Queenslanders isolated by flood water in the Gulf of Carpentaria for the past three months are bracing for even more heavy rain this week.
Emergency services are on alert as the area experiences its biggest wet season in about a decade.
The region's District Disaster Management Group (DDMG) is coordinating with local councils to increase supply drops into the communities of Normanton, Karumba, Burketown, Doomadgee and surrounding cattle stations.
The region's river systems, including the Gregory, Nicholson, and Flinders rivers are yet to peak.
The Gregory River reached about 12 metres on Monday with levels expected to rise to the 2009 record of 14m this week.
Meanwhile, dwindling aviation fuel supplies have resulted in cuts to commercial services and an order for non-essential travel to be postponed.
Phone lines are also down in some communities, with repairs delayed by lack of access to the region.
Queensland Police disaster support officer Senior Sergeant Jeffrey Magnus said while there was no immediate threat of flooding in towns, the DDMG and local councils were watching the situation closely.
"The amount of rain that has fallen … has been extraordinary — this hasn't happened for quite a number of years," Senior Sergeant Magnus said.
A priority was resupplying communities with food and fuel, he said.
"It's been quite a challenge for those towns," Senior Sergeant Magnus said.
"The DDMG is looking at shipping 44-gallon drums of fuel to the Glenore Crossing Weir at the Norman River and then using the barge to get those to Normanton."
Huge downpour on the way
Burketown recorded about 159mm of rain over the first six days of March, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
The neighbouring community of Normanton recorded 94mm.
"I know this is bad news, but it's only going to get heavier," meteorologist Livio Regano said.
A monsoon trough is expected to intensify as it travels south toward Mount Isa this week, before shifting east toward the Carnarvon Ranges.
"It's a broad, strong system with a lot of moisture spiralling into it," Mr Regano said.
"Areas like Mount Isa could expect anywhere between 30 and 50mm a day from Tuesday to Thursday."
Scott Hayes manages the Hells Gate Roadhouse and cattle station about 80km west of Doomadgee.
It has not stopped raining on his property for 17 days.
"I haven't seen my wife and kids for three months so I'm trying to make a contingency plan to get out of here," he said.
"Over the last 17 days, we've had 557mm and since the start of the season, we've recorded 1,153mm.
"It's relentless".
Manager of the Gregory Downs outstation, Megan Munchenburg, has recorded 1,100mm since the start of the year, more than double the average yearly total her property receives.
"A lot of the stations out here plan for the wet season to end about the start of March, so to look at the radar and see even more rain on the way … it looks like the council will really have to escalate their plans for restocking people out here."
