Flood support extends across Queensland's west and north

The Australian and Queensland Governments have activated disaster assistance for another 17 Queensland local government areas as the effects of the state’s ongoing flood emergency spread further north and west.

Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Croydon, Diamantina, Flinders, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Longreach, McKinlay, Northern Peninsula Area, Pormpuraaw, Richmond, Winton, and Wujal Wujal Councils will receive funding for their response and recovery efforts, including emergency repairs and the long-term rebuild of damaged roads.

Support for the councils is jointly funded through the Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

The financial aid will allow councils to recoup the costs of their counter disaster operations and the reconstruction of essential public assets as they tackle the challenge of serving their communities under very difficult circumstances.

Flooding from the protracted monsoonal rain event has left a substantial trail of destruction.

Affected councils have reported significant damage to their road networks, which has limited access to essential services, businesses, and remote properties.

Other common issues include infrastructure failures, supply chain interruptions, and the isolation of residents.

This DRFA assistance will accelerate councils' efforts to restore impacted roads, bridges, culverts and drainage, and will allow them to continue protecting their communities and maintaining public safety.

Extending these support measures will go a long way to helping Queensland recover from this northern flood disaster.

With this funding behind them, councils can focus on cleaning up and rebuilding.

Thirty councils are now activated for DRFA assistance in response to the North and Far North Tropical Low weather event: Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Burdekin, Cairns, Carpentaria, Cassowary Coast, Charters Towers, Cloncurry, Cook, Croydon, Diamantina, Douglas, Etheridge, Flinders, Hinchinbrook, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Longreach, McKinlay, Northern Peninsula Area, Palm Island, Pormpuraaw, Richmond, Tablelands, Townsville, Whitsunday, Winton, Wujal Wujal, and Yarrabah.

The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) continues to work closely with all disaster impacted councils across the state to make sure they can access the support they need and progress their recovery efforts.