A Bit Wet Around Newman

**BMKal** · 16th February 2011, 07:16 PM

Seems like you've had a bit of water around there Craig & Pat.

We haven't had much rain out on site, but the roads have been closed and this was the only way out ..................... the bush taxi.

Was an interesting flight into Newman at not much more than treetop height, dodging a few small thunderstorms. A lot of water around, the closer we got to Newman.

Jimblebar Junction - has obviously been over both spurs, with the one still under in the pic looking like it might have copped some damage.

What it looks like between Ophthalmia Dam and the airport.

I was lucky to get out. The chopper happened to be in the area dropping off the owner of Bonnie Downs - two of us had to get off site - one to go on a pre-paid course in Perth and I have been in meetings in Perth for the last two days - just got home this afternoon. These pics were taken Sunday afternoon.
Everybody else has been stuck on site - though I did hear that the Nullagine Road was opened again to 4WD only earlier today - until it rains again. We've got trucks stuck everywhere, from Meeka to Capricorn with stuff we need on site.

Just copped a decent storm in Kal as we landed here a little while ago too, so it looks like it's pretty widely spread. Oh well, we've got way less to complain about than many others at the moment.

**PAT303** · 16th February 2011, 08:38 PM

I spent a few hours at my kids school sandbagging the rooms,unblocking drains etc.There was a foot of water going down the road around 8.00am. Pat

**CraigE** · 16th February 2011, 10:31 PM

Brian,
Thanks for that, yeah there is a bit of water around here.

The locals say they have not seen this much water in a long time.
Thanks for the aerial shots they are awesome.
More water to come yet though I think.
CraigE
Just re-read your posts and saw it was Sunday arvo. Well we have had more rain so will be worse now. Nullagine / Marble Bar road is closed.
Whaleback creek on site is 1.8 metres of water.
Still more rain coming I believe. Cyclone forming of Exmouth so will get more water and then rain coming from the cyclone in the NT.
May get interesting.

**BMKal** · 16th February 2011, 11:05 PM

And I'm at home in Kal ...........................

Wouldn't it be a bugger if I couldn't get back to work on Monday .......

**V8Ian** · 16th February 2011, 11:23 PM

I presume the Nullagine has cut the road between Marble Bar and Woody?

**BMKal** · 16th February 2011, 11:41 PM

Not sure Ian. When I flew in, there wasn't much water at all out where we are (about 40km South of Nullagine). But as we got closer to Newman, the amount of water increased rapidly. The road between Nullagine and Marble Bar was still open on Sunday - only Newman to Nullagine was closed, and that's mostly bitumen these days. I think it would have been the Fortescue River and possibly Kalgan Creek that would have closed the road not far north of Newman.

Last time I was out Woodie way, the Oakover was more of a worry than the Nullagine - especially as I got bogged in the bottom of the crossing and had to be pulled out by a grader which luckily was working nearby on the road.