In the waterlogged plains of outback north-west Queensland, an alarming and seemingly absurd phenomenon is unfolding: tens of thousands of cattle are perishing from thirst and hunger, despite being surrounded by abundant fresh rainwater. Graziers, like Angus Propsting, describe their Brahman and Droughtmaster cattle stranded on sodden islands, refusing to drink the surrounding water or wade through it to reach grass just metres away.

Propsting, a 31-year-old cattleman from a station about 40km north-east of Richmond, explains the bizarre behavior: "They are actually perishing because they are not drinking, even though they are surrounded by water." The cattle, appearing "shell-shocked" or "fearful of the mud and water," will starve themselves rather than cross even shallow bodies of water. This inexplicable refusal to move through water, a phenomenon also observed during the 2019 floods where half a million cattle and sheep died, continues to baffle graziers.

The scale of the current devastation, following weeks of rain since Christmas, is significant. While initial estimates suggested tens of thousands of stock deaths, Richmond shire mayor John Wharton believes this is conservative, estimating potentially 100,000 dead cattle. The full extent of the losses, however, may not be known for up to five months, as floodwaters have washed away fences and swept cattle onto different properties across 11.4 million hectares of grazing land.

As blue skies briefly return, graziers are engaged in frantic efforts to save as many animals as possible. This involves heading out on buggies and dirt bikes to coax dispirited cattle to fodder and water troughs, as they are too traumatized to be driven by helicopter. The emotional toll on the people is immense, with Wharton noting, "People are very mentally stressed and traumatised." Propsting adds that seeing "more and more bodies" emerge as water recedes leaves everyone "a bit mute and confused."

The impact varies significantly across the region. Propsting, whose land features red and sandy hills that drain well and provide high ground, considers himself comparatively fortunate. However, farther west on the "dead flat black soil plains" around Julia Creek, the situation is dire. Guy Keats, who runs Beefmaster cattle there, describes his animals standing in water for a week, leading to heavy losses, particularly among calves. "This country here just floods straight across it and they’re all standing in water," he says, adding that it’s "fairly exhausting and sickening" and "too close to 2019." Keats has resorted to "flying around and shooting them" – a grim necessity when animals are beyond saving.

The danger is far from over. North of Julia Creek, grazier Cody Rogers reports the Flinders River "keeps getting bigger and bigger," spreading "just three or four inches of water but it is just spreading and spreading, just creeping out further and further." The "black soil mud" is like a "slurry," making movement incredibly tiring for both humans and weakened, traumatized cattle. Moreover, the Bureau of Meteorology forecasts a tropical low over the Coral Sea, with the potential to form a cyclone and bring more heavy rain inland over the weekend. If this rain hits already soaked catchments, Keats fears flooding as devastating as that of seven years ago, warning it "’ll be a bloody disaster."