TC moved SSE past the South Coast. Severe flooding occurred in the Brisbane Creeks and in the Logan River. Further beach erosion. As Elaine was developing into a cyclone from the 14th to the 16th just to the east of Cairns, torrential rain fell in the North Coast Herbert and Barron Divisions.

The major feature of the months flooding was the record flooding in the Herbert. Falls of up to 1321 mm in 4 days in the Barron and Herbert districts produced the highest flood on record in the Herbert River. The Bureau?s river height observer at Glen Eagle station was forced to evacuate his homestead, shortly before it was washed away in a flood which reached the level of 6.85 metres above the previous record in 1927.

The bridge at Long Pocket linking Abergowrie and Ingham was washed away after being almost 15metres under water, and the population of Abergowrie was isolated for weeks. Ingham itself was almost completely submerged in the flood_waters which were 17 kilometres wide at the peak. Road and rail traffic were brought to a stand_still, and Hinchinbrook Shire Council is reported to have estimated road and bridge damage alone at about $7.5 million. Near record flooding was also reported in the Barron, Johnstone and Tully The damage to sugar mill tramlines and bridges was severe.

Huge fields of sugar cane were washed out and in some places cane has been covered by 2 metres of silt. Cars were washed into raging flood_waters and costly farm machinery inundated. Thousands of people had the heart_breaking experience of flood damage due to knee deep water in their homes and when this receded, 300mm of mud. Some people were rescued from roof tops and there were many reports of bravery under very difficult conditions. Helicopters were used in some of the rescue work.

Rockhampton Regional Council in partnership with the Queensland a…