More heavy rainfall and thunderstorms are on the way for regional Queensland as some areas mop up after an overnight drenching caused flash flooding, damage and SES callouts.
The Bureau of Meteorology has recorded 105 millimetres of rainfall in Rockhampton so far this week, while further north, 120mm has fallen in Moranbah and 139mm in nearby Deverill since 9am Tuesday.
The Blenheim alert gauge, west of Mackay, recorded 122 millimetres, while Dugald River in the state's north-west picked up the biggest total for that region with 128mm on Sunday night.
The bureau's senior meteorologist Steven Hadley said the heaviest falls were in the Burdekin and Fitzroy catchments.
He said a strong upper trough over south-west parts of the state was the reason for the big wet.
"But there's also been a broad trough through northern and eastern parts of Queensland as well [causing heavy falls]," Mr Hadley said.
At the same time, forecasters have been closely monitoring a trough that could develop into a low-pressure system off the central coast on Wednesday.
"So potentially, particularly around the Capricornia, we could see some falls around 150 millimetres or more through the next 24 hours arising from both the widespread rainfall in the area and some locally heavier bursts from thunderstorms as well," Mr Hadley said.
"We may see some flash flooding over the next 24 hours resulting from those heavier falls, and potentially we'll get into some of the creeks and smaller rivers as well, causing some renewed river level rises."
Mr Hadley said as the low develops over the next few days, stronger to gale-force south-easterly winds could also affect central Queensland.
Busy night for SES
In central Queensland, the rain has kept the local State Emergency Service busy.
SES local controller for the Rockhampton region, Eddie Cowie, said crews responded to 21 jobs in Mount Morgan, Rockhampton and Gracemere on Tuesday night, with several trees down and water in properties.
"We saw some flash flooding and unfortunately a fair bit of damage to some properties and infrastructure," he said.
"There's been some significant little cells in with the rain band and it's created a little bit of damage from wind as well."
The rainfall in Rockhampton destroyed a foothpath near a playground on the south side bank of the Fitzory-Tunuba river.
"One of the trees has fallen into the river, and that's resulted in the damage of the adjacent pathway," Rockhampton's deputy major Neil Fisher said.
Temporary barriers are in place, and the Rockhampton Regional Council has asked the public to avoid the area.
Good news for others
For Grazier Rebecca Lamont at Hyde Park Station, about 200 kilometres south-west of Charters Towers, this week's 50 millimetres of rain was extremely welcome after suffering through almost a decade of drought.
"For the nine years prior to this year we were averaging 120 millimetres to 90 millimetres for the year," she said.
"The cattle are fantastic they are the best they have looked in years.
"Now we can build up our breeders again, step by step we will get our numbers back up."
There were also plenty of smiles at Ruth Chaplain's property Wynberg Station, east of Cloncurry.
She described her children's delight as they made the most of the early summer drenching by digging their own "hot tub" to soak up the water.
"It's our first big fall of rain, very exciting," Ms Chaplain said.
"They dug it all out themselves with their heavy machinery."
Meanwhile, the town of Mount Morgan, which has suffered through several years of severe drought, recorded 180mm in the nearby Kembula rain gauge this week.
The downpour meant the town's number seven dam, as of late Tuesday afternoon, was sitting at 28 per cent capacity.
Further south in Woolooga, in the Gympie region, retiree John White said even small rain totals of 84mm over the past month had made a big impact on his property, where he grazes about a dozen cattle.
"The paddocks are looking good, and the girls [cattle] are looking good, too. We've got continued great grazing at the moment, and very healthy young calves," he said.
