Moderate Flood Warning Issued for Norman and Gilbert Rivers; Peak Expected at Normanton

Alert Details

The Australian Government Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has issued a Moderate Flood Warning for the Norman River and a Flood Warning for the Gilbert River. This alert (IDQ20879) was issued at 3:03 pm AEST on Tuesday, 17 March 2026, following recent heavy rainfall that has caused renewed river level rises across both catchments.

Affected Areas

Specific geographic regions impacted include:

• Norman River Catchment: Including Normanton, Yappar River, and Glenore Weir.
• Gilbert River Catchment: Including Rockfields, Einasleigh River, and Etheridge River.
• Lower Walker Creek: Specifically at Burke Development Road.
• Regional Scope: Parts of the Cape York Peninsula and North Tropical Coast are also under a current Flood Watch.

What You Should Do

Residents in the affected areas are advised to take the following precautions:

• Do not drive, walk, swim, or play in floodwater as it is dangerous.
• Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams, and waterways.
• Obey all road closure signs and plan travel to avoid flooded roads.
• Monitor the ABC and local media for further updates.
• For emergency assistance, contact the SES at 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 immediately.
• Visit www.disaster.qld.gov.au/warnings for local emergency management advice.

Expected Conditions

• Normanton: The river level is currently at 4.47 meters and rising. It is forecast to peak near 4.70 meters during Wednesday with continued moderate flooding.
• Burke Development Road: Major flooding is occurring at Lower Walker Creek. While levels are falling, they remain well above the bridge deck.
• Glenore Weir: The river level was recorded at 13.24 meters and steady as of 2:00 pm Tuesday.
• Gilbert River: River levels remain elevated with active flooding occurring across the catchment.

Timeline

The current warning was issued Tuesday afternoon. A moderate flood peak is expected at Normanton during Wednesday, 18 March 2026. The Bureau of Meteorology expects to issue the next update by 4:00 pm AEST on Wednesday.