'They must have been swimming for hours': Herd of cows wash up alive on the shores of a crocodile-infested beach after getting caught in floods
- Cattle and carcass' have washed up on northern Queensland beaches today
- The incident occurred after the state was subjected to severe rain and flooding
- Local residents have tried to help the injured cattle and track down the owners
- It's reported the floods are the worst the Daintree region has had for 118 years
A herd of cows have washed up alive on the shore of a crocodile-infested beach.
It's thought the cattle were caught in the flood waters from the Daintree River, and as a result washed up on nearby Wonga Beach, north of Cairns, on Sunday.
Locals walking the beach were left baffled after discovering the distressed cows standing in the water.
Further down the beach, the carcasses of cows that didn't make it were left half-buried in the sand.
The shocking incident comes as the Daintree region, on Queensland's north east coast, endures its worst flood in 118 years, according to Wild Search Australia.
Scroll down for video
A herd of cows have washed up alive on the shore of a crocodile-infested beach
Local residents attempted to try and help the injured cattle (pictured) who are thought to have been swimming overnight
The river is said to have reached staggering heights of 12.6 metres, as of last night, which has had disastrous consequences for the nearby cattle.
Local resident, Bec Waters, said she was taking her pet dog for a morning beach walk when she came across an injured cow.
Share this article
'It was horrifying. We'd had crazy weather and the cattle had been washed into the sea,' she told Daily Mail Australia.
'I spotted a surviving cow stuck in the mud and he looked so tired. I managed to help him move towards more solid ground and out of the slippery mud.
Local resident Bec Waters said it was 'horrifying' to see the carcass (pictured) washed up on the shore
Ms Waters said local residents were worried about crocodiles coming on shore to find the carcass (pictured)
'He looked exhausted and must've been swimming for hours overnight,' she added.
However, Ms Waters soon came across another horrific sight as she continued to walk down the beach.
'Further down the beach I saw the carcasses of two dead cattle. It was awful, and my dog was going crazy,' she said.
In a bid to try and identify the dead animals, Ms Waters took pictures of the carcass'.
Thanks to the photos, which showed the cattle's branding, locals have been able to track down the owners, and alert them to the tragic incident.
Ms Waters said she was concerned about 'crocodiles coming up onto shore' in a bid to feast on the vulnerable cows.
Another local, Ashton Davenport, posted an image of other cows still stuck in the water at the beach.
Alongside the startling picture, he wrote: 'Cows are being washed up onto Wonga Beach and other surrounding beaches of the Daintree!! [Still alive].'
'We got the brown one out of the water and then there was a herd of 4 and they joined together so there's a group of 5 cows roaming around down there on the beach or in the scrub,' he added.
Some areas of the state (pictured) reportedly receiving over 400mm of rain in less than a day
The relentless rain in the north of Queensland has caused flash floods and landslides, with some areas receiving over 400mm of rain in less than a day.
A warning was issued to residents of Douglas Shire, who live in close proximity to the Daintree River, stating their homes would likely be overcome with flood water.
The Daintree River level is now dropping, but experts have warned the concerning weather conditions aren't yet over.
The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology has said 'intense rainfall and flooding' remains a serious risk for northern Queensland residents, and is expected to continue throughout the day and into the night.
The Queensland Bureau of Meteorology has said 'intense rainfall and flooding' remains a serious risk
