Signs saying 'Large four wheel drives and heavy vehicles only’ direct motorists on the Oxley Highway north of Warren as floodwater from the Ewenmar Creek continues to pour across the road and throughout surrounding paddocks, as its been doing periodically for the past two months.

Peeling bitumen and large potholes just three kilometres from town have necessitated Warren Shire Council to install 'temporary' traffic lights directing traffic to one lane, and road crews have been spreading gravel in an attempt to remediate the road surface. 

The Ewenmar is just one of a large number of swollen waterways that have escaped their banks in recent months and last week’s rain event saw upwards of 60mm fall in the area, causing further runoff and ongoing headaches for both travellers and landowners.

Warren Shire Council’s website currently advises all unsealed roads within the LGA are closed, along with the Wambianna Road, Ellengerah Road, Gradgery Lane, Kiameron Road, Gibson Way, Carinda Road (160km north of Warren), Rifle Range Road, Industrial Access Road, Canonba Road, Bundemar Road and Warren Road (at the Tenandra Bridge).

Others are open with extreme caution and drivers travelling to Dubbo are advised to use the Oxley and Mitchell Highways via Nevertire and Trangie.

Long detours and conditions that change quickly are making it difficult for landowners to plan trips to town and access properties and stock, and with the local SES conducting a number of flood rescues in recent weeks, the stakes remain high for making the wrong decision.

Oxley Highway 6 kilometres from Warren on Monday 26 September.

Warren Shire Mayor Milton Quigley says he’s relatively pleased with the way the public is responding to the situation, “Apart from a few silly drivers who have driven around road closed signs and through deep flood water, most people have been very cooperative,” said Cr Quigley.

As of this afternoon (Tuesday 27 September) Water NSW is releasing 13,800megalitres/day from Burrendong Dam (129.4% full) and the Macquarie River is at 9.05 metres at the Warren town gauge (down from a peak of 9.44m).

“Nine metres is major flood level. If it drops below that we’ll definitely be in a better situation and once the water level drops below 8.5 metres we‘ll be able to open the stormwater gates back into the river from within the levee,” said Cr Quigley.

“In my view the river level is being managed very well and we are now seeing a slight easing of the situation, with water levels slowly receding. If it doesn’t rain in the next 10 days we should see significantly more reprieve, but we just have to work with what’s in front of us.”

In any direction from Warren roads are awash. This is the 5 Mile Cowal on the Marthaguy Road.

Swollen waterways, runoff across paddocks and access issues continue to cause challenges for primary producers including weed proliferation, waterlogged winter crops, difficulty handling stock and delayed ground preparation for summer crops.

Sheep and cattle producer Colin Irving on ‘Old Bundilla’, 45km north east of Warren, has been checking calving heifers on horseback.

“The Wemabung Creek flows right through the paddock they’re in and I can’t get to them any other way,” said Mr Irving. 

Boating across the Merrigal Creek.

Colin and brother Warwick have also had to use alternative yards for lamb-marking due to flooding and can only get to town using a boat to cross the Merrigal Creek.

With the Bureau of Meteorology sticking to its La Nina forecast for the next few months, travellers and landowners in the Warren Shire are likely to be facing further challenges.