Mackay

An Emergency Alert (Flood Watch and Act) has been issued by the Mackay Regional Council. The Pioneer River is expected to peak around 7am tomorrow (17/1) ...

Avoid parking in the area overnight or tomorrow morning. The Pioneer River is expected to peak around 7am tomorrow (17/1) morning and has the potential to impact local drainage. An Emergency Alert (Flood Watch and Act) has been issued by the Mackay Regional Council.

Drivers could be stranded in their cars for days, as torrential rain smashes the Mackay and Townsville coasts and cuts off major transport routes.

- Flood warning: Diamantina River - Minor flood warning: Herbert River - Moderate flood warning: Flinders River - Moderate flood warning: Cape River - Moderate flood warning: Don River Fruit, vegetables and bread all in short supply in North Queensland with the Bruce Highway cut in multiple locations.

The Bureau of Meteorology warns Mackay and the Whitsundays will continue to be hit with intense rain and the chance of a tropical cyclone.

we didn't expect it to be that bad." There will be a little bit of water lying around the streets, but not enough to go into people's homes." We have one family who's been here for four days now. "The torrential rain we're getting in the urban area, that run-off has nowhere to go. I knew it was the wet season and I knew that normally it was humid but not that rainy … "The BOM forecast 500mm, that didn't occur. He said the Pioneer River had been forecast to hit 11 metres, but only reached 8.7m. It's causing a lot of issues. There's a lot of rain. The BOM said the immediate threat of severe thunderstorms had passed in the region, but "the situation will continue to be monitored and further warnings will be issued if necessary." "Certainly in terms of the weather and the flash flooding risk, it will be really the next 24 hours before we start to see that ease into tomorrow and the later part of the week," he said. "The floodwaters were on either side of them and they were stuck on a little island on the Bruce Highway.

Drivers could be stranded in their cars for days, as torrential rain smashes the Mackay and Townsville coasts and cuts off major transport routes.

- Flood warning: Diamantina River - Minor flood warning: Herbert River - Moderate flood warning: Flinders River - Moderate flood warning: Cape River - Moderate flood warning: Don River Fruit, vegetables and bread all in short supply in North Queensland with the Bruce Highway cut in multiple locations.

A Mackay pilot plant that converts biomass from a sugar mill into bioproducts will be expanded thanks to funding support from the Palaszczuk.

“As a result, the facility will support the growth of a range of Australian companies and attract new investors into the Mackay region, creating new jobs and supporting a profitable future for the Australian Sugar industry.” QUT’s Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Queensland’s Biofutures Industry Envoy, Professor Ian O’Hara said that the funding will be used to enhance the capability of the facility to be able to test a wider range of new and emerging technologies at scale. “The expansion of the common user research and development facility will enhance the development of regional biomanufacturing industries, attract further investment and create local jobs.”

"The Pioneer River affecting Cremorne is expected to peak causing moderate flooding on Tuesday around 7am," the alert reads. The latest severe weather warning ...

it's a bit of a concern if they get on the highway." "Out in the paddocks we've got lots of cattle in a bit of trouble, they're falling through the surface, they're bogging," he said. "Sadly some of it's due to poor maintenance and things like that and people not looking after their roofs throughout the year and when it does start to rain that's when the problems start to occur," he said. "In that area, where it's fallen, it looks like a lot of devastation, to be honest," he said. "They'll want to start moving around in a day or so they'll get sick of it and start walking around ... "The drainage systems are working well, we get some localised flooding but as soon as the tide goes out the localised flooding goes out with the tide, so it's been not too bad," he said. we opened a few gates and let the cattle come up to higher ground," he said. "Since 9.00 [Monday] morning, rain has continued to fall in this area and we've now seen 100 to 200 millimetres in and around that Proserpine area and also in the mountains to the west of Mackay. He warned residents in the Mackay area not to park their cars in table drains around the city and to also avoid driving in the area on Tuesday morning. "There was 176 [mm] on Saturday morning, 276.5 Sunday morning, 240.5 this morning and that gives you a total of 691.5," he said. Mayor Greg Williamson said major flooding was expected on the Pioneer River at Mirani early Tuesday, while a high tide in Mackay at 7:00am was likely to bring moderate flooding. "Heavy rainfall is likely to lead to flash and riverine flooding through tonight and into tomorrow," he said.

Motorists have been left pleading for help on Queensland's Bruce Highway as heavy rain batters the region.

However there is the risk of a 7am high tide coupled with a heavy downpour, posing a risk to locals in the area. He said he has been advised 400mm to 500mm of rain will fall in the area late on Monday night. I just want to get out." "Where that falls will be crucial in determining where we get the flash flooding and where we get the riverine flooding as well." "Once that water starts coming closer ... The roads are a mess across the region from Townsville to Mackay and out to Emerald with catchments swollen from days of torrential downpours.