McKinlay hosts government representatives after severe flooding.
Published on 06 January 2026
McKinlay welcomes State and Federal government representatives to flood-stricken region
McKinlay Shire Council has welcomed visits to Julia Creek today from both State and Federal government ministers who oversee the Local Government, Disaster Recovery and Emergency Management portfolios.
Queensland Minister for Local Government, Water, Fire, Disaster Recovery and Volunteers Ann Leahy and Assistant Minister for Primary Industry Development, Water and Western Queensland, Sean Dillon this morning attended the Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) meeting in Julia Creek, chaired by Mayor Janene Fegan.
Whilst on the ground, Minister Leahy and Assistant Minister Dillon also met with impacted local graziers, helicopter pilots, and frontline workers including QAS and QPS while inspecting the flood ravaged area.
Federal Minister for Regional Development, Local Government, and Emergency Management, Kristy McBain and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) CEO Brendan Moon will also meet with the mayor and councillors this afternoon to hear and see firsthand the severity of the flooding impacts to the McKinlay shire.
Minister McBain joined Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Cloncurry earlier in the day to announce further Commonwealth-state funding which expands upon support announced last week for north-west Queensland.
McKinlay Shire Council Mayor Janene Fegan said it was heartening the region hadn’t been forgotten by both levels of government during the flooding disaster.
“We’re a long way from Brisbane and Canberra, but the engagement from both Ministers Leahy and McBain was almost immediate, and we look forward to that continuing when we move into recovery,” Cr Fegan said.
“We thank both the Queensland Government and Federal Government for taking a partnership approach and ensuring our calls were literally not going unanswered and providing our community the support it so desperately needs.
“The joint Commonwealth-state disaster recovery funding announced last week will help support council’s response, clean-up and recovery, including emergency roadworks and repairs to essential assets which will help our community get back on their feet.
“On top of this, we also thank both levels of government for emergency fodder drops now increasing to $7 million, primary producer Disaster Recovery Grants of up to $75,000 with a $10,000 upfront payment, as well as Disaster Assistance Loans and income support for impacted graziers.
“This assistance for our graziers is so critically important as tragically there will be stock loss.”
In today’s LDMG meeting, the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) was forecasting the rain to start easing over the next two days with the potential of one or two thunderstorms. The BoM also said that the low on the coast is pulling cloud away from the region however rain could come back on the weekend when the low returns over the coast.
The meeting also included updates from Transport and Main Roads (TMR) who said the Flinders Highway between Julia Creek and Cloncurry is still cut at Eastern Creek, however it is being closely monitored to be reopened to essential services as soon as possible, as is the road to Richmond. The Kynuna Julia Creek road is also still closed.
Queensland Rail (QR) also updated the LDMG on the Mount Isa to Townsville rail line where there remain wash outs on several sections along the rail corridor, which following favourable weather conditions will allow QR to complete further restoration works to get the line operational as soon as possible.
“We are home to one of the most productive pastoral industries in Australia and play a vital role in the global critical minerals sector - it is essential to get our roads, our rail, and our industries back on their feet as soon as possible,” Cr Fegan said.
“It’s going to be a long road and whilst we are still very much responding, we must have an eye to recovery and assessing the enormity of what that looks like and what our community will need going forward.
“We may be small in population, but we are mighty, and we will not be forgotten once the water recedes.”
Primary producers applying for Disaster Recovery Grants can visit www.qrida.qld.gov.au or phone 1800 623 946.
END MEDIA RELEASE.
Media Release(PDF, 229KB)
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Contact: Mayor, Cr Janene Fegan, - McKinlay Shire Council
Email: mayor@mckinlay.qld.gov.au or PH: (07) 4746 7166