Major Flood Warning Issued for Lower Condamine River and Charleys Creek at Chinchilla
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a major flood warning for the Lower Condamine River and Charleys Creek, with major flooding occurring at Chinchilla and Condamine Township.
Alert Details
A Major Flood Warning (IDQ20829) has been issued by the Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) for the Lower Condamine River and Charleys Creek. This is the 11th flood warning issued for this event, indicating a major flood group type.
Affected Areas
The warning covers several key geographic regions in Queensland, including:
- Charleys Creek: Chinchilla and upstream at Burncluith Bridge.
- Lower Condamine River: Condamine Township, Chinchilla Weir TW, and the stretch downstream of Oakey Creek to Cotswold.
What You Should Do
Residents are advised to take the following safety precautions:
- Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater, as it is dangerous.
- Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
- Obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded roads.
- For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500.
- In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.
- Monitor local media and visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings for local management advice.
Expected Conditions
Major flooding is currently occurring, though conditions are slowly easing in some areas. No significant rainfall is forecast for the next few days.
- Charleys Creek at Chinchilla: Currently at 6.11 meters and steady. It peaked at 6.41 meters Wednesday afternoon. It is expected to remain around the 6.00-meter major flood level through Thursday.
- Condamine River at Condamine: Currently at 7.85 meters and steady, peaking near the major flood level of 8.00 meters.
- Condamine River at Chinchilla Weir TW: Currently at 8.80 meters and falling, with moderate flooding occurring.
Timeline
The alert was issued at 10:34 am AEST on Thursday, March 12, 2026.
- Chinchilla Weir: Expected to fall below the moderate flood level (8.00 m) overnight Thursday into Friday.
- Condamine Township: Likely to remain around the major flood level (8.00 m) for the remainder of Thursday into Friday.
- Charleys Creek: May fall below the major flood level during Friday, March 13.
- Next Update: The BOM expects to issue the next warning by 11:00 am AEST on Friday, March 13, 2026.
Source: BOM Official Notice