Heavy rain during the tropical wet season regularly isolates Airlie Beach by flooding the only road, and blocks rail travel and train services and air travel. Tourists are stranded in town, with no way to escape the flooded roads.

During heavy rain, low lying shops on the main street of Airlie Beach risk being flooded as Airlie Creek meets high tides. Water from the surrounding hills has no place to go. The local Chemcoast pharmacy was flooded in early February 2008, and repairs are expected to take all of March. Windows were shattered by mattresses and other objects being carried out past Beaches backpacker hostel on the other side of Airlie Beach Road. A car parked in Shute Harbour Road, the main street of Airlie Beach, was also swept aside by the flood waters. Here are some Airlie Beach flooding photos I took.

The flooded Chemcoast Pharamacy in the main street of Airlie Beach was actually not able to reopen for business until 26 May 2008, nearly four months after the Airlie Beach town centre flooded from the overflowing Airlie Creek. They were covered by insurance, but would obviously have missed much trade.

The Whitsunday Times newspaper report on Airlie Creek flooding local supermarket and chemist shop in Shute Harbour Road, the main street.

In July 2008, Whitsunday Regional Council were still being asked for information about their flood mitigation works for Airlie Creek by former Councillor and local business owner Alan Dufty. Council say design is being done, and they are negotiating with property owners for access. Council have been receiving developer contributions from hillside property owners, so I wonder just what these received for their money? Given that drains along Shute Harbour Road at Jubilee Pocket that are not on other property are not being cleared of flood debris, I find myself wondering just how much will ever be done?

In addition to flooding in the main street of Airlie Beach, homes were flooded in nearby Jubilee Pocket. A motel on the low side of Hermitage Drive, Airlie Beach suffered flood damage from storm water coming via a construction site higher on Mount Whitsunday. Widespread stripping of trees and vegetation by developers is being blamed by many in the community for the damage done around Airlie Beach.

The State government acted quickly and appropriately, and declared Airlie Beach a flood disaster area.

According to the Bureau of Meteorology, floods are a problem Australia wide.

Loop Road, north of Shute Harbour Road in Jubilee Pocket was another flooded area in January. Councillors will check Campbell Creek in September. Drains installed by developers are often blocked by debris over the years. Being on private land, drains and debris traps are not always cleared. Culverts under Shute Harbour Road are designed for ten year flood events. These Main Roads culverts are also often partially blocked by debris.

In mid December 2008, Council noted that since October contracting staff had removed 400 truck loads of debris from the Campbell Creek area. While I am delighted council have acted, I note that December is already wet season. It is only luck that there wasn't another flood.