Support extends west and north in response to flooding disaster

22 February 2025

The Commonwealth and Queensland Governments are extending assistance to support 17 more councils as well as primary producers and rural landholders in Charters Towers and Flinders, after flooding across the north and northwest of the state.

Support activated includes:

• Funding to support emergency repairs and the long-term rebuild of damaged roads in Barcaldine, Blackall-Tambo, Boulia, Carpentaria, Cloncurry, Croydon, Diamantina, Flinders, Hope Vale, Kowanyama, Longreach, McKinlay, Northern Peninsula Area, Pormpuraaw, Richmond, Winton, and Wujal Wujal Councils.

• Recovery grants, concessional loans and freight subsidies for primary producers operating out of the Charters Towers and Flinders LGAs to help with clean-up, equipment repairs, replacement of stock, loss of income, and the continuity of operations. Grants to support eligible rural landholders or lessees of at least 10 hectares in the Charters Towers and Flinders LGAs, who have sustained direct damage from the floods but are not eligible for primary producer assistance

Federal Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister said the recent flooding has had a profound impact on a growing number of councils, primary producers and landholders across North, Far North and Western Queensland.

“As we understand the full extent of damage from this flooding event, we are moving quickly to activate appropriate support for these communities," Minister McAllister said.

“Today’s assistance for more councils and landholders will help impacted communities clean up as quickly as possible and begin recovering."

Queensland Minister for Disaster Recovery Ann Leahy said the assistance would help rural and regional people get through this weather event.

“The scale of this severe weather event has been devasting. We are committed to continuing to support North Queenslanders throughout the disaster recovery process,” Minister Leahy said.

“Councils in impacted areas have been working around the clock as they tackle the challenge of serving their communities under very difficult circumstances. I know primary producers and landholders are also feeling the full effects.

“North Queensland knows that the state and Commonwealth governments are working hard to get the affected communities the support they need.”

All support is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments through the Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

For primary producer grants and loans, and rural landholder grants, visit QRIDA's disaster web page here or call 1800 623 946.

Applications for freight subsidies can be made via Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries (DPI) on 13 25 23 or at DPI's website here.