Bureau of Meteorology hydrologist Jess Carey said heavy falls have resulted in renewed river level rises, particularly in the Bulloo and Paroo rivers, which have generated the largest catchments in 10 years.

The southwest Queensland towns of Quilpie, Thargomindah, Eulo and Hungerford have recorded, or will record, this week their highest flood levels since March 2010, Carey said.

“The Channel Country in the far west of the state, (has) very, very slow movement of floodwaters and so they’ll be remaining for at least the next couple of weeks as they make their way down to Lake Eyre,” he said.

“We certainly had some pretty significant water levels across western Queensland in the past few weeks … but no river records broken in Queensland so far.”

In late February, the town of St George, 500km west of Brisbane, flooded while the Balonne River peaked at more than 12m.

The town’s main highway was cut off for several days although no homes were damaged.

Besides heavy rains falls out west, far north Queensland is also soon expected to be on flood watch.

Carey said heavy falls are predicted from Cape York through to Mackay over the next seven days.

“We are expecting to issue a flood watch for pretty much all of the Cape York Peninsula and all of those coastal catchments from the Daintree region all the way down to Mackay in preparation for a pretty wet week,” Carey said.

– AAP