Major Flood Warning Issued for Thomson River and Cooper Creek; Moderate Flooding for Barcoo River

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Major Flood Warning for the Thomson River and Cooper Creek, alongside a Moderate Flood Warning for the Barcoo River. This alert (IDQ20860) is part of ongoing flood monitoring in Queensland, with the current update issued at 11:53 am AEST on Friday, March 20, 2026.

Affected Areas

The warning covers several key locations across the river systems:

• Thomson River: Camoola Park, Longreach, Stonehenge, and Jundah.
• Barcoo River: Isisford Post Office and Retreat.
• Cooper Creek: Windorah.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised to monitor local conditions closely. The Bureau of Meteorology will continue to monitor the situation and refine forecast heights and timings as upstream peaks are observed. Stay tuned to local emergency services for updates and potential evacuation orders.

Expected Conditions

• Thomson River: Major flooding is possible at Stonehenge and Jundah. Stonehenge is expected to peak near 5.00 meters from late Friday. Jundah may exceed the major flood level of 5.00 meters late Friday and could peak near 6.75 meters during Sunday.
• Barcoo River: Moderate flooding is easing at Isisford, but levels at Retreat are expected to exceed the moderate flood level of 4.50 meters from late Sunday.
• Cooper Creek: At Windorah, the creek remains above the moderate flood level (4.70 meters) and is expected to exceed the major flood level of 5.00 meters early next week as peaks arrive from both the Thomson and Barcoo Rivers.
• Receding Levels: Flooding is currently easing at Longreach (4.96 meters) and Isisford Post Office (5.20 meters).

Timeline

The alert is effective immediately and remains active until at least 4:53 am AEST on Monday, March 23, 2026. Major flooding is anticipated to begin late Friday, March 20, at Stonehenge and Jundah, with further rises at Windorah expected by early next week.