Floods Leave Huge Damage Bill

January 28, 2013

As the rain eases around the area, the South Burnett is facing a massive clean-up and repair bill.

South Burnett Mayor Cr Wayne Kratzmann told southburnett.com.au this morning that initial reports indicated damage to roads and infrastructure was worse than the 2011 floods.

“There’s been substantially more damage to infrastructure and recreational facilities including Lake Boondooma and Memorial Park,” he said.

There have been significant washouts on a number of roads, including Proston-Boondooma Road, and Moloney’s Bridge at Chahpingah been washed away.

“The work that we have done – the $70 million program of repairs – it looks like most of these roads have gone as well,” Cr Kratzmann said.

The total damage to water and sewerage infrastructure cannot be assessed but Council has been forced to invoke Emergency Water Restrictions across the region (see separate Report).

And although the rain has stopped falling, and flood levels are easing, transport around the region is still severely restricted.

The Bunya Highway between Wondai and Kingaroy has re-opened, but access to Murgon is still blocked. There is still substantial flooding in the Goomeri area and Bells Bridge is still inundated.

The D’Aguilar Highway between Kingaroy and Nanango is still officially closed because of substantial damage.

Cr Kratzmann said a council team would assess the state of the road and it may then re-open but to emergency vehicles only.

The Bunya Highway is also still blocked between Kingaroy and Kumbia.

An emergency plan is being worked out to feed cattle at the Smithfield Feedlot, with road transport via Proston a possibility.

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Ergon Energy crews are working on a number of power outages around the area (see separate Report).

Cr Kratzmann said that if people were still without power, and their area was not included in updates, they should contact Council on (07) 4189-9100 and they would relay on the information to the appropriate people.

Likewise, Cr Kratzmann asked that people who had contacted Council because they have no power, could let Council know when power is restored.

(There are still communications difficulties with Ergon because their major centre is located in Rockhampton and has been badly affected by the failure of a Telstra cable.)

Originally it was believed a helicopter may have been needed to help, but swift water flood crews were on hand to assist.

At 9:00am this morning there was still one elderly man stranded at Silverlead but he was safe.

The evacuees have been taken to the Murgon PCYC evacuation centre.

A busload of tourists from Hervey Bay stranded in the Moffatdale are are currently being housed at Moffatdale Ridge cellardoor.

• Audio message from Superintendent Chris Sang (Gympie Police District)

  Byee, Council, Ironpot, Kratzmann