UPDATE: 4.45pm Friday
The Namoi River at Gunnedah reached the minor flood height of 7.3m at 3pm this afternoon. As of 4.15pm, the river was 7.36m and rising.
Earlier on Friday:
Authorities are now forecasting the Namoi River at Gunnedah will peak just under the major flood level (7.9 metres) early Saturday morning.
The Bureau of Meteorology said earlier on Friday, the Namoi River at Gunnedah may peak near 7.70 m during Saturday, with moderate flooding.
This follows several updates which anticipated the river could peak as early as Friday afternoon.
Floodwater was steadily rising at the Donnelly Playing Fields pathway. This photo was taken at 11.15am Friday when the river height was 6.9m.
The NSW SES Gunnedah Unit said the reason for the delayed peak was due to less rainfall across the catchment in recent days than was first predicted. Additionally “Keepit Dam has not been releasing as much water as the previous flood event two weeks ago,” the SES unit posted online.
As of 12pm Friday, the Namoi River at Gunnedah was 7.01 metres, below the minor flood level.
At about 11.15am on Friday, floodwater was well over the river bank and was seen steadily rising across the riverside footpath at Donnelly Playing Fields.
The corner of Warrabungle and Bloomfield streets already water across one lane of traffic by this time.
Upstream, the Mooki was running fast at Breeza earlier this morning. This floodwater was expected to impact Gunnedah in the coming hours.
It is the Gunnedah district’s second flooding event this month. The Namoi River at Gunnedah peaked at 8.5m on August 5 – well above the 7.9m flood height – causing widespread damage to homes, businesses and properties.
Official advice from the Bureau of Meteorology, current as of 10.42am Friday. Next update at 6pm:
Moderate rainfall has been observed across the Peel and Namoi River catchments since Wednesday morning.
In the Namoi River catchment, the combined flows from the Mooki River, the Peel River through Carroll Gap, and outflows from Keepit Dam are likely to cause flooding downstream at Gunnedah. Minor flooding is likely at Gunnedah from Friday afternoon, with moderate flooding possible during Friday evening. Minor flooding is possible at Boggabri Saturday morning.
The earlier flood peak has passed downstream of Goangra and is moving towards Walgett on the Barwon River. Minor flooding is occurring at Goangra, with river levels likely to remain above minor flood level through the weekend.
Peel River:
Minor flooding is no longer occurring along the Peel River at Tamworth.
The Peel River at Tamworth is currently at 2.81 m and falling, below the minor flood level (3.00 m).
Namoi River:
Minor to moderate flooding is possible along the Namoi River. Minor flooding is occurring at Goangra.
No observations are currently available for the Namoi River at Carroll Village. Minor flooding is no longer expected along the Namoi River at Carroll Village.
The Namoi River at Gunnedah is currently at 6.72 m and rising, below the minor flood level. The Namoi River at Gunnedah is likely to exceed the minor flood level (7.30 m) Friday afternoon. The river may exceed the moderate flood level (7.60 m) Friday evening. The river may peak near 7.70 m during Saturday, with moderate flooding.
The Namoi River at Boggabri is currently at 3.22 m and rising, below the minor flood level. The Namoi River at Boggabri may exceed the minor flood level (7.00 m) Saturday morning. The river may reach around 7.40 m Saturday evening, with minor flooding.
The Namoi River at Goangra is currently at 6.61 m and falling slowly, with minor flooding. The Namoi River at Goangra is likely to remain above the minor flood level (5.50 m) through the weekend.
Safety Advice:
Don’t drive, walk, swim or play in floodwater because it is dangerous.
Stay away from flooded drains, rivers, streams and waterways.
Obey road closure signs. Plan ahead so you don’t drive on flooded roads.
Check the ABC and local media for updates. The situation can change quickly, so stay informed.
For local emergency management warnings and advice visit www.ses.nsw.gov.au.
For emergency assistance call SES on telephone number 132 500. In life-threatening emergencies, call 000 (triple zero) immediately.
Next Issue:
The next warning will be issued by 06:00 PM AEST on Friday 22 August 2025.
For more information:
– Download the Hazards Near Me app and set your watch zones to get warning information for your areas.
– Follow us on social media @NSWSES or visit our website at www.ses.nsw.gov.au
– Learn about your risk at www.ses.nsw.gov.au/knowyourrisk
– Check latest weather, warnings, rainfall and river heights at www.bom.gov.au/nsw
– Check road closures at www.livetraffic.com.au or 132 701 or visit Gunnedah Shire Council’s Facebook page.
