Exhausted graziers and sickened cattle are desperately trying to find higher ground in a region hit hard by flooding as a potential cyclone looms.
More than 30,000 livestock are missing or dead after floodwaters devastated Queensland's northwest, isolating towns and properties following a week of heavy rain.
Cody Rogers, on Wyangarie Station, 90km northwest of Julia Creek near Mount Isa, fears those numbers could be a gross underestimate with immense overland flows hiding the true scale of stock losses.
Mr Rogers was valiantly trying to get as many cattle as he could to safety on Thursday but appeared to be fighting a losing battle against the Flinders River.
"It keeps rising steadily on us. It's just covering more and more country," he told AAP.
At last count, 30,540 livestock were missing or dead, with about 1279km of fencing damaged and more than 2000km of private roads affected by floodwaters.
But the full extent was unknown because there was so much water on the ground, Mr Rogers said.
"You could easily double, if not triple, that 30,000 that they're talking about at the moment."
Queensland's Gulf Country is under water but more rain could be on the way as the sodden state braces for a low-pressure system threatening to intensify into Tropical Cyclone Koji.
The northeast coastal region from Cooktown to Townsville is on alert as the low, known as 12U, hovers over warm ocean waters and slowly intensifies.
There is a 45 per cent chance the system will develop into Cyclone Koji on Friday or Saturday as it approaches the Queensland coast.
From there, it is expected to move across the Cape York Peninsula, potentially bringing more misery to Gulf communities.
The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall and damaging winds, flagging potential six-hour rainfall totals of up to 150 millimetres.
Cooktown Mayor Robyn Holmes said there had been an issue with restocking supplies before the weather system moved in.
"There's not much on the shelves, but hopefully we can get supplies through while the roads are open," she told AAP.
In Townsville, the Ross River Dam is at capacity, with the council to begin controlled water releases before the system arrives.
“This is a normal part of managing the Ross River Dam during the wet season," Mayor Nick Dametto said.
"The flow will remain within the Ross River and we do not expect any significant downstream impacts. There is no need for alarm."
Flood watches have been issued for coastal catchments between Mackay and Cape Melville.
Drivers have been urged to heed warnings after emergency services personnel risked their lives to rescue travellers caught in floodwaters.
Dramatic footage was released on Thursday of a 79-year-old man, whose campervan was caught in floodwaters near Cairns, being winched to safety on Monday.
A rescuer is winched down to the van, where the driver is perched on the vehicle's roof, before both are lifted to the chopper, prompting fist bumps from crew members.
The driver, a Cairns resident, faces charges including driving without due care and attention.
It could be weeks before the van can be removed from the floodway because of heavy rain.
