Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (centre) is briefed by Police Commissioner Ian Stewart (right) on the floods situation in the state's north. Photo / AAP
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk (centre) is briefed by Police Commissioner Ian Stewart (right) on the floods situation in the state's north. Photo / AAP
A group of children are preparing to be evacuated after becoming stranded by floodwater almost a week ago during a school camp in north Queensland.
More than 70 students and staff have been trapped at the Echo Creek adventure park near Tully since last Monday.
Three children with gastro wereairlifted to Cairns on Saturday but authorities decided at the time it was safer to leave the remaining students where they were.
There is a window to evacuate them ahead of more rain predicted in the coming days.
Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is due to visit the camp as part of a wider tour of the region to assess the damage.
Torrential rain for much of the last week has caused flooding across the region, with the area between Cairns and Townsville disaster declared by the state government, and labelled an official catastrophe by the Insurance Council of Australia.
More than 700mm of rain fell in a number of catchment areas in four days, with The Boulders, south of Cairns, receiving 1009mm in the seven days to 9am Saturday.
More than 200 homes were inundated at Ingham, where flood waters have started to recede, and some residents at Innisfail had to evacuate.
The Bureau of Meteorology has warned more may be on the way later this week, with a potential cyclone loitering in northern waters. For most of the region, however, the focus is turning from response to recovery.
