Major Flood Warning Issued for Nicholson and Leichhardt River Catchments in Queensland

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a major flood warning (IDQ20876) for the Nicholson and Leichhardt River catchments. This high-severity alert was reissued at 2:03 pm AEST on Friday, February 27, 2026, following widespread heavy rainfall over the past week that has triggered significant river and creek level rises across the region.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several river systems in Queensland, including:

• Nicholson River: Levels remain elevated at Doomadgee, with a flood peak currently approaching Kingfisher Camp.
• Gregory River: Minor flooding is occurring at Gregory Downs.
• Albert River: Flooding is expected to occur and continue at the Burketown Airstrip over the next few days.
• Leichhardt River: Levels remain elevated at Floraville, where water is still above the causeway despite levels slowly falling.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected regions 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 ahead to avoid driving on flooded roads.
• Monitor the ABC and local media for updates as the situation can change quickly.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000 immediately.

Expected Conditions

Widespread heavy rainfall has led to the following river height observations as of Friday afternoon:

• Gregory River at Gregory Downs: 4.55 meters (Falling)
• Burketown Tide: 4.00 meters (Rising)
• Leichhardt River at Floraville: 3.60 meters (Falling)
• Leichhardt River at Doughboy Ck: 3.47 meters (Falling)
• Gunpowder Creek at Gunpowder: 2.35 meters (Rising)

While minor flooding is gradually easing in areas like Gregory Downs and Floraville, river levels remain high and flooding is expected to persist along the Albert River at Burketown for several days.

Timeline

The current warning is effective immediately. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next update by 3:00 PM AEST on Monday, March 2, 2026.