In NSW, emergency services and communities are actively mobilizing due to the southward movement of floodwaters and rain from Queensland. The NSW State Emergency Service (SES) has deployed over 750 personnel, along with helicopters and high-clearance vehicles, across the state as of early April 2025, particularly in northern regions like the Mid North Coast, Northern Rivers, and Northern Tablelands. This response was triggered by forecasts of heavy rain—20-40 mm expected along the Queensland-NSW border—and the already saturated catchments, which heighten the risk of flash flooding. The Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) has issued flood watches for rivers such as the Richmond, Wilsons, Clarence, Bellinger, and Upper Macintyre, indicating a proactive stance. Recent reports from April 2, 2025, noted 16 public schools closed in the Narrabri area due to rising waters, and the SES has been responding to incidents like rescues and evacuations, suggesting a state of heightened readiness. While no specific new infrastructure projects are detailed in the immediate aftermath of Queensland’s rains, the state’s ongoing experience with flooding in 2022-2023 (e.g., 213 days of flood operations) has likely sharpened its preparedness protocols.
South Australia’s preparations are less immediate but tied to the long-term flow of water through the Murray-Darling Basin, which receives runoff from western Queensland rivers like the Warrego, Paroo, and Condamine-Balonne via the Darling River. The recent Queensland deluge, described as creating "inland seas" in late March 2025, has raised expectations that floodwaters will eventually reach Kati Thanda-Lake Eyre in northern South Australia, potentially in the coming weeks. However, most of this water will dissipate before reaching the Murray River’s lower reaches in South Australia, with only a fraction contributing to the Darling and Murray flow. South Australian authorities, via the Department of Environment and Water, monitor river levels and have established flood management plans, but no specific emergency mobilizations have been reported as of now in direct response to Queensland’s rains. The state’s focus appears to be on monitoring rather than immediate action, given the time it takes for water to travel downstream—often weeks to months—and the fact that the Murray’s peak flows are more influenced by southern rains later in the year.
