February 16, 2022
Landholders in the Goomeri region – inundated during the January floods – are pressing for flood warning gauges to be installed to give them an alert before the next disaster strikes.
Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington has written to Deputy Premier Steven Miles requesting the installation of flood warning gauges along the flood prone Boonara-Nangur Creek system.
Mrs Frecklington said the recent extreme flood event which occurred in Tansey, Booubyjan, Goomeri and Kilkivan as a result of Ex-Tropical Cyclone Seth between 7-10 January demonstrated a clear need for a flood warning system in the area.
“Communities living along the Boonara-Nangur Creek system had no warning that quick rising floodwaters were on their way,” Mrs Frecklington said.
“Landholders in this area have suffered terrible damage, including loss of horses, cattle and sheep, equipment and crops.
“Tragically, a 14-year-old girl lost her life in the Booubyjan area, and several more people travelling on the Burnett Highway, which runs adjacent to the Boonara Creek in several locations, were caught in life-threatening circumstances by this fast-flowing flood.
“Unfortunately, there are no flood warning gauges on the Boonara-Nangur Creek system.
“While there is a creek height measuring station in the lower part of the Boonara Creek, this station is not a dedicated flood warning gauge and it is too low in the catchment to offer a warning for those higher in the catchment.
“Landowners along this creek system have raised the urgent need to install flood warning gauges to help them monitor when a flood is imminent. This would give them crucial time to move stock to higher ground, move irrigation equipment and place flood warning signage on the Burnett Highway.
“I have written to the Deputy Premier asking the Queensland Reconstruction Authority to install two Flood Warning Gauges in the upper sections of the Boonara Creek.
“These communities have now suffered three major floods in 11 years and this type of infrastructure would make a major difference when flooding occurs again.”
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