Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Normanton; Major Flooding Impacting Norman and Gilbert River Catchments

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Norman River and a Flood Warning for the Gilbert River. This update, Warning Number 52, was issued at 3:45 pm AEST on Sunday, March 8, 2026, following heavy rainfall that has caused renewed river level rises across the region.

Affected Areas

The alert covers the Norman and Gilbert River catchments in Queensland. Specific locations experiencing significant impacts include:

• Normanton: Moderate flooding is possible.
• Lower Walker Creek: Major flooding is occurring at the Burke Development Road, where the creek is currently above the level of the bridge deck.
• Norman River: Major flooding is occurring at Guildford and Burke Development Road; moderate flooding is occurring at Yappar River; minor flooding continues at Glenore Weir.
• Gilbert River: Minor flooding is occurring across the catchment.

What You Should Do

Residents and travelers in the affected areas are advised to take the following 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.
• Monitor the ABC and local media for updates.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000 immediately.
• Visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings for local emergency management advice.

Expected Conditions

Heavy rainfall has already caused elevated river levels, and further rainfall is forecast for the remainder of Sunday and into Monday.

• Norman River at Normanton: Currently at 3.56 m and steady. It is expected to reach the moderate flood level of 4.00 m overnight Monday into Tuesday.
• Norman River at Glenore Weir: Currently at 11.61 m and steady.
• Gilbert River at Burke Development Road: Currently at 6.16 m and rising.
• Gilbert River at Rockfields: Currently at 6.20 m and falling.

Timeline

The warning is effective immediately. Moderate flooding is specifically forecast for Normanton starting overnight Monday, March 9, into Tuesday, March 10. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next warning update by 4:00 PM AEST on Monday, March 9, 2026.