Western Queensland has been declared a disaster zone after bushfires burned out more than 300,000 hectares of grazing land.

And it’s not much better to the State’s north, with record rain causing havoc there.

Ellie Whitton reports.

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Queensland’s weather has once again turned extreme.

The State Government has now announced Category B assistance will be available for primary producers in parts of western Queensland.

This provides low-interest loans of up to $250,000 and freight subsidies of up to $5,000.

At least 38 properties in the Barcaldine region have been affected by fire in the past week. Over a third of those properties have lost between 80 to 100 per cent of pasture.

Many of the people affected by the bushfires were also flooded earlier this year.

Rivers and streams between Cooktown and Cardwell are running high after some places in the far north recorded five hundred millimetres of rain for the week.

Paronella Park near Innisfail is normally calm and peaceful but water’s flowing over the picnic area swallowing tables.

Mark Evans, Paronella Park Owner: “The waterfall and the river and stream is gushing. We’ve never seen anything like this for an October.”

Cairns has been worst hit, recording falls of 200mm in 24 hours.

More rain was recorded in 24 hours than ever before in the entire month of October.

The rain has since eased but showers will continue into the weekend.

Ellie Whitton, QUT News.