The long drive north from Perth (made all the longer by a food-poisoning episode that kept us in Newman for an extra two nights) showed the real difference between a Pilbara wet season and a Kimberley wet season. They don’t even compare, really.
On the drive from Broome to Fitzroy, we were hit with huge rains, slowing us right down with visability down to a bare minimum. Worst of all, about 30km out of Fitzroy we came across a flash flood across the road that looked a bit hairy… it was past my knees and nearly taking me off my feet when I walked it through. This is all on the Number One Highway! However, we left the windows down, seatbelts came off and zoomed through in low-range without too many problems in the end.
Upon reaching Fitzroy Crossing, the rains continued to the point where we have been issued with a flood warning (our house is not in any danger, though). The flood waters are now about 200 metres from the house, and lapping the back fence of the school. The photos are not great, as they have come from my mobile phone… but they are a start!
The road out to Geikie Gorge – Here the Brooking Channel is about 800 metres wide. We were able to drive across this yesterday. The road to the Crossing Inn is the same as well, which I’m sure is causing a lot of heartache for lots of people around here! I am also assuming that the Great Northern Highway is closed to the east as well.
A view of the school fire break that runs around the school. I guess we don’t need the fire break at the moment… This shows the water levels around the school – although it isn’t in the school yet, the school would have to be closed if it were school-time because the septic tanks are flooded. As you can imagine, that is not particularly healthy.
A view of the school from the back door of the library… it is difficult to see the water, but it is much closer than you would realise! During the floods of 2002, this water level was so high that the school floor was about a metre underwater, even though the school is raised about three metres above the ground. It must have been a fair flood.
The shots I took from our back fence just don’t show the water… but it isn’t too far away! It is a fair way downhill from us though, and the big floods in 2002 came nowhere near our house, so we’ll be fine. They aren’t expecting the water level to rise too much more than it is now… this time!