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People in north Queensland are mopping up after five days of torrential downpours triggered floods across the region as the severe weather threat moves north.

The Bureau of Meteorology has issued a severe weather warning for heavy rainfall that may lead to flash flooding in the Atherton Tablelands towns of Mareeba, Atherton, Gordonvale, Ravenshoe, Babinda and Mount Garnet in coming hours.

However, forecasters expect no further significant rainfall or flooding in the Mackay region where daily rainfall totals have topped 200mm in multiple places since Friday.

"No further significant rainfall is expected over the next few days," the bureau said in an alert on Wednesday afternoon.

"Outside the flood watch area, flood warnings and minor to moderate flooding are occurring across several of the coastal catchments between the North Tropical Coast and Central Coast."

Traffic is flowing north and south of Mackay after the reopening of the Bruce Highway, the region's main road artery, which has been cut in multiple places for a number of days.

Thousands of residents are no longer isolated in communities and stranded travellers are moving through the region, but the Mackay Regional Council has urged drivers to be careful because many roads have emerged from floodwaters with cracks and potholes.

"Council, RoadTek and contractors are working hard to undertake repairs to the damage, when the weather allows," the council said in a Facebook post.

"We are asking motorists to please be safe, slow down and drive to conditions until repair works can be completed."

Mackay resident Jackie Dunne said she saw many drivers changing flat tyres because of the "massive potholes" south of Bloomsbury.

She was stranded for three days in Prosperine and thanked locals and fellow travellers for helping her and others who were isolated by the floods.

"We were lucky enough to get a room after only one night in the car but we saw nothing but kindness and charity helping those who weren't so fortunate," Ms Dunne wrote on Facebook.

"We met some lovely people along the way who were in the same boat, it's about kindness and community and it was great to see everyone coming together."

The council warned people to stay away from the water and beware of mosquitoes, which would likely breed quickly in the water left by deluge.

Environmental groups are concerned about 11 coal mines releasing untreated water into the Fitzroy River Basin, which is legal during floods.

Environmental Advocacy in Central Queensland director Coral Rowston said one mine had released the equivalent of an Olympic-sized swimming pool every eight seconds, which contained salt and heavy metals toxic to the flora and fauna in the river and the Great Barrier Reef downstream.

"Climate change impacts, such as the floods we are experiencing at the moment, are going to become more frequent and severe," she said.

"We can't afford to build more coal mines in central Queensland and expect to be able to manage even greater discharges of dirty water into the largest Great Barrier Reef catchment."

In the state's far west, major flooding on the Georgina River is easing at Marion Downs, but Eyre Creek is set to remain above a major flood level for the next few days.

The bureau warned a major flood could hit 150 residents at Bedourie, downstream from Eyre Creek, at the weekend.

© AAP 2023

A Qantas plane has landed safely in Sydney after the pilot issued a mayday call when he had to shut down an engine.

Qantas Flight 144, a Boeing 737 aircraft en-route from Auckland, made the distress call over the Pacific Ocean on Wednesday afternoon.

"While a mayday was initially issued, this was downgraded to a PAN (Possible Assistance Needed)," a Qantas spokesperson told AAP on Wednesday evening.

"The aircraft landed safely at around 3.30pm (AEDT) and is now being inspected by our engineers."

While "inflight engine shutdowns" are rare and concerning for passengers, pilots are trained "to manage them safely and aircraft are designed to fly for an extended period on one engine," Qantas said.

It said all 145 passengers disembarked the aircraft normally.

Photographs taken at the airport show one of the engines appearss to have a large panel missing from the engine cover.

ABC television showed the plane land safely at Sydney airport and being escorted by yellow airport fire appliances to a parking bay.

Passengers told reporters an engine failed but no one onboard appeared panicked during the flight.

"I kind of heard the little bang and then a bit of turbulence, and we just thought okay, this is a bit weird," passenger Sandika McAuley said.

"But we didn't really know anything until we landed, then we got told that there was a mayday call and the engine failed."

James Mearon said he didn't realise how serious the situation was until he saw cameras waiting for passengers outside the terminal.

"Yeah it definitely was scary," he said.

The main issue impacting passengers was that the air conditioning had stopped working, according to passenger Fiona Dunne.

"The aircon was gone so everyone was just frustrated and sweaty, I don't think there was that much panic," she said.

Earlier, NSW Ambulance said in a statement that its paramedics responded to a mayday alert issued by the troubled flight.

FlightRadar, an internet flight tracker, indicated the 10-year-old, twin-jet Boeing plane issued the distress call over the Pacific Ocean.

Federal Transport Minister Catherine King said she was relieved the plane had landed safely.

"Well done to the highly experienced crew for getting the plane safely home," Ms King tweeted.

A mayday call is issued when a flight is in grave and imminent danger and needs immediate assistance, according to Airservices Australia, the federal agency responsible for ensuring safe air travel.

Once the call is made controllers alert aviation rescue, firefighting and emergency services with details on how to respond. They also provide assistance to pilots.

"As a precaution Sydney Airport had emergency crews on stand-by including firefighters, ambulance and police," an Airservices Australia spokesperson told AAP.

Aviation expert Neil Hansford said Boeing 737s could fly and land on only one engine, noting that "Qantas has never had a passenger lost on a jet aircraft in its history".

"What you may well find when the aircraft lands is that it may be prudence, rather than an uncontrollable situation," he told told Sky News.

© AAP 2023

A Qantas plane has landed in Sydney after issuing a mayday call over the Pacific Ocean.

Emergency services rushed to the aircraft as it landed at Sydney Airport on Wednesday afternoon.

QF144 from Auckland issued the distress call after an in-flight emergency when the plane suffered an engine failure, AAP understands.

A Qantas spokesperson told ABC the flight experienced an issue with one of its engines about an hour from its destination.

"While a mayday was initially issued it was downgraded to a PAN - Possible Assistance Needed," ABC News reported.

After the aircraft landed, two yellow airport fire appliances drove out to escort it to a park spot.

NSW Ambulance confirmed its paramedics responded to a mayday alert issued by the flight from Auckland to Sydney.

Federal Transport Minister Catherine King lauded the airline's safety record after a brief scare that had 100,000 people tracking the flight online.

"A relief to know that QF144 has landed safely," she tweeted.

"Well done to the highly experienced crew for getting the plane safely home.

"Australia's aviation industry is among the safest in the world because of the dedicated staff working on planes and behind the scenes".

FlightRadar indicated the 10-year-old, twin-jet Boeing 737-800 plane travelling was over the Pacific Ocean when the call was issued.

"A mayday call is an internationally recognised, emergency or distress call," a spokeswoman for the Australian Maritime Safety Authority told AAP.

The call is issued when a flight is in grave and imminent danger and needs immediate assistance, according to Airservices Australia.

Once the call is issued controllers alert aviation rescue, firefighting and emergency services with details on how to respond. They also provide assistance to pilots.

"As a precaution Sydney Airport had emergency crews on stand-by including firefighters, ambulance and police," a spokesperson told AAP.

Aviation expert Neil Hansford told Sky News that "Qantas has never had a passenger lost on a jet aircraft in its history".

"What you may well find when the aircraft lands is that it may be prudence, rather than an uncontrollable situation."

Mr Hansford said Boeing 737s can fly and land on only one engine.

© AAP 2023