Mary River at Maryborough
The Mary River catchment covers an area of over 7000 square kilometres.
The headwaters of the Mary are located in high rainfall areas around Maleny and Mapleton.
At Gympie, most floods, nearly 80%, have occurred between December and April. During this period, heavy rainfall in the headwaters areas is likely to cause major flooding in the Mary River at Gympie. Floods at Maryborough are typically caused by heavy rainfalls particularly over the upper catchment but it is possible that very heavy rainfalls in the catchment below Gympie may cause appreciable rises in the lower reaches of the river. Flooding causes extensive rural and property damage in the Mary River Valley. Read more about the Flood Warning System for the Mary River.
Monitoring the Mary River
There are a number of rain and river gauges along the Mary River and Tinana Creek which give real time readings on water levels. These can be accessed through the Bureau of Meteorology website under Rain and River Data - Latest River Heights for the Coochin Creek, Sunshine Coast Rivers, Mary River and tributaries
The Portside Gauge is located on Macalister Street at the Portside precinct near the public toilets.
Latest River Heights for Mary R at Portside
Flood Cameras
Council has installed flood cameras across the region to give the community another tool to use to create awareness. There are three cameras located in Maryborough and can be access via the Fraser Coast Disaster Dashboard by ticking the Flood Camera Layer on the map.
Flood Cameras
Flood Classifications
Minor Flooding : Causes inconvenience. Low-lying areas next to watercourses are inundated. Minor roads may be closed and low-level bridges submerged. In urban areas inundation may affect some backyards and buildings below the floor level as well as bicycle and pedestrian paths. In rural areas removal of stock and equipment may be required.
Moderate Flooding : In addition to the above, the area of inundation is more substantial. Main traffic routes may be affected. Some buildings may be affected above the floor level. Evacuation of flood affected areas may be required. In rural areas removal of stock is required.
Major Flooding : In addition to the above, extensive rural areas and/or urban areas are inundated. Many buildings may be affected above the floor level. Properties and towns are likely to be isolated and major rail and traffic routes closed. Evacuation of flood affected areas may be required. Utility services may be impacted.
The following information is a guide to inundation levels compared to historical floods.
Inundation levels Maryborough
Are you Prepared for Flood?
Download Booklet(PDF, 21MB)
It is necessary to remain alert and continually monitor the Fraser Coast Regional Council website, Councils Disaster dashboard and disaster management Facebook site as well as the Bureau of Meteorology and media outlets.
To assist you to counter such events and protect yourself and your family, this information booklet has been produced as a local guide for the Maryborough area and as a source of information in regard to flood heights and how they affect residential areas. Fraser Coast Regional Council is committed to minimising the adverse effects through comprehensive planning, preparation, managing effective response and recovery.
Paramount to this is having the community Get Ready and Be Prepared. Your active preparation and helping your family, neighbours and working with others through community connectedness with a shared sense of responsibility is the key to our resilience, survival and collective ability to recover.