Mackay Weathers The Storm

Cover… Mackay wore its wet-weather stripes earlier this week, as heavy rain and localised flooding tested the region, and once again showed just how resilient the community can be. Premier David Crisafulli visited the region earlier this week as recovery efforts got underway, saying conditions had eased with the weather system weakening and warnings downgraded, bringing welcome relief to swollen catchments. While challenges remained, he praised the response of Mackay communities and emergency services, noting there had been no loss of life. However, impacts were still being felt in parts of the region, particularly at Eungella, where severe road damage has left the community facing months of isolation. Thousands of homes and businesses also lost power during the event, though restoration efforts were swift. Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said some areas recorded up to 600 millimetres of rain in just two days, but favourable tides helped prevent more serious flooding. He acknowledged ongoing water supply issues at Pinnacle and Garget and access challenges at Eungella, while commending the coordinated response. Both leaders highlighted the resilience, preparedness and strong community spirit shown across Mackay during the event. Read more on page 3… Eungella Cut Off During Flood Recovery Continued from cover… Premier David Crisafulli was on the ground in Mackay on Monday, the 12th of January, meeting with local leaders and emergency agencies as the region emerged from a significant weather event that delivered heavy rain and localised flooding across parts of the Mackay region and surrounds. During his visit, the Premier said conditions had eased, with the weather system weakening and intense rainfall warnings downgraded, providing some relief for already swollen catchments impacting the district. “I can report some really good news, with rain easing this morning. While there are still some challenges, communities have come together and handled this event really well,” Premier Crisafulli said. Infrastructure impacts were felt across the region, with communities such as Eungella experiencing prolonged disruption. “The Eungella Range Road is severely damaged. It will be a long time before that road is back up and running, and that’s a significant impact for the valley,” Premier Crisafulli said. Despite the challenges, he praised the response of emergency services and the community. “Our swiftwater rescue personnel are the best in the country. They’ve kept people out of harm’s way, and as a Queenslander, I’m incredibly grateful,” he said. “You can rebuild homes, but you can’t replace lives—and the fact there has been no loss of life is the most important outcome.” Power outages also affected parts of the region, peaking at 23,000 homes and businesses across Queensland. “At the peak, about 23,000 homes and businesses were without power. Overnight, that dropped to the low two-and-a-half thousands,” the Premier said, acknowledging the work of crews deployed across the state. Mackay Regional Council Mayor Greg Williamson said the region recorded intense rainfall, particularly through the ranges, but avoided more serious flooding due to favourable tidal conditions. “We’ve had a serious amount of rain over the last 24 to 48 hours, with some figures totalling around 600 millimetres over two days in areas like the ranges,” Mayor Williamson said. “That’s a lot of rain flowing into the river catchment areas, but our riverine system handled it pretty well.” He said the absence of extreme tides made a critical difference. “We were blessed that we didn’t have very high tides. Yesterday they were just under four metres—if this had happened last week with six-metre tides, we would have been a lot wetter.” Mayor Williamson said while there was no loss of life, some homes experienced water ingress, particularly in the upper Pioneer Valley, with fast-rising waters from Cattle Creek and Sandy Creek subsiding quickly. Communities including Pinnacle and Garget were dealing with water supply failures, while Eungella remained a key concern due to road damage and isolation. Mayor Williamson praised the collective effort across the region. “From a local disaster management group perspective, I couldn’t be prouder of how this community has responded,” he said. “Everybody involved has worked calmly, delivered what needed to be delivered, and right now, we’re in a pretty good position.” Flip to pages 18–21 for our full cyclone special and in-depth coverage