Birdsville recently experienced its wettest February day in over a decade, recording an impressive 93 millimeters of rainfall. This weather event became an unexpected spectacle, especially for two British backpackers who took to dancing joyously in the rain, a moment that quickly gained traction on social media.

Their impromptu celebration was not only a hit online but also provided entertainment for their colleagues at the Birdsville Hotel. “For two young women accustomed to rain back home, witnessing such a downpour in Birdsville was truly astonishing,” remarked Ben Fullagar from Birdsville Hotel to 9News.

Meanwhile, in the state’s north-west corner, there was another kind of celebration following a dramatic rescue operation. Swift water rescue teams successfully saved a 30-year-old driver whose ute had been swept away by floodwaters in Doomadgee. Facing the perilous task of swimming through crocodile-infested waters, the driver managed to reach a sandbank where he was eventually airlifted to safety.

“A real eye-opener for two young girls that are used to rain back home, but haven’t seen rain to this extent in Birdsville at all,” Ben Fullagar from Birdsville Hotel told 9News.

It was a celebration of a different kind in the north-west corner of the state, after swift water rescue teams saved the life of a 30-year-old driver whose ute was caught in floodwaters at Doomadgee.

He had to swim through croc-infested floodwaters to reach safety at a sandbank, before rescue teams were able to airlift him out.

Still the Bureau of Meteorology says this big wet is nothing to celebrate.

Outback Queensland is being lashed by a low pressure system that’s due to intensify.

“It’s already been a very wet wet season for large parts of western Queensland and unfortunately just more to come, particularly in the west over the next day or two,” meteorologist Shane Kennedy said.

Bedourie, near the Northern Territory border, has seen more than 130 millimetres in the last 24 hours, which is just shy of their yearly average of 150 millimetres.

The rain is yet to let up, leaving locals anxious.

“It’s a very similar rain pattern that happened in 1974 when we got the big floods,” local Kevin Barr told 9News.

Roads are cut and could be for some time.

“I just hope the pub doesn’t run out of beer,” Barr added.

Making matters more nerve-wracking in the north is the threat of a cyclone sandwich.

Two tropical lows are set to develop early next week – one in the Coral Sea, the other in the Gulf of Carpentaria.

“At the moment, those tropical lows are only rated a low, so around a five to 10 per cent chance of developing into a tropical cyclone,” Kennedy said.

Whether or not they form into cyclones, northern Queenslanders are being warned there’ll be heavy downpours.

The south-east is also due for a drizzly weekend after quite a dry February, with the Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast expected to see the highest falls.

South Australia set for heavy rain

The story is a similar one in South Australia where a rare and dangerous tropical rain storm is expected to lash parts of the state.

The system is expected to bring intense downpours and the potential for flash flooding.

Some events across the city have already been cancelled as authorities warn it is time to prepare.

From the air, the extent of recent flooding in the far north of South Australia is laid bare.

At the William Creek Hotel, residents are washed out.

“All the roads are closed so the only way in or out for us is by air, but even then we actually can’t get planes out of the hanger because it’s so muddy out the front of the hanger,” Henry Read-Spinks told 9News.

“We’re unable to pull it over all the dirt out there so we’re stranded out here but we’ve got plenty of supplies.”

With rivers flowing and roads blocked off, the region is preparing for another drenching.

“I haven’t in my time up here, I know it has happened before, but it hasn’t happened in quite some time, so we’re quite excited to see all this rain and all the greenery it brings and all the rivers flowing,” Henry said.

The rain system is expected to turn towards Adelaide over the weekend, with the Bureau of Meteorology predicting the worst will hit the city on Sunday afternoon.

Some suburbs could see up to 120 millimetres of rain.

“Its very significant for parts of Adelaide, very rarely see rainfall of that magnitude,” meteorologist Chris Kent said.

Whilst some events have already been cancelled, the Adelaide Festival is encouraging people to keep and eye out for updates on its website and Fringe organisers say they’ll push on for now.

The SES is on standby as residents are urged to rethink weekend travel plans, particularly tourists heading to the Flinders Ranges.

“Now is not the time to go out there and put yourself in danger,” Derren Halleday from the SES said.

The SES says residents have a short window to prepare, including clearing out gutters and cleaning up.

Crews fixing broken train lines used by the Ghan are working around the clock to get back on track.