Floods of 2009

The Northern Gulf Resource Management Group have announced a devolved grant for land managers affected by the floods of 2009. The group has received some funding to assist graziers most affected in recovery works which may include fencing and re-seeding , for further information and to see if you’re eligible please see our grant information sheet. Read More

An excellent summary of the 2009 Gulf flood event can be found at the Bureau of Meteorology. Titled Gulf River Floods - January and February 2009, This report looks at the meteorological events that contributed to the flooding but also compares this event to normal wet season rains and other flooding events. Read More

Background

In 2009 approximately 95,029km2 (9,502,900 hectares) of the lower gulf catchments of the Norman, Flinders, Staaten, Gilbert, Mitchell and Leichhardt Rivers in Far North Queensland experienced previously unprecedented flooding with many areas being inundated for over 2 months. The long flood duration and considerable water depths experienced makes this event the largest flood on record for many areas of the lower gulf.

The estimated value of exports from the gulf area are $278 million for agriculture, $69.5 million for the fishing industry, $50 million for the tourism industry and an unaccounted hundreds of millions for the mining industry.

The impact to the region not only includes human welfare and animal welfare issues but medium and long term environmental damage including large scale loss of native savannah habitats and the fauna that depend on these habitats. High mortality of aquatic flora, compounded by high nutrient eutrophic waters along the entire catchment was also experienced, again on a massive scale resulting in extensive mortality of aquatic fauna. The land condition was in very good to good condition prior to this event. These impacts created a nationally significant environmental and natural resource management disaster.

It is difficult to appreciate the scale of this event, and even satellite imagery was limited in its application due to the prolonged cloud cover that covered the area due to successive rainfall events. The Northern Gulf Resource Management Group was able to obtain NASA imagery of a limited period (13 February to 3 March 2009) and was able to map the extent of the inundation over that period. The image map, reproduced below, shows the extent of the flooding at that time, included areas that had been covered up at least ten days during that period. It should be noted that some pastures were covered by floodwater until late March/early April.

Some aerial pictures during the floods


Road to Normaton	Cattle on island

Broadwater station	Flooded country

Before flood	Post Flood - July 2009


Scoured bare earth as far as the eye can see

January 2010 and the land is still in extremely poor condition

Spelled country	Country that hasn’t been spelled
These photographs above give an excellent illustration of how land can recover after floods if grazing pressure is removed compared to land which hasn’t.

The floods have not only impacted the land but the waterways as well with many lagoons and waterways experiencing large numbers of dead fish and mussels resulting in water unfit for consumption by people or stock

Latest Flood impact update – June 2009

The flood disaster in the lower gulf has been the worst in living memory with respect to the length of time that water covered the landscape which has in many areas appeared to have killed a large percentage of the native understory vegetation and wildlife.
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Good people still trying to do a good thing - NGRMG media release

The people in the remote wetland rich ladnscapes of the Gulf of Carpentaria wait nervously on the outcomes of a Caring for our Country application as a one off recovery for continuing the hard work in rebuilding the natural resources Read More

Expectations to the rule

Broadcast: 23/5/2010
Reporter: Megan Woodward
The timing of any downturn in the live trade couldn't come at a worse time for beef producers in Queensland's Gulf Country. They're slowly rebuilding herds lost in last year's big floods, a task which in some cases could take years. The hardest hit have qualified for help from the Federal Government which as Megan Woodward reports has recently announced a new deal for farm families in distress. Read More

Exception to the rule: when rain is no relief

Broadcast: 21/5/2010
Reporter: Megan Woodward
"We're drowning up here and no-one knows about it. Everyone is ignoring us,"was the tale delivered down the line.
This was the start of my association with the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group and the graziers they represent. Read More

Hung out to Dry

Broadcast: 16/11/2009
Reporter: Anne Kruger
Earlier this year Landline reported on the flooding in Queensland's Gulf Country which stranded some families on their properties for 14 weeks. The stock losses were heavy and the paddocks were inundated for so long pastures might not rebound till next year. As Megan Woodward reports, without urgent assistance from the Commonwealth, graziers on the worst-affected properties fear they will be out of business before then.
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Queensland Flood Update

Broadcast: 22/02/2009 2:46:22 PM
Reporter: Anne Kruger
It's hard for many of us to appreciate firstly the extent of flooding in those Gulf communities, and the fact that some have been cut off since the New Year
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Between Hell and High Water
Broadcast: 15/02/2009 4:49:10 PM
Reporter: Anne Kruger
We'll bring you up to date on the help that's on its way to those fire-ravaged townships and, for that matter, to those in Far North Queensland cleaning up after the worst floods in three decades.
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Water Woes

Broadcast: 16/10/2009
Reporter: MEGAN WOODWARD
Flooding rains at the beginning of this year left the Northern Gulf region of Queensland under water for nearly 14 weeks killing cattle and decimating the ground cover.
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I stand and wait – a poem by Darlene L Taylor

View video

Northern Gulf Rapid Terrestrial Biodiversity Assessment

A biodiversity report commissioned by the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group to assess the effects on biodiversity at 37 sites inundated by the floods of 2009. Read more

The Exceptional Journey by Noeline Ikin (Gross) CEO of the Northern Gulf Resource Management Group
The journey from the beginning of the floods in the lower gulf in January 2009 to now has been a long and tough trial for locals, and not over yet. Read more