Far north Queensland is soon expected to be on flood watch while waters that have inundated the Channel Country in recent weeks are expected to reach Lake Eyre.
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Bureau of Meteorology hydrologist Jess Carey said heavy falls are predicted from Cape York through to Mackay over the next seven days as Queensland continues to be belted by rain.
He said the heaviest downpours in the past few weeks had been in the Southern Central inland region which was still receiving significant rainfall.
"We are expecting to issue a flood watch for pretty much all of the Cape York Peninsula and all of those coastal catchments from the Daintree region all the way down to Mackay in preparation for a pretty wet week," Mr Carey said.
"We've been issuing flood warnings since January and ... over the last week, or so, we have certainly seen some very significant rainfall associated with the movement of ex-tropical Cyclone Esther."
He said there had been renewed river level rises, particularly in Bulloo and Paroo rivers that have generated the largest catchments those two river systems have seen in 10 years.
The south-west Queensland towns of Quilpie, Thargomindah, Eulo and Hungerford have recorded, or will record, this week their highest flood levels since March 2010, Mr Carey said.
"The Channel Country in the far west of the state, (has) very, very slow movement of floodwaters and so they'll be remaining for at least the next couple of wee s as they make their way down to Lake Eyre," he said.
"We certainly had some pretty significant water levels across western Queensland in the past few weeks ... but no river records broken in Queensland so far."
Australian Associated Press
