Additional police officers have been flown in to a remote Gulf community after a school yard dispute escalated to a large fight between some members of family groups in Doomadgee.

Key points: Extra police have been flown in to the lower Gulf of Carpentaria town of Doomadgee due to a feud that has erupted between families

Extra police have been flown in to the lower Gulf of Carpentaria town of Doomadgee due to a feud that has erupted between families It allegedly escalated from a dispute between two 16-year-olds on social media

It allegedly escalated from a dispute between two 16-year-olds on social media As flooding cuts off the community at this time of year, locals say it can often lead to a rise in tensions

The unrest in the town, 470 kilometres north of Mount Isa in the lower Gulf of Carpentaria, began when two 16-year-old girls had a disagreement over who was older.

While tensions are now easing with the increased police presence in the town, police said in the past week stones have been thrown at police cars, a molotov cocktail was thrown into a house, and locals have been fighting each other with poles.

Community leader Barry Walden said social media was the initial cause of the dispute.

"I wish social media was never ever invented actually … especially the Facebook chat," Mr Walden said.

He claimed there were no repercussions from the Doomadgee State School, which he alleged also knew about the misunderstanding on social media.

During mango season the town of Doomadgee can be cut off and isolated which can lead to an escalation in tensions. ( ABC Brisbane: Allyson Horn, file photo )

Mr Walden said a few weeks after the argument, his granddaughter was allegedly assaulted by a different person.

"She was assaulted by being punched in the head and in the ribs and in the face, then was taken to the hospital," he said.

Mr Walden alleged the disputes then spilled into the broader community because the school and police did not act fast enough.

"There was nothing done in the first instance, so it just boiled over," he said.

Mr Walden alleged his 87-year-old mother's house was targeted.

"Her house was stoned, her house was broken into, her items were stolen, TVs were stolen from her house," he said.

"We had to get her out for her own safety."

In a statement, the Queensland Department of Education said Doomadgee State School was aware of the incident "that occurred on social media between two students outside of the school grounds and outside of school hours".

"The principal implemented actions to respond to the situation, including informing the parents and reporting the incident to the police," the statement said. "Police officers visited the school and talked to all students about cyberbullying, and also mediated with the students involved in the incident. "Parents were aware of the mediation meetings."

Police dealing with wider unrest

Mount Isa Police Inspector, Andrew Gillies, who also covers the Doomadgee region, said the unrest in the community began before Christmas but escalated in the last week.

"It started with a couple of young people … who had a disagreement over who was the eldest and the families then got involved in that," Inspector Gillies said.

While those families settled their argument, other families then got involved.

"It then evolved to some fighting, almost like the old-fashioned duel fighting where you have 50 people, 80 people watching two people fighting," Inspector Gillies said.

Mount Isa police Inspector Andrew Gillies. ( ABC North West Queensland )

"A couple of days ago there was a lot of unrest in the community … and people were throwing stones at police cars and trying to fight each other … with poles and various other things."

Inspector Gillies said a molotov cocktail was also thrown at a house which sustained damage.

He said extra police were flown into the town on Tuesday to assist local officers.

'Mango season' tensions

"At the moment we are flooded in from both directions and when you're trapped it creates tension," said a resident who asked not to be named.

"It's around the same time every year — it's called mango season.

"When boredom creeps in people make their own fun and it's often the wrong choice."

She said she believed systemic issues in Doomadgee were not being addressed.

"There is no accountability at a higher level to actually fix the problem — the government just wants to pump money into these places but where is the accountability," she said.

"There is absolutely nothing to do out here. Employment, creating job opportunities … these are the things that need to be addressed."

No resolution in sight

After months of tensions, community leader Barry Walden said he feels the only way there will be resolution will be if those involved leave the town. ( ABC Brisbane: Allyson Horn )

After months of unrest, Mr Walden said the issues cannot be resolved and that the only solution would be for those involved to be removed from the community.

"We are so in-depth with this problem that there is no solution to the problem unless the removal of people that have embedded themselves into this problem," he said.

Queensland Police said in a statement on Thursday that they are "mediating between the families and assisting community to work towards de-escalating tension".

Inspector Gillies said that although the family groups were cooperating to mediate with police, they would not mediate with each other.

Hundreds still displaced following Aurukun riots

The Doomadgee unrest comes as the community of Aurukun, on western Cape York, recovers from unrest that caused hundreds of residents to flee for safety on New Year's Day.

CCTV image of several homes set on fire in Aurukun. ( Supplied: Queensland Police Service )

Six homes were burnt to the ground during the unrest, when more than 250 residents took to the streets following the alleged murder of a local man.

The Department of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships said more than 300 people were still displaced from Aurukun.

"At this stage there are known to be more than 150 people from Aurukun in Cairns," the department said in a statement to the ABC.