Mount Isa Airport was a hive of activity Sunday afternoon as relief efforts continue for the north west Queensland floods.
A Royal Australian Airforce plane landed just before 3pm carrying air fuel for the affected regions.
The plane is a C-17A Globemaster III which provides the RAAF with “an unprecedented capacity for strategic airlift and allows Australia to rapidly deploy troops, supplies, combat vehicles, heavy equipment and helicopters anywhere in the world.
Based at RAAF Base Amberley, it is one of eight C-17As operated by No. 36 Squadron.
A second C17 landed later in the afternoon, also a Chinook heavy lift helicopter.
Meanwhile, in another part of the airport, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service personnel were being briefed ahead of boarding two Nautilus Aviation helicopters bound for the flood regions.
The Mount Isa operation came after an urgent delivery of fuel from the Australian Army to flood-affected producers near Julia Creek on Friday and Saturday.
Army helicopters delivered 3000 litres of avgas and 2000 litres of jet fuel from Townsville.
Up in the gulf the Carpentaria Shire Local Disaster Management Group (LDMG) continues to monitor floodwaters, the latest flyover was on Sunday morning.
“There is still plenty of water to come and at this stage some minor to moderate flooding may be expected in both Normanton and Karumba,” LDMG coordinator Mike Heywood said.
“The LDMG urges those residents in low-lying areas of Normanton and Karumba to be aware of the situation and to take action as necessary.”