Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Diamantina River and Minor Flooding for Western River in Queensland

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Diamantina River and a Minor Flood Warning for the Western River. This is warning number 58 for this event, issued at 11:18 am AEST on Saturday, February 28, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several key locations in Queensland, including:

• Diamantina River: Birdsville Police Station, Roseberth, Monkira, and areas from Diamantina Lakes downstream.
• Western River: Winton and surrounding catchments.
• Infrastructure: The Springvale Diamantina Lakes Road Causeway is currently affected by high water levels.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected regions are urged to follow these safety protocols:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater as it is extremely dangerous.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
• Obey all road closure signs and plan travel routes to avoid flooded areas.
• Monitor the ABC and local media for updates.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.

Expected Conditions

Significant rainfall over the last few days has triggered rapid river and creek level rises.

• Diamantina River at Diamantina Lakes: Currently at 5.27 m and rising, exceeding the moderate flood level of 4.00 m.
• Diamantina River at Birdsville Police Station: Currently at 6.15 m and rising. It is forecast to reach approximately 6.70 m overnight Saturday into Sunday.
• Western River at Winton: Currently at 1.80 m and falling, but remains above the minor flood level of 1.50 m.
• Downstream: Rapid rises are possible downstream of Diamantina Lakes due to arriving upstream flows and forecast rainfall.

Timeline

The current alert is effective as of Saturday morning, February 28, 2026. Minor flooding at Winton is expected to persist overnight Saturday into Sunday. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next update by 12:00 PM AEST on Sunday, March 1, 2026.