Outback rodeo brings community together after flood disaster (2025)

Kicking up the dust at this tiny outback town's annual rodeo at the weekend had never felt more important.

Tales of dead livestock, helicopter rescues and flooded properties were told around Eromanga's arena, which was under water only a few weeks ago.

The community, 1,060 kilometres west of Brisbane, is one of many in the south-west picking up the pieces after raging floodwaters ripped through the land.

Eromanga's Easter Rodeo came as a much-needed morale boost for its residents.

Event coordinator Linda Evans said the rodeo was the first opportunity locals had had to blow off some steam and debrief. 

Ms Evans is a fierce woman — ask anyone in Eromanga and they'll tell you she's not to be messed with.

But Ms Evans sheds an uncharacteristic tear as she speaks about her six horses that were swept up in floodwaters and drowned.

"It was tough but that's one of the biggest reasons we decided this had to happen. 

The rodeo's cattle were supplied by the nearby station Ms Evans and her partner manage, even though its owners are still counting the cost of the floods.

Numbers at the event were down compared to previous years because many roads that connect nearby towns remain closed.

In this part of the country, properties are hundreds of thousands of acres in size.

It can be weeks before you see your neighbour, which is why the locals were so grateful to catch up with old mates at the rodeo.

Stock agent Sam Bartlett said he was relieved the rodeo went ahead, despite the uncertainty.

"It's just good to see everyone, have a drink and everyone's got a smile on their face."

Mr Bartlett said despite the recent devastation, he was positive about the region's future.

"We're starting to see the feed grow which is great.

Tough rebuild

While some areas are seeing the spoils of rain, other grazing land has been devastated.

On Kyabra Station, 50km north of Eromanga, the torrents of floodwater were so strong they stripped away the top layer of soil.

There is white sand on the property, and caretaker Maurice Philips said he had no idea where it came from.

The floodwaters came up to the homestead's steps and Mr Philips drove his car up onto the verandah to keep its motor dry.

But that wasn't the biggest challenge; he spent a couple of hours stuck in a tree after trying to go out to rescue animals in a tinny as the floodwaters rose.

"It didn't have enough power to go upstream; they spotted me in a chopper and sent a jetski out to pick me up," he recounted.

Mr Philips said the water came in like "a broom", sweeping dead animals across the vast outback landscape and trapping others in fencing.

Kyabra Station's losses are close to $1 million.

"All you can do is pull the machinery out of the mud and chuck it because it sat in water for 10 days," Mr Philips said.

Onto his fourth pair of shoes because the mud is so thick, the caretaker is determined to keep going.

'Community will get us through'

Back in Eromanga, Ms Evans said she was certain the community would rebuild stronger, despite what they had been through.

"That's what people in the bush do, they don't back down too easy out here.