at around 7.4 metres on Wednesday.

Fourteen homes have been deemed uninhabitable, but that figure may grow as further assessments are conducted.

Around 300 people have signed up for the mud army, which has started clearing debris and mud out of flood-affected homes.

Volunteer Andrew Hoffmann said emotions were high.

"A lot of breakdowns, a lot of tears," he said.

"These are family homes that have been in the family for years and years."

In the state's south-west, floodwater also peaked in Chinchilla on Wednesday, but residents were told on Friday night they were allowed to return to their homes if it was safe to do so. 

Steve Keating in Chinchilla is counting his losses between the brewery and campground he runs, as well as a cattle property.

He said the water came up fast.

"We stayed here all night just trying to get everything out of our Creekside bar and camp kitchen," he said.

Staff cannot get to the Creekside bar now, but have seen a few kegs floating past.

"Gotta look at the bright side with the brewery still operating and we've still got beer flowing."