Media Statement - Festive Weather System Update #11

Published on 03 January 2026

The following to be attributed to Hinchinbrook Local Disaster Management Group Chair, Ramon Jayo, Mayor of Hinchinbrook Shire Council with information based from the Bureau of Meteorology.

• The forecast is for the possibility of storms to develop later tonight in the ranges and to travel east towards the coast.
• A similar pattern, really, to the last few days and nights.
• The issue with the storms is that they are slow-moving and are tending to stall once reaching the coast.
• Last night they stalled on top of us, hence the amount of rain received.
• BOM have advised that they expect this pattern to continue, although they do not know, nor do they have the ability to categorically state, where the stall will occur. That is understandable.
• A minor flood warning remains in place for the Herbert River and will continue into tomorrow.
• Whilst river levels at the moment are dropping in the lower Herbert reaches, we just need to be mindful of what further rain we receive tonight, how much, and where it falls.
• The Herbert and surrounding catchments are very wet and primed and will respond to more rain very quickly, and very much quicker than we have seen over the last week.
• A minor flood level will not affect property or lead to serious disruption but, as earlier indicated, a minor flood level at Ingham Pump Station will close off access for our Lower Herbert community.
• Remember, 8.99 metres at Ingham Pump Station will have water hitting the Anabranch Bridge at Bemerside, and the Halifax washway will be in water.
• That’s the important thing to remember tonight if you are out and about.
• That is our only concern at a minor flood level, so for the residents of the Lower Herbert area, and all our visitors and tourists staying in our beach areas of Lucinda and Taylors Beach, enjoy your celebrations but please keep abreast of the river movements.