Major flood emergency unfolding in Wide Bay Burnett in wake of ex-TC Seth

According to the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services social media page, Fire and Rescue Service swiftwater rescue technicians have responded to multiple incidents following intense rainfall throughout the Wide Bay and Burnett regions.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, the rain influence overnight has centred around the region from south of Bundaberg as far south as west of Nambour, with the heaviest falls of over 600 millimetres recorded near their radar at Mt Kanigan.

The rain is continuing to fall throughout the morning and a major flood warning has been issued for the Mary River at Tiaro and Miva.

Clayton's Towing was operating in the thick of the weather early in the morning and posted to social media that floodwaters had cut multiple roads.

"The highway north of Gympie, between Curra and Tiaro is closed. Flooding, major road damage in Gootchie Creek Area, vehicles have been washed off roads, properties flooded. Avoid this area, Gympie north is copping massive rain falls," they posted.

"Wide Bay Highway closed, Burnett Highway Tansy, Ban Ban Springs areas are also flooded and closed.

"Highway at Apple Tree Creek is also flooding now."

A subsequent message shared a photograph of floodwaters pouring through the Booyal roadhouse, with the comment that "basically Gympie to Gin Gin is now a mess - QFRS are conducting multiple rescues with resources coming from other outside areas to assist."

Landholders in the South Burnett have had their share of the flooding, including Gail Gauld, whose property is situated midway between Brooweena and Woolooga.

When Queensland Country Life spoke with her on Saturday morning, she had measured 525mm and said her rain gauge had been overflowing each time she checked it.

The rain started at around 10am on Friday and didn't let up after that, she said.

Ms Gauld emptied the gauge at 5pm and at 11pm, when she couldn't sleep, and again at 4am.

"We've had easily an inch since then," she said. "There was a storm at midnight, lots of thunder and the wind howling, so we've had both a rain depression and a thunderstorm."

She is expecting a significant amount of flood damage, and is hoping her Santa Gertrudis cows stay put where they are with their calves.

According to anecdotal reports to her, only the top of the announcer's box at the Teebar sports ground, which hosts a well-known campdraft and rodeo, is sticking out of the top of floodwater.

"This has come down worse than 2013 - it's much the same, just not letting up," she said.

Rodney Johannesen, who operates the Folkslee Bazadaise and Brangus Stud at Brooweena, said that as this stage his property was in a better place than the 2013 flooding when a landslide sent a tidal wave of water through one of his valleys, washing away $50,000 worth of stud cattle.

By 5.30am on Saturday morning he had recorded 414mm and said it was continuing to rain.

A quick dash out on a four-wheeler to a mountain top ascertained that his stock all appeared to be on the top and sides of mountains.

He was hopeful there would be no casualties and said the rain would ultimately be beneficial.

Prior to October they were hand-feeding their cattle but 100mm that month, 250mm in November and another 100mm in December gave them some grass cover, so they are hopeful of minimal erosion.

Their nearest neighbour 5km away had had 100mm less than them by Saturday morning.

BoM meteorologist Helen Reid said many locations in the region had picked up falls of between 350-400mm.

"We were expecting heavy rain but nothing as life-threatening as this," she said.

Marodian had received 655mm since 9am on Friday and Ms Reid said the river there had risen from 1m to 16.4m.

"We still have a severe weather warning for that part of the world," she said.

By 11pm on Friday, the Fraser Coast Regional Council had issued an emergency alert for residents in Tiaro and Miva where major flooding was thought possible.

The Gympie Regional Council issued an emergency alert on Saturday morning for all residents in its local government area regarding possible major flooding.

According to Ms Reid, there could be up to moderate flooding at Gympie, and major flooding was expected at Maryborough on Sunday.

The BoM is also keeping an eye on the Burnett River catchment, which was only experiencing minor flooding on Saturday morning but rivers were rising.

Police are urging motorists to re-think their travel plans as the severe weather continues across the Wide Bay.

"Police would like to remind members of the public to exercise extreme caution with heavy rainfall, localised flooding and hazardous surf being experienced across the Wide Bay Burnett area," a release stated.

"During and immediately after severe weather events traversing roadways, either in vehicles or on foot, can be extremely hazardous as water levels can rise and fall quickly.

"The public are urged to re-think their need to travel and stay off the roads if possible."

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