floods in Queensland

ann · Post by **ann** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 9:35 pm

I wondered if anyone from down under knows how all the dexter people are fairing in Queensland with all these terrible floods. When I went to the dexter congress in Oz I went up to Queensland to visit several herds, which were up in the hills, so hopefully they will be o.k.

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Mon Jan 03, 2011 10:00 pm

Hi Ann - I havnt heard anything from the Queenslanders about members in Nth Qld areas.

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 4:31 am

No I haven't heard either Denise, and only today I was thinking I'd better get in touch with Judith Hill (Margrita Dexters) and see how they are up towards Toowoomba.

What's difficult to understand with the QLD floods is some of those areas have obviously never flooded, because there's brick homes with in ground pools that have flood water to the roof. I wonder what happened to have caused it in those areas?

I know down Grafton way (northern NSW) they're waiting for late Jan to flood, but we'll see. We had the crossing at the Clarence River near us under for nearly a couple of weeks, but it's a low crossing.

Here's a couple of pics... it's certainly not the highest it's been so it was fine for us, and we had a alternative 25k of dirt (mud) road to get out.

This next one has the road showing on the other side;

Vicki

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Jan 04, 2011 9:40 am

Heard on the radio that the floods cover an area as big as France and Germany combined.

I wouldn't like to be in north Queensland when it's flooded. I assume the salt water crocs are now able to get around easier or do they stay put by the river? And what about box jelly fish?

Edited By Broomcroft on 1294130499

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 12:49 am

Hmm luckily the "salties" dont like all that unsalted water too much.

Toowoomba is ok - thats just an hour or so west of Brisbane (the Qld Capital) and is in a mountain range. Some of the lower lying towns and village areas have been under water - but believe are ok at present.

Far nth Qld where the floods are - the reach of water is about the size of France and Germany combined as clilve says.

We have not wanted to strain the already strained rescue and local services by harrassing authorities trying to get info about our Dexter folk. Its already hell on earth up there (albeit wet rather than firey), so imposing any extra load on the services is not a good idea. Doesnt mean we arn't trying, but without causing disruption.

If you saw the footage of the Big Brahman bull statue at Rockhampton - with the water up his plinth - he is about 60 feet tall and several feet off the roadway. Rocky is about a day or 2 road travel (normally) from Brisbane. So its a loong way from me.

If we find out any news - will let you all know.

ann · Post by **ann** » Wed Jan 05, 2011 9:51 pm

Just had an e-mail from one friend with commercial cattle in Queensland and they are not in the flood area, but she says they have so much grass its hard to find the new born calves, so I guess whats one man's night mare is another mans dreams as last year they where in a drought.

thanks for the photo's stay safe.

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Thu Jan 06, 2011 5:35 am

It's shaping up here in northern NSW to flood. With the water coming down from QLD and the 'flood' rain we're having all the rivers - Tweed, Wilsons, Richmond and Clarence are on alert.

I went to town today and had to go through water on the culvert near our place, didn't like going through one bit, lucky it wasn't too deep, but that's how people get washed away.

Poor Fatima was crying so much out with the herd and went and got her and she's in her pen with dry area, spoilt girl she is!

Vicki

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 6:32 am

Hi Denise,

From what I've seen this afternoon Toowoomba has flooding, looks as though it's flooding places you'd never expect. Haven't heard back from Judith so possibly some services are effected eg. sat internet usually is with lots of rain.

I know Lismore looks like it's going tonight and out south of Tabulam on the Clarence it's up and down like a yoyo, and the down is still high flood.

Where are you? Are you in a flood effected area?

Getting very tired of being soggy I can tell you, we've had the bridge over the Clarence, covered most of the time since late Nov and it doesn't look to be abating one bit!

Vicki

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 9:56 am

We stayed at Yamba some years ago, is that under water?

Denise · Post by **Denise** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:23 am

Im fine - North richmond - up in the foothills of the Blue Mountains. Just a bit wet, if my place floods I would reckon I would need the Ark to get me out of it!
Clive I would imagine Yamba would be a little damp - its on the mouth of one of the rivers. Vicki might know better than I she is further up the coast than me.

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Mon Jan 10, 2011 10:54 pm

Hi Clive and Denise,

Clive Yamba should be fine but, who knows it's like a tap got turned on up here weeks ago and it's not being turned off. When you see what's happened in Toowoomba with the banks of the river breaking, anything can happen.

Ulmarra close to Yamba will flood, here's the latest from BOM:

Grafton
- Exceed major flood level (5.4 metres) midday Tuesday [11/01/11].
- Reach 6.5 metres early Wednesday morning [12/01/11] with major flooding.

Ulmarra
- Reach major flood level (4.9 metres) Wednesday morning [12/01/11].

Maclean
- Reach 2.4 metres Wednesday afternoon [12/01/11] with moderate flooding.

We're about an hour up the Clarence River and have been watching for weeks as it went up and down and then way up and a little down etc.

I don't think I've ever seen it so wet! And we are subtropical.

Judith Hill (Margrita Dexters) said she got stranded at work and had to sleep in her car but if that hadn't happened she'd have been in Toowoomba. Terry her husband was doing the same as us, digging drains across the drive as the water coursed down destroying the drive. One of our dams breached, luckily it didn't break and we were able to get it working properly again, but boy oh boy is our drive going to take some work, a street car wouldn't be able to use it and a 4 wheel drive will have problems. Only a drive and nothing compared to the poor people who were in the line of the 8m wall of water yesterday.
[url=http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/toow ... 50-missing
/story-e6freon6-1225985290369]http://www.couriermail.com.au/news....5290369[/url]

Quite frightening.

Hey Denise lovely part of the country Richmond and the Blue Mountains. :D

Vicki

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:21 am

Well good luck to you guys down under. We're thinking of you. You seem to be going from drought to floods and back again, same here in a way but not as extreme. Toowoomba has just been on our news, with the water being an incredible 10 metres deep in places!!! That's the same as the biggest tidal ranges anywhere in the world.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1294701767

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 12:48 am

No end in sight for a while yet, and a king tide up the rivers won't help one little bit.
A sense of uselessness for us down here, constantly hoping for mimimal tragedy, 8 dead & 11 missing this morning already, wanting to help while trivially thinking we could do with an inch or two on the garden.
Margaret

Minnie · Post by **Minnie** » Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:54 am

Hi Margaret,

I keep asking my father in WA to please take our rain, they are in dire drought and we could use a respite. :;):

So I can try to see if we can send you and inch or two for the garden, we have plenty to spare.

It's such a shock with Toowoomba, 700m above sea level to flood! I don't think anyone can predict anything with this weather at the moment but just watch it closely.

Vicki

wagra dexters · Post by **wagra dexters** » Wed Jan 12, 2011 6:35 am

Day 20 of the floods. 35 days of the last 6 weeks have rained in Caloundra, most days torrential. Not among the worst hit places but where my Qld lot live.
Awful stories beginning to emerge but some to be thankful for also.
Margaret