Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Western River at Winton and Diamantina River Regions

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Western River and a Minor Flood Warning for the Diamantina River. This alert (IDQ20865) was issued at 1:48 pm AEST on Thursday, March 12, 2026, and is part of an ongoing flood event following moderate to heavy rainfall over the weekend.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several key locations in Queensland, including:

• Winton: Western River
• Birdsville: Diamantina River at Birdsville Police Station
• Diamantina Lakes: Diamantina River
• Monkira, Roseberth, and Elderslie: Impacted river reaches and downstream areas

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 and conditions can change quickly.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
• Obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded routes.
• Monitor local media and the ABC for updates.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening situations, call 000 immediately.

Expected Conditions

• Western River at Winton: Currently at 2.65 meters and falling. It is estimated to have peaked near the major flood level (3.50 m) on Wednesday evening. It remains above the moderate flood level of 2.00 m.
• Diamantina River at Diamantina Lakes: Currently at 5.01 meters and falling, which is above the moderate flood level of 4.00 m and significantly above the Springvale Diamantina Lakes Road Causeway level (2.10 m).
• Diamantina River at Birdsville: Currently at 4.95 meters and falling, remaining above the minor flood level of 4.00 m.
• Monkira: Moderate flooding is currently occurring as the flood peak approaches.

Timeline

The Western River at Winton is expected to remain above the moderate flood level through the remainder of Thursday and into Friday. At Birdsville, while levels are currently falling, renewed river level rises are possible over the coming weeks as upstream flows from Monkira and Diamantina Lakes arrive. The next official warning update is scheduled to be issued by 3:00 pm AEST on Friday, March 13, 2026.