An unseasonable weather event has drenched Western Queensland in "almost monsoonal-like" rainfall that has broken an 83-year rain record.
The rain event, which began on Saturday, soaked parts of central-west Queensland with more than five times the average April rainfall.
Blackall, Winton and Longreach recorded their wettest April day in decades.
Barcaldine had not had a wetter day in April since 1918.
Home Creek station near Blackall in outback Queensland received 208 millimetres of rain in just 24 hours.
With the property's rain records dating back to 1939, it was the most rain the area had seen in a day since record keeping started.
"It's beautiful water, lovely rain. It'll set us up nicely for winter," grazier Marcelle Chandler said.
"It was getting a bit late in the season [without any good rain].
Longreach Mayor Tony Rayner was ecstatic.
"It was more than good, it was bloody fantastic," he said.
"Falls of up to 100 to 200mm on many properties, the best rain we've seen here for a long time."
The deluge also caught the Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) by surprise.
It said heavy rainfall was highly unusual for the central west at this time of year.
"Usually, they see those heavier rainfalls earlier on in the year," BOM forecaster Steven Hadley said.
'Game-changing' rain a relief for graziers after dry summer
As creeks and river systems swelled, several major roads were closed across the region.
Longreach was cut off from surrounding towns temporarily yesterday due to floodwater and locals joked it "looked like an island".
"Fortunately that flooding has subsided a lot this morning, and upon inspection early this morning, has shown it has dropped considerably," Mr Rayner said.
"No houses were inundated. Some house yards did receive a bit of free watering, which they'll be happy with."
The rain has been "game changing" for graziers who were struggling to feed stock after a lacklustre summer season.
Grazier Andrew Peterson cancelled plans to sell off his stock due to a lack of feed, after more than 150mm fell at his property.
"Originally I was really worried about the year ahead of us," Mr Peterson said.
"We had to wean early and sell in a time that we hardly ever sell cattle due to the dry.
"But now, it's just a big relief to be able to see ahead for the next 12 months.
Despite likely damage to her fences, Ms Chandler said she will "take the rain any day".
"It was almost monsoonal-like rain for 24 hours," Ms Chandler said.
"Smiles are on the faces now, until we do a fence run."
