Clean-Up Begins After Major Floods In The Whitsundays

The Whitsundays has been hit hard by major flooding caused by three converging weather systems over the Christmas period, with heavy rainfall causing widespread disruption. Road closures and the shutdown of Proserpine Airport, which cancelled all flights for 24 hours, caused hundreds of people to be stranded and ruined many Christmas travel plans.
Motorists also found themselves cut-off as floodwaters inundated the Bruce Highway, the primary route linking Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen, and Townsville. Although the Department of Main Roads reopened the highway after 48 hours, local leaders warn that any long-term repairs may not address the underlying issues.
“The Bruce Highway was already riddled with potholes and I am very concerned what long term effect this flood will have on the key route to North Queensland,” Member for Dawson, Andrew Willcox said.
“This just highlights what I’ve been banging on about for quite some time. Funding from the Federal Government needs to be restored to 80:20 arrangement and injected into areas of the Bruce such as Mackay through to Townsville, to lift the safety standard plus flood mitigate known sections that cut with any sort of rainfall.”
Mayor Ry Collins also emphasised the critical need for infrastructure investment, pointing out that the region is essentially an island, with both the southern and northern parts of the Bruce Highway cut off.
He also flagged concerns about reckless driving through floodwaters that puts others at risk.
“Emergency services were putting their lives on the line trying to save drivers that have been swept off the road at Lethebrook.” he said.
Mayor Ry Collins also criticised the disparity in infrastructure development between regional areas and major cities.
“It is beggars belief that we can devise and build multibillion dollar tunnels and transit systems in Brisbane, Sydney or Melbourne in a couple of years, start work on a duplicated pacific highway all in much quicker timeframes than the 10+ years we’ve been advocating to fix and flood proof this road,” he asserted.
The flooding has also devastated the local cane industry, with Canegrowers still assessing the damage. Some expect the impact to stretch into the 2025 season.
In response, both state and federal representatives are pushing for greater support. Mr Willcox has launched a petition, Back Our Bruce, Back Our People, calling for increased investment in the highway. Member for Whitsunday Amanda Camm has voiced her support, urging residents to back the initiative.
"We need to Back the Bruce and a government that values our region!" she wrote on social media.
As floodwaters recede for now, authorities are urging residents to stay cautious. Mayor Collins reminded the public, “Please take care on the roads, and remember: if it’s flooded, forget it. It's not worth the risk. Stay informed through the council’s disaster dashboard for updates.”

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Mayor Ry Collins captured this incredible image of the floodwaters beginning to come across the highway near Proserpine
Underlying damage: The potholes will impact the quality of the road network for some time
Farmers are only just starting to evaluate crop damage and the flooding could impact the 2025 season

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