It is the Australian nightmare. Never mind the floods and the poisonous snakes and crocodiles swimming through the town centres. Pubs in some of Queensland’s inundated towns are down to their last few kegs of beer.

In the rain-lashed state, much of which has been declared a disaster zone, the army has been sent in to help with a recovery effort after more than a dozen rivers burst their banks, flooding towns and carrying some of the world’s deadliest animals into inhabited areas.

The local Parks and Wildlife Service has also issued a warning: “Be wary of crocodiles and other reptiles turning up.” Some locals, however, have other worries.

“We can put up with a lot of drama, no fruit and veggies but no one wants a pub with no beer,” Donna Smith, the landlady at the Albion Hotel in the town of Normanton told local reporters.

Others emphasise that it was the wildlife that was largely on the receiving end of floods. This week a man driving on the road alongside Townsville’s Ross River, drove over what he thought was a speed-hump. But after closer inspection he discovered it was a 1.6m (5.3 ft) freshwater crocodile,

“The croc probably thought it was still in the river,” Neil Mattocks, a wildlife officer with Queensland Parks and Wildlife told The Times.

“They instinctively all move in these conditions, so he had just wandered on to the road by accident.”

Mr Mattocks is now caring for the crocodile, which lost a few teeth, had a sore eye and suffered gravel rash and other minor injuries in the accident. He said that an increase in sightings of crocodiles — including another that he heard had swum underneath the foundations of a flooded Queensland home while the family watched from the balcony — and other reptiles, such as poisonous snakes, were not uncommon during Queensland’s wet season, which usually lasts until April.

“Crocodiles might move about looking for a quiet place to wait for floodwaters to recede, and snakes may swim into people’s properties,” Mr Mattocks said.

“Reptiles are on the move in summer anyway, so it’s wise to be wary. All the coastal waterways in North Queensland should be considered as potential crocodile habitat.”

The flooding is the result of former Cyclone Ellie, which recently pounded the Queensland coast, causing more than A$100 million (£50 million) of damage and widespread flooding that has left several towns under water.

A second cyclone warning has been sent out, with the weather bureau forecasting a “moderate” cyclone expecting to drop at least another 400mm (16in) of water by the end of the week.

In towns such as Ingham, which is situated between Townsville and Cairns, more than 1,000 homes have been flooded by more than 700mm (28in) of rain that has fallen in the past three days.

David Harkin, a local resident, said that he was going to move out after watching water run through the ground floor of his two-storey home and seeing several snakes.

“I keep the broom here (at the front door) to chase the snakes away,” Mr Harkin told local media.

Touring the flooded region on Wednesday Paul Lucas, the deputy premier of Queensland, said that Australia’s north cannot take much more.

“It’s like pouring water over a wet towel,” Mr Lucas said yesterday.

Joyce Zahner, Mayor of the Carpentaria region, said that large crocodiles had been seen in the area, some cruising down main streets in local towns.

“I’m not sure if it’s the same crocodile moving around — on the three sides of Normanton there’s been a large croc seen right up close to the water’s edge,” Ms Zahner told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation.

“Hopefully he’ll stay in the water and the kids will stay on the land.”

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