Rainfall continues to tease

A heavy system appeared to develop in the Winton surrounds, with 150mm recorded in the Shire. On the Richmond-Winton road, Patroy measured 105mm while Vernon Downs had 90mm. The township of Richmond itself had 59mm while Allaru, on the road to Hughenden measured 70mm. However, Riverdale, also on the highway to Hughenden only measured 35mm.

North of the town, Euthella recorded nothing, but the road was reported to be very wet from Morungle back into town.

Hughenden fell short of any major falls with the township recording 10mm on Monday night. However, good falls of around 60mm were reported to have fallen on the Stamford-Winton road, although showers remained isolated.

Kym Westcott at Catumnal measured 86mm on Sunday night while Roger and Jenny Underwood, Eversleigh, Hughenden, measured 16mm Sunday and 29mm Monday although it was “not as much as we’d like.” Their neighbours at Elabe Station measured 11mm while north-east of them, Banjoura received 64mm on Monday night.

David and Michelle Fryer, Railview, Prairie, had 22mm Sunday night, followed by another 20mm Monday night. It was good rain for the Fryers, who had about an inch last weekend as well. Meanwhile, the Brown family at Bogunda, south of Prairie, received 15mm on Sunday night – the largest fall they have had for about 11 months.

In the Julia Creek district, AACo’s Kalmeta Station has measured about 75mm over the last two weeks with heavier rainfall over patchy areas on the property. Etta Plains received 30mm on Monday, while Balootha had 8mm, and Haddington 20mm. Clouds were reported to be building up on Tuesday morning as we went to press.

Cloncurry grazing family, the McMillans, reported no rainfall yet this week – only 2mm – on any of their places. Harold McMillan said the heavy rainfall that hit Mt Isa on Sunday came close to reaching them, but then diverted north to Century Mine, which recorded some 113mm. It was a similar story for the Cloncurry Township, which recorded 11.8mm on Monday. However, the town had received better rainfall last week to fill Chinaman Creek Dam.

In the north, Croydon recorded 36mm in the township with falls of up to 140mm down towards Idalia and 75mm on the Normanton side of town.

Closer to the coast, Charters Towers had scattered showers on Monday night, although they had received decent downpours on Sunday night with the town recording around 20mm and another place 5km out of town 60mm over the two days. West of Charters Towers, at Allandale, Homestead, Kaye Griffiths measured 19mm over three falls.

Up to 250mm was tipped out of rain gauges Tuesday morning in Townsville, with the Bohle River flooding the Bruce Highway and many more causeways doing the same around town.

Although there have been some good rainfall events, graziers will still need a lot more before they can contemplate rebuilding their drought-depleted herds.