Graphic images of wrecked roads from Transport Main Roads Queensland show farmers will have massive challenges transporting their produce to market following the devastating floods caused by ex-Cyclone Jasper over North Queensland.
As photos from TMR showed extensive damage to the Captain Cook Highway, Palmerston Highway and Kuranda Range Road, the Queensland Trucking Association has called for an all weather inland route and freight companies said they were very concerned about collecting produce then getting it to their distribution centre and on to customers.
"Our crews are working overtime to re-open roads closed after flooding caused by ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper," TMR posted on social media.
"Please, only travel if you need to."
In Cairns, Harbourside Coldstores allocator and driver, Adam James said it was the worst flooding the region had experienced in many decades and the situation was extremely challenging to say the least.
"The damage to roads makes our work collecting directly from farmers nearly impossible," he said.
"The Kuranda Range Road was shut, Palmerston Highway is undriveable, we can't drive to Port Douglas or over the Rex Range at Mt Molloy.
"This means we are only able to do a quarter of the amount of work we usually get through on a daily basis."
Mr James said their phones had been running hot and he's grateful their Woree location had so far escaped the dangerous combination of king tides and ex-Cyclone Jasper flooding.
"We generally pick up a lot of the produce on the Tablelands and then events like this happen, so until the roads reopen it's a real challenge.
"There's a knock on effect, in getting produce to Brisbane, at least the road between Townsville and Cairns opened this morning so we can get back to our night shuttle between the two cities and down to Brisbane.
"We are also doing a lot of rescheduling, but it being around the Christmas period makes it a lot harder," Mr James said.
"But all the people we service are very understanding and know we are doing our utmost for them.
"At least the Gillies Range Road reopened today but it will add an hour's driving time at least, but until all the roads reopen, there's not a lot we can do about it."
Queensland Trucking Association CEO Garry Mahon said he had been in discussion with TMR to have an alternative inland route for B-double trucks approved as soon as possible as the major transport routes have been damaged and will take some time before they will be deemed safe.
"The Palmerston Highway will be cut for months as there's quite a lot of damage to repair," he said.
"The Captain Cook Highway will be closed for at least three or four weeks, the Kuranda Range Road was cut off and closed last night, I would not expect it to reopen for well over more than a month."
Mr Mahon said every week hundreds of trucks use those routes to collect produce and deliver fuel and other necessities to communities.
"We would have more than 200 B-doubles a week with produce come down the Palmerston Highway , it's currently the only B-Double approved route and could be cut for months as it will take quite a while to repair.
"If we have to bring produce down in single rigid trucks then transfer then transfer it into bigger B-doubles, this shuttle would add 500 plus truck trips a week to the Gillies or Kuranda Range Roads and these shuttles will add around 30 per cent to the price, this shows we really need to get an alternative route to run two trailers into and of out of the Tablelands",
Mr Mahon said producers are extremely stressed not only dealing with property and infrastructure damage but also trying to find ways to get produce to market.
"The pressure is really on at the moment for produce coming off the Tablelands for the southern and export markets," he said.
"Producers are beside themselves and tell us it's ripening as they watch and costs will escalate which of course will be paid by the consumer.
"We absolutely need federal and state government cooperation to get an all-weather route."
Meanwhile, the Insurance Council of Australia has declared a 'significant event' for regions of Far North Queensland impacted by severe weather and flooding over the past week, following Tropical Cyclone Jasper.
ICA chief operating officer, Kylie Macfarlane said the ICA's preliminary extreme weather processes have been activated, assisting the ICA and insurers to assess the insurance impact of the current flood event.
But the ICA said while it's too early to determine the complete insurance impact on homes and businesses due to the ongoing emergency, the event may be escalated to an insurance catastrophe if there is a significant increase in claim numbers or complexity, if the geographical spread of this event is extended or in consultation with insurers.
"The insurance industry is committed to supporting customers impacted by flooding and storm damage following Tropical Cyclone Jasper," she said.
"This significant event declaration activates additional services and resources to ensure timely and efficient assistance."
Under a significant event declaration, the ICA said it commences its claims data collection, analysis, and reporting processes in consultation with members and its representatives will continue to work with government and agencies to understand impacts on the community and ensure affected residents receive assistance.
Ms Macfarlane said the ICA was working with government and agencies to understand impacts on the community and ensure affected residents receive assistance.
The ICA and member insurers are already taking action to assist customers, with plans to deploy teams to community centres in impacted regions as soon as waters subside, access to land and air transport is restored, and impacted areas are declared safe by emergency services, the Council said in a statement.
ICA said it "strongly encouraged all those impacted to put their safety first and adhere to evacuations orders,"
Katter's Australian Party (KAP) Leader and Traeger MP Robbie Katter has applauded North and far North Queensland for their resilience in the face of the weekend's unprecedented "monster" rainfall event in and around Cairns.
Mr Katter said KAP MPs Bob Katter, Shane Knuth and Nick Dametto, whose electorates were affected by the floods, had welcomed the State and Federal disaster assistance provided to date.
He said the deployment of the Australian Defence Force, including HMAS Cairns, to assist in the rescue efforts had been a relief to all," he said.
"We have seen Defence deployed as requested which has been a relief given the massive strain placed on emergency services over the weekend, all of whom were basically operating at their total capacity with rescues and evacuations.".
