Flooded Qld graziers to get $2m support as pilots muster stranded livestock
Floodwaters remain in outback Queensland as graziers start to tally up livestock losses. Major flooding is possible in the north-west, with king tides forecast on the east coast.
A constant whirring of choppers has replaced the sound of torrential rainfall across outback Queensland as pilots desperately drop fodder to save stranded cattle.
Cody Rogers has been coordinating the hay bale drops to properties around Julia Creek, one of the most heavily flooded areas.
"We've done 70 or 80 bales at least," Mr Rogers said.
Cody Rogers had cattle on agistment at Balootha station, 90km from Julia Creek. (ABC News)
While the sun has re-emerged in some areas, kilometres of floodwaters remain in pockets of north-west Queensland.
Outback communities have become islands as the water has cut off roads, rail lines, and runways.
For cattle producers, like Mr Rogers, the focus now is on saving as many beasts as possible.
"We have a terrific team of pilots … they've done really good work in the last two days swimming cattle to higher ground," he said.
Fodder drop funding announced
The Department of Primary Industries is yet to release an official figure of livestock that has been lost.
Some graziers have reported minimal losses, while others are tallying up totals from entire paddocks of missing cattle.
The Julia Creek region was one of the worst affected by flooding. (Supplied: Sean Dillon)
Assistant Minister for Western Queensland Sean Dillon said there had been "serious damage to infrastructure and loss of life for livestock".
"Whilst in scale, this event would appear to be smaller than the 2019 but the intensity of this in the areas that will be worst affected [is] going to be more severe," he said.
The cost of fuel, hay, and helicopter hours adds up.
Mr Rogers said it cost his team $40,000 on Thursday alone to make the hay drops.
Heavy storm clouds settled over far north-west Queensland. (Supplied: Jack Neilson)
The Queensland and Commonwealth governments have announced a jointly funded $2 million emergency fodder support package for producers in the McKinlay Shire, which includes Julia Creek.
Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said the funding would support producers to feed stranded livestock.