Cancel Christmas Waterfalls Trip

We have planned to visit 20-30 waterfalls during this holiday. Our targets are located in the region of Mackay to Bowen and Townsville to Cairns, central coast of Queensland, Australia. Today was the day we supposed to leave home for this 7-9 days vacation. We have bought foods and cookies for 7-9 days camping on Dec 19-20 and studied and printed out the information about those waterfalls and national parks on Dec 23.

The endless raining and flooding news have made us worry. We kept checking weather information everyday this week. Yesterday morning we saw a news "Towns cut off as Christmas floods continue to rise (Brisbane Times, by Marissa Calligeros, December 24, 2010 - 9:15AM)" which said "Travel between Townsville and Cairns is not possible due to other sections remaining closed. At this time there are no alternate routes available." Then we decided to cancel the whole trip because we don't want to watch our car being trapped by flood and sit on the top of our car showering by heavy rain.

We are still looking for other alternative trip. But the rain.... Sigh!


Towns cut off as Christmas floods continue to rise (Brisbane Times, by Marissa Calligeros, December 24, 2010 - 9:15AM)

The weather bureau has warned a second monsoonal low brewing off the Queensland coast may develop into a low grade cyclone in the next three days.

Bureau of Meteorology senior forecaster Jim Davidson said Cyclone Tasha, if formed, would wreak more havoc in the state’s far north following torrential rain predicted for Christmas morning.

"It could develop into a cyclone in the next three days and cross the coast the day after Boxing Day," he said.

"Anywhere from Mackay to Cooktown we could expect to see exceptionally high rainfall events ... [with] 300 and millimetres falling in a very short period of time," she said.

"In a worst case scenario we could see major flooding events in more than one centre with a large population."

"Travel between Townsville and Cairns is not possible due to other sections remaining closed. At this time there are no alternate routes available."

Residents mop up after Cyclone Tasha crosses coast south of Cairns (Daniel Knowles From: The Courier-Mail December 25, 2010 11:36AM)
COASTAL communities south of Cairns are spending Christmas Day without power as they mop up and clear trees brought down by Cyclone Tasha.

Tropical cyclone Tasha crosses Qld coast (The Sydney Morning Herald, Lisa Martin, December 25, 2010 - 12:09PM)
A faltering tropical cyclone Tasha crossed the far north Queensland coast between Cairns and Innisfail on Christmas morning.

Bureau of meteorology said the fading category one cyclone made land about 5.30am (AEST) south of Cairns.

Although there have been no reports of major damage and Tasha has been downgraded to a tropical low, flooding is the major worry due to widespread rain.

Police are warning Innisfail residents to stay indoors because of fallen power lines and uprooted trees blocking roads.