Queensland Man Dies in Creek After Record Rainfall
Four days of heavy storms dumped over 400mm on the Blackdown Tableland, flooding rivers and stranding campers across the state.
By Tunde Bailey ·
A man drowned in Smothering Creek on Monday after four days of relentless rain turned Queensland’s rivers into rushing torrents. Emergency services responded to the Boompa section of the Fraser Coast shortly after 11:00 a.m. when they found the man unresponsive. Police declared him dead at the scene on Boompa Road. An investigation is underway, and officers will submit a report to the coroner.
The weather system that caused the flooding delivered historic totals to parts of the state. Blackdown Tableland, located near Rockhampton, recorded 439.4 millimeters of rain in the period leading up to early Monday. Lower Springbrook near the Gold Coast measured 325.2 millimeters, while Nambour on the Sunshine Coast received 314.2 millimeters. Brooweena, situated inland of K’gari, logged 299.6 millimeters over the same timeframe.
South of the death site, six campers spent part of Monday stranded by rising water at a public campground in Leyburn. Swiftwater crews from Queensland Fire and Rescue arrived at 7:45 a.m. to assist. By 11:15 a.m., they had safely extracted three men, aged 26, 47, and 71, and two women, aged 26 and 68. Police confirmed that none of the campers sustained physical injuries during the rescue.
Meteorologist Angus Hines described the atmospheric conditions as unusual for the time of year. He noted that widespread rain bands and heavy cloud cover combined with much cooler temperatures to drive the storm activity. The system was fueled by strong winds in the upper atmosphere, which linked thunderstorms from southern Queensland to Bass Strait on Sunday evening. Hines explained that this steering wind weakened overnight over the Darling Downs.
Flash flooding closed roads in the Lockyer Valley on Monday, specifically at Laidley Creek and Glenore Grove. Police reported these closures as part of the ongoing response to the water levels. Flood warnings remained active for several major waterways. These included Warrill Creek and the Bremer River in the Lockyer Valley, the Macintyre and Moonie rivers in the south, and the Mary River near the Sunshine Coast. Alerts also covered the Warrego, Bulloo, and Barcoo rivers in western Queensland.
The Bureau of Meteorology expects the weather pattern to shift as the week progresses. The agency forecast that hot and humid days will transition into more typical spring conditions. This change will bring subdued afternoon showers and storms to the region.
