ON THE GROUND: Timeline of Events of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji

Saturday, the 10th of January
Throughout Saturday morning, Mackay Regional Council issued several weather warnings, building on previously published precautions including the establishment of emergency sand stockpiles and advisories relating to extreme weather across the region.

Just after midday, Council released an official severe weather warning for heavy to locally intense rainfall and damaging winds as a tropical low approached the northeast tropical coast. Residents were advised heightened weather conditions were expected from Saturday afternoon and would likely continue throughout the weekend. At 12:45pm, Council confirmed the Sandfly Creek floodgates had been closed as a precautionary measure.

Just before 4pm, the Bureau of Meteorology issued a minor flood warning for the Pioneer River at Mirani. In response, Mackay Regional Council implemented a flood watch for the area and advised residents near waterways to remain vigilant.

A Council spokesperson reminded residents, particularly campers and those staying near creeks and waterways, to remain alert and prepared, noting conditions around rivers and streams could change rapidly with further rainfall forecast.

At 7:55pm, Council issued a Watch and Act warning for the Mackay Local Government Area following confirmation that Ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji had developed in the Coral Sea. Council relayed Bureau forecasts of gale-force winds moving south toward Mackay overnight into early Sunday, with the potential for heavy rainfall and flash flooding.

Sunday, the 11th of January
At 8am, Mackay Regional Council confirmed the closure of several council facilities, including all waste transfer stations and green waste facilities (excluding Paget), Dudley Denny City Library, Bluewater Lagoon Mackay, Mackay Aquatic Recreation Complex, and all council pools.

At 9:30am, Council confirmed all flights scheduled to operate from Mackay Airport on Sunday had been cancelled. The airport terminal remained closed to the public, while the aerodrome stayed operational for emergency movements.

Following the Bureau’s 9am forecast, Council issued an intense rainfall and severe thunderstorm warning, cautioning residents in the Mackay and Eungella regions about the risk of life-threatening flash flooding.

At midday, Council published a comprehensive road conditions update, confirming multiple closures due to flooding and hazards. Affected roads included Mackay–Eungella Road, Mirani–Eton Road, Pugsley Street, Hicks Road, Beaconsfield Road and Golf Links Road, with hazards also reported on sections of the Bruce Highway. Motorists were urged to avoid flooded areas and exercise extreme caution.

Also at midday, an emergency warning was issued as major flooding was expected to impact Finch Hatton, Cattle Creek, Eungella, Gargett and Pinnacle. Council advised the Pioneer River was continuing to rise, with moderate flooding expected at Mirani and possible major flooding later in the afternoon. Residents were warned bridges and low-lying roads could be impacted, potentially causing isolation.

At 2:30pm, the Local Disaster Management Group issued a severe weather alert, confirming Ex-Tropical Cyclone Koji had made landfall, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds across the region.
Just after 5pm, Council released a water supply update for Pinnacle and Gargett, advising temporary water tankers would be installed to provide drinking water due to supply disruptions caused by access issues.

At 6:30pm, residents in Cremorne and Foulden were advised to prepare for potential inundation as river levels across the Pioneer River catchment continued to rise, with peak levels expected later that evening.

Just after 7pm, severe weather warnings remained current across parts of northeast Queensland, including the Mackay region. A Major Flood Warning remained in place for the Pioneer River, with major flooding occurring at Mirani and moderate flooding possible at Mackay later that night.

Monday, the 12th of January
Council confirmed Bluewater Lagoon Mackay remained closed due to damage sustained during the severe weather event, with reopening dependent on external repair assessments.

By 8:40am, Council advised significant damage to local water infrastructure had left Gargett and Pinnacle without reticulated drinking water. Temporary water tankers were deployed to ensure residents could access safe drinking water.

Throughout the morning, Council issued wet weather facility closures, citing staff safety and ongoing localised flooding. Several libraries, green waste facilities and transfer stations remained closed, while others reopened as conditions improved.

At 9:30am, a further road conditions update confirmed widespread closures and hazards across the region, including continued closures along Mackay–Eungella Road and reduced access along sections of the Bruce Highway.

At midday, Council confirmed access to Eungella remained closed due to extensive damage, with Transport and Main Roads deploying a geotechnical engineer to assess the area. Arrangements were underway to facilitate emergency resupply of fuel, food and medical supplies.

At 3pm, residents were urged to conserve water, as heavy rainfall and river flooding had introduced debris into raw water catchments, placing pressure on treatment facilities.

By 4pm, Council confirmed repairs to the water infrastructure servicing Gargett and Pinnacle had been completed, with supply expected to return later that evening. A “do not consume” notice remained in place until testing was finalised.

Council also confirmed free green waste disposal would be available at multiple transfer stations across the region to support community clean-up efforts following the cyclone.

Tuesday, the 13th of January
At 11:15am, Transport and Main Roads reopened the Eungella Range to one-lane traffic under controlled conditions, allowing limited access for local residents while damage assessments continued. Heavy vehicles remained restricted, and residents were advised to monitor conditions closely.

At the time of publishment, conditions across the Mackay region had eased, with no further warnings in place for the area.

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Photo credit: Joseph Borg

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