Noeline Gross, general manager of Northern Gulf Resource Management Group (NGRMG), revealed at the recent NGRMG's open forum in Georgetown that the hundreds of square kilometres that had been under water for up to 14 weeks had not recovered enough to support grazing cattle.

Many property owners had up to 100sq km inundated and the loss of much of their herd. With little or no income from their cattle this year, they have found themselves so heavily debt- laden they can't afford to access the few low-interest loans on offer.

To compound the situation, the complicated criteria to gain government assistance and the time it takes to fill in relevant paperwork has seen applications shunted back and forth between governments. Meanwhile, time is running out for starving cattle.

"They only have until mid-August to get their cattle onto agistment – after that they will be too weak to travel and will have to be shot or will starve," Ms Gross told the North Queensland Register.

"The situation is so dire for some graziers they are looking for properties that will agist their cattle on credit or some other arrangement of payment until they can get on their feet."

Member for Mount Isa Betty Kiernan said the Government and the Queensland Primary Industries and Fisheries had recently conducted workshops throughout the Gulf Savannah and had made a submission to the Federal Government for Exceptional Circumstances funding, and it was now up to the Federal Government.

"I've met with Noeline Gross and the chairman of the NGRMG, John Bethel, and I am aware of the situation. We've done what we can and now it is up to the Federal Government," Ms Kiernan said.

Many graziers have estimated that assistance will be needed within the next two weeks or it will be too late.

*Any graziers in a situation to assist have been asked to call NGRMG grazing officer, Debbie Hansen, on (07) 4062 1330 or 0428 611 599.