Queensland floods impact lives and livelihoods

by Jeni Bone on 4 Jan 2011 They have been described as 'floods of Biblical proportions' and have made global news. The Queensland floods have affected more than 200,000 people in 22 rural communities, inundating an area the size of Germany and France combined.

The worst flooding in 60 years has been caused by the 'La Nina' weather pattern, which cools waters in the eastern Pacific and has produced torrential rain over the past two weeks across northeast Australia.

In contrast, southern states and in the west have experienced soaring temperatures and tinder dry conditions ideal for bushfires.

Faced with an horrific damage bill, Queensland is likely to be waterlogged for many months to come, as roads, rail lines and waterways are affected by the strong-flowing currents, now riddled with sewerage, debris and the possessions of people living in the towns flooded by the swollen rivers.

Emergency service officials held a disaster management meeting in Brisbane on Monday 2 January where acting commissioner Alistair Dawson warned Queensland could be flood affected for a month or more.

Authorities say 40 per cent of Rockhampton – now cut off completely and its airport closed – could be affected by the flood peak of 9.4 metres by Wednesday. More than 1000 people are currently being evacuated by military aircraft, also dropping supplies to the town and other regions cut off by the floods.

Bundaberg is moving on to the recovery stage after its worst flooding in 40 years, and the flood waters are also receding in the central Queensland city of Emerald, but it remains divided by the swollen Nogoa River.

Around the world, as record snow storms impact on Europeans and Americans during their winter, news reports show aerial views of the devastation in Queensland – houses with just the peaks of their rooves visible, stranded livestock, ruined crops, mines underwater, roads and bridges washed completely away, cars and trucks upended in mountains of mud, streets now canals with rescuers visiting residents who’ve chosen to stay on by boat and helicopter.

The floods have prompted pledges of assistance in terms of manpower, equipment and funding from the US and Britain. Queen Elizabeth has joined Barack Obama and Hilary Clinton in sending messages of support to the state and people of Australia.

The damage will cost the state billions in lost revenue as well as recovery, insurance, salvaging and rebuilding the infrastructure destroyed by the inundation.

The Queensland Treasurer, Andrew Fraser warned of a double whammy, with the state's bottom line taking hits from huge clean-up, recovery and assistance costs and reduced royalties as the mining industry recovers.

'I expect forecast growth will have to be revised downwards. It was forecast as building to three and three quarter per cent. South of three per cent is now a likely scenario.'

Fraser met with Bundaberg residents after the worst floods in four decades swamped 300 homes and 120 businesses. He said the state was in the grip of a disaster that will have serious, long-lasting economic consequences.

Families in some areas were beginning to return to their homes to find them uninhabitable, caked with knee-high muck and damaged beyond repair.

'That's a huge toll on them psychologically,' said Fraser, adding that the 'silent problem' of heartache would continue for some time across Queensland, alongside the economic fallout.

Insurers have said they are unlikely to have enough assessors to the stricken regions for three weeks, so residents are painstakingly taking photographs of their ruined possessions.

Along the coast, businesses have fared better, with most reporting healthy Christmas trade – from boat sales to charters, refits and reef tours.

In Bundaberg, the boats in town 'got pounded' at the Midtown Marina and damage was significant with many boats 'sunk or on a rock wall, high and dry in somebody’s back paddock', according to Bundaberg Marina manager, Geoff Beyer, who says that just 18km from town – about an hour down river from town by boat', the Bundaberg marina was unscathed.

'Because we’re on a lee section at the mouth of the Burnett River, we had no damage at all. But we are trying to assist Midtown where we can with our hardstand, salvage and eventually, repairs. We are still shellshocked at the moment. It’s a step by step process.'

The Port of Bundaberg is closed for shipping, until the authorities can take soundings and carry out checks of the basin, but despite being a bit grubby with debris, the waters are not closed to boating traffic.

Beyer says that if any positive were to come from a negative, the Bundaberg Marina did attract plenty of people from the region, eager to watch the weather and waves.

'There were people here who had probably never been, who were drawn to visit the marina. We've had a few charters from 1770 stay here for servicing.

'Also, the community has come together to get through this. Scallop season started on the third of January. We have been assisting the fishing fleet to get the trawlers out – everybody has been chipping in to help. We reconfigured a number of boats to accommodate the trawlers, put more people on refuelling to get more boats through, sourced more ice. We’ve had to extend ourselves that extra bit.'

Yacht Domain, the broker on Bundaberg Marina, which specialises in sailing cruisers, reports no affect at all from the torrential rains. Owner, Wayne, says 'some stock was damaged from ripping loose from moorings down the river and hitting other boats, but all the boats in the marina, as well as boats in the hardstand which were totally unaffected'.

'We had a lot of enquiry, which I found interesting. A few people from Brisbane and two from the Gold Coast drove up here to inspect boats, and we received heaps of email enquiry during the whole period. Really, it’s business as normal.'

At Yeppoon, on the coast directly east of Rockhampton, Keppel Bay Marina has not yet felt the effects of the flooding, probably still washing down the Fitzroy River.

The marina manager says business has been a bit slow because of the rain, and the harbour is filled with freshwater and a bit of debris, but on the whole, people are getting out in their boats.

Whitsunday Rent A Yacht at Airlie Beach, which has had its share of rain, but is now basking in summer sunshine, has been booked throughout the holiday period.

Stacey Kruger, marketing manager says that 'over Christmas it was wet, like everywhere in Queensland, but it didn’t hamper operations'.

'Boats have been going out, it’s business as usual. There have been increased phone enquiries about the weather and open roads, but no cancellations.'

Stacey says the whole town has been a bit slower than previous years, 'possibly off the back of the cyclone in March 2010, a strong Aussie dollar and cheap international flights, which have encouraged people to go overseas'.

She says WRAY is looking forward to 'a busy Easter period and the start of a whole winter of great sailing'. 'Traditionally it’s warm up here, there’s no rain, lots of sunshine, warm water.'

In the south-east, Brisbane and the Gold Coast have been very wet, with record rain fall for summer, but none of the flooding.

At Marina Oceanus on the Broadwater, berths have been full over Christmas and New Year, and while management reports 'a few quiet days' while the rain was its hardest, boat owners are now enjoying a return to good weather and are 'off and running' from their berths.

In Brisbane, John Crawford Marine at Tingalpa attributes slower than usual sales to the wet weather. 'But the sun is shining now, so we hope things will pick up' is the attitude there. Though closed over the Christmas period, skeleton staff responded to sales interest via their website which is linked to Boatpoint, and reported steady sales from all over the country.

To help flood victims with much-needed supplies, donations can be made in person at any Queensland branch of the Bank of Queensland, Commonwealth Bank, Westpac, ANZ, NAB or Suncorp.

Cheques can be made out to the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal, or go to the Queensland Government website, www.qld.gov.au/floods

The Australian Red Cross has agreed to manage the distribution of the donated funds on behalf of the Queensland government.