Due to all the recent rain and water coming down the Barwon, West Brewarrina has been cut off from the main road, potentially affecting around 30-40 residents of the reserve.

Moderate flooding is already occurring at Brewarrina and the Bureau of Meteorology expects the Barwon River at Brewarrina may reach around 8.60 metres early next week (17-18 October), still considered moderate flooding. 

West Brewarrina is just a couple of kilometres from town heading on the Highway to Bourke.

West Brewarrina can be accessed via the evacuation route out towards the airport but for those who don’t have transport it is difficult as that is at least a 15 to 20km round trip.

They have been cut off now since the weekend with preparations from Brewarrina Shire Council and the Local Aboriginal Land Council (LALC) happening early last week to get transport in place to start on Monday 10 October .

So, the Brewarrina LALC has stepped up with the help of the Shire and using their bus.

The West Brewarrina residents can be transported into town on the hour and then taken back out when the next available run is on.

Natalie Boney has taken on the responsibility of making the trips.

“It’s very important because a lot of residents in Brewarrina don’t have transportation," she said.

“I do pick ups starting from 9am and they get dropped off at the bus stop near the service station. There are 6 trips in total and transport ends at 3:30pm.”

 “I have a few that get on in the mornings but I feel that a lot of people don’t yet know about it,” said Natalie.

The flooded walkway to West Brewarrina. PHOTO: Urayne Warraweena

On the other side of town, some residents living on Barwon Four have been cut off.

 Barwon Four is a reservation on the road to Walgett. It starts just after the Historical Bridge and makes it's way along the river for about 5 kilometres or more.

So far the flooding has affected three households on the reserve and more are expected to be affected if Brewarrina gets more rain or too much more water comes down the river.

If this happens and they get cut off, they have no way of getting to town.

At that point the SES will get involved and use boats to get people to town.

Brewarrina people are taking a watch-and-wait approach at this time.