Supplied: Melissa Williams
)Prolonged and heavy rainfall has turned towns in Western Australia's north into islands, testing the resilience of residents as some mark three months of being all but cut off from the rest of the country.
Over the past week, Western Australia's Kimberley has been drenched by hundreds of millimetres of rain, adding to an already plentiful wet season.
Large sections of the region's main road, Great Northern Highway, have been closed due to flooding.
Over 900 kilometres of main roads and 1,000km of local roads are closed, making vehicle access into Fitzroy Crossing impossible and disrupting transport and supply routes to Halls Creek as floodwaters spill over the bitumen.
Supplied: Broome SES
)Darlgunaya resident Natalie Davey said her small community, just outside Fitzroy Crossing, had become waterlocked in the past week.
"The last time [the river height] has come up to here, I think it was 2012."
Supplied: Main Roads
)With the supply of food low and no way of trucking it in, plane and helicopter loads of emergency supplies have been flown into the central Kimberley towns, which are home to thousands of residents.
"We got a top-up of supplies last week, which was really good, a few people [in the community] have boats so have been able to go in [to Fitzroy Crossing] and get some things," Ms Davey said.
Three months of isolation
Meanwhile, on the edge of the Tanami Desert, the heavy rain has exacerbated the softness on red gravel roads to the remote communities of Balgo, Mulan and Bililuna, which are now into their third month cut off from the rest of the country — one of the longest periods of isolation many can remember.
Supplied: Tony Tropiano
)Balgo's Wirrimanu Aboriginal Corporation joint-chief executive Hugh Lovesey said supplies and resources were now reaching their limits, despite nearly $1 million worth of stock being brought in before the wet in preparation for isolation.
He said they had received a lot of help in the resupply of staples from emergency services, with fuel being flown in late last week to make sure the community did not lose power.
ABC Kimberley: Matt Bamford
)"They've been good, sending in fruit and vegetables and bread, but we are now running short of toilet paper, health products and that is a serious matter for the average person," he said.
Balgo resident and Kukatja man Ronald Mosquito said the prolonged isolation had made some aspects of life challenging and confusing for many.
"I can't believe it," he said.
"Normally it rains for a month, but it's been two-to-three months now, this is something new."
ABC: Tyne Logan
)But he said the community was still in high spirits, appreciating the transformation of the landscape and the cooler weather.
"The country feels happy and in good spirits," he said.
"It's good to go fishing, swimming and hunting for bush turkey and goanna.
"The rain has made [hunting] easier because we can see their muddy footprints everywhere."
Motorists stranded after ignoring road closure
The closure of Great Northern Highway has resulted in motorists, including trucks, becoming stranded.
Several people in a convoy of cars remain stuck between two bodies of floodwater after trying to drive from Derby to Fitzroy Crossing.
ABC Kimberley: Matt Bamford
)Department of Fire and Emergency Services Kimberley Superintendent Grant Pipe said it was disappointing those people disobeyed the Great Northern Highway road closure, but he was confident they had enough supplies to wait it out.
Bureau of Meteorology senior flood forecaster Peter Zimmerman said the Fitzroy River hit the 11-metre flood level mark over the weekend, but believed the heaviest rain should have now passed.
Supplied: Kaitlin Johnson
)"But you still need to be aware when travelling, as we know with the Fitzroy we know the water will take several days for the water to clear out," he said.
The Great Northern Highway will remain closed until at least Tuesday.
