Recent heavy rain in the Gulf country has been causing a few headaches for tourism operators in the region.
As the grey nomad mecca gears up for its peak season, torrential downpours and flooding has hit the community hard.
Travellers had to be evacuated from a Karumba caravan park earlier this week, and authorities expect floodwaters around Julia Creek to cause more flooding in Gulf rivers and streams in the coming days.
It could all mean more roads being cut and prolong the closures of those already affected.
Motel manager Doug Schuler, who helped to provide emergency accommodation for the caravan park evacuees told the ABC that his business is struggling at a time of year when occupancy rates are usually high.
“This year was looking very, very good, so far it had been a very mild wet season so to speak, but it sort of caught us right at the end of it,” he said. “We can see the light at the end of the tunnel but unfortunately it caught us by surprise … you can’t factor in the cost factors and that sort of thing … you can only charge so much.”
Mr Schuler says it is the fifth year in a row that the weather in the region has been cruel.
“You work all year just to get yourself back to where you were before and then you get knocked down again the next wet season,” he told the national broadcaster. “Anyway, we’ll all soldier on and make the best of a bad situation, hopefully.”
