Second Flood in Diamantina River at Birdsville

Submitted: Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 11:30
ThreadID: 65354 Views:4453 Replies:4 FollowUps:11
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Yesterday morning the Diamantina River started rising again at Birdsville and by last night it was over the bridge. There is a third rise happening at Tulmur way to the north and yesterday the Diamantina Lakes had 66 mm in rain which will provide a fourth rise probably.Birdsville received another 11 mm in a short sharp storm on Wednesday - this has made it very humid. The sandfly population is not as bad as it could be - mainly because the first flood receded quickly and the ground dried out quickly.
A supply truck made it into Birdsville from Adelaide last Friday and most of our orders arrived - the dry goods for the store didn't - but we have fresh milk and fruit and veg again.
Have been fishing but nothing yet - there was a very short period of time when we could see the fish jumping over the old causeway. Plenty of pelicans fishing and eating though.
Boys are putting the flood boat in this afternoon for practice - this rise should give us a 7 m flood - be able to tie the boats up to the town grid on racetrack side.
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Reply By: Willem - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:02

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:02
Meanwhile down south we haven't seen rain clouds for 30days.

Good to hear there is plenty of water up your way, Ruth. The desert will be blooming this year. And the Big Lake might even get some water at this rate

How many tinnies does it take for the boat to get to the race track and back?....lol


Cheers
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Reply By: Member - Tour Boy- Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:25

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:25
Lowmead had 150mm, Rosedale 250mm and Baffle Creek had 300mm last night between 10pm and 6am today, That will stir up the mud crabs.
It has started again and is forcast to get heavier.
Cheers,
Dave
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:29

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:29
Dave,

We got 90mm where Gladstone only recorded 22mm hahaha


Russell Coight:
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Follow Up By: Member - Oldplodder (QLD) - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:12

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:12
Mate always reckoned the months with an R in them are good for mud crabs. Now I know why.
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Follow Up By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:52

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:52
Oh great - we are supposed to 'swim' out of here about 7th Feb to go to Gladstoneand and 1770. We'll be swimming our of here and swimming when we get there!
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 20:16

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 20:16
Don't forget to call in and say G'Day Ruth

Cheers Kev
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Follow Up By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 09:47

Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 09:47
Sir Kev, will contact you when we get there for sure - intend having the weekend in Gladstone before we go to 1770 on the Monday. Be a long trip from here in one go - bringing all the animals (dogs and cat not human) - haven't had fun like that in a long time. See you then.
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 10:06

Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 10:06
Ruth,

Just MM my contact details

Cheers Kev
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Reply By: Member - Tour Boy- Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:30

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 12:30
Kev it was bucketing down between Galdstone and Benaraby this morning
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Follow Up By: Sir Kev & Darkie - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:28

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:28
It was again at about 2:30 as well, Was great doing a slab and footing inspection with footings full of water haha



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Reply By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:53

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 18:53
Well it's 6.23 m this afternoon and the scenic tour boat is tied up ready for action. Still rising - might spend Saturday on the water yet, maybe Australia Day - be just like Sydney Harbour.
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 21:08

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 21:08
And there's plenty more to follow all that water too, Ruth.

Might be the long way via Machattie Bypass, Coorabulka, Springvale, & Winton, Ruth, if you want to get out on the 7th, eh???

The level here hasn't dropped much for over a week, and it's just below what I call the average peg. That's about equivalent to 5.5 M flood at the 'Lakes. Reckon it will have to drop soon, as I don't think that rise upriver will much more than a ripple here, and there can't be a lot of water coming, that will sustain this level.

Oh, almost forgot, Ruth. We've had 273mm since the 1st!!! Something to crow about, eh? Only had 78.6mm for all of '08.

We are being flown out tomorrow, so I'm cracking the "sad's" a bit tonight. You know, the emotion of leaving after all those years etc, etc.

Call in for a cuppa if you do have to go through Winton. Everyone seems to know where we live! 07 46571 881.

Spectacular sunset tonight, fitting finale.

Regards,
Bob.
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Follow Up By: Willem - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 21:19

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 21:19
G'day Bob

Hope that you and Lynda have a good rest and lots of adventures after all those years of responsibility. Will drop in towards the end of the year to say hello.

Still dry as a bone down here.


Cheers
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Follow Up By: Bob Y. - Qld - Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 21:36

Friday, Jan 23, 2009 at 21:36
Thanks for your thoughts, Willem, appreciate them very much. Its going to be a big change for us both, but we've spent many weekends in Winton during '08, so are becoming acclimatised.

Captured this shot this evening, fitting finale, don't you think?

Image Could Not Be Found

Will be good to catch up later in the year.

Regards,
Bob
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Follow Up By: Member - Ruth D (QLD) - Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 09:58

Saturday, Jan 24, 2009 at 09:58
Bob, had a drink for you at the Pub last night - thought you would still be there. It will take a while to settle down and stop barking orders at everyone - Linda won't take much notice of you anyway - but you have been practising at weekends. Will give you a lot more time for bronco branding - so we will see you in May 09 in Birdsville and at the Nationals in 2010 - no doubt you will be judging!!
Thanks for the advice - Ian had been looking at that escape route and one of our blokes is c/t at Coorabulka - they took a ute and left it the eastern side of the river for him so that he can go south, but not sure how he's going to get out from up there - in the river boat down to Roseberth maybe. That'd be fun.
We will be leaving here about 2:00 pm Thurs which will put us in Winton at a very unrespectable hour - but on the way back is a very distinct possibility, thank you for the offer of a cuppa.
Big storm way east of here at 4:00 am - still really humid - 35 at 7:00 am and flying ants everywhere last night.
Enjoy your flight over the water and look forward to the rest of the 'journey', see you in a couple of weeks at Magpie Creek!
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