Queensland Flood Updates

TABgirl

“Here comes the rain again……”
We from Travellers Auto Barn are receiving a lot of phone calls concerning the floods in Queensland. We put some information together for you to keep you all informed and on the safe site when travelling in your car or campervan on Queensland’s roads.
The Bruce Highway, the main North – South route between Brisbane and Cairns remains closed in a number of places.
Overnight the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane area have experienced some heavy rainfall and localised flooding. However the floods in this area are not expected to cause any long term road closures.
Find more details on our blog – we keep you up to date so you can enjoy your trip!

hussey

MOD I've edited your post so it isn't a plug for website
Stick to info about the floods

Thanks

Mahatma coat

Gettin Mental here again today, I'd say We've had about 3 Inches today, seriously, if anyone notices a Set of 17 inch Mercedes Alloys floating down stream they're mine

tho if this rain keeps up there might just be an S-class floating after them.

Zambia

As opposed to a 17 Foot complete Mercedes

Mahatma coat

I was only half messin, the Wheels have floated off, but check this out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKrvQ3UhOuM

Startin to get worried

BTW

EVACUATION WARNING LOCKYER CREEK

RIGHT NOW

if anyone lives there

Mahatma coat

useful resource
http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDR663.loop.shtml#skip

Harrisville looks like its next on the list to take the Slap

woolymammoth

while i do sympathise with everyone affected bythe floods, i'm also secretly delighted as i know some of it will flow into SA in time for when i get back

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/lake-eyre-filling-up-fast-thanks-to-queensland-floods/story-e6frea83-1225981280089

VelocityGirl

Useful Links:
ABC Flood coverage including link to the updates on local ABC radio
http://www.abc.net.au/emergency/flood/
Road closures in Queensland
www.131940.qld.gov.au
My thoughts go out to those affected - a sad time.

Vorsprung

Toowoomba smashed yesterday, Courier Mail reporting 8 people dead :eek::(

Wivenhoe Dam is the only thing stopping Brisbane going underwater, though 30 suburbs have been listed as being at risk from tomorrow.

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/brisbane-flood-alert-as-wivenhoe-threatens-to-spill-over/story-e6freoof-1225985251560

Mahatma coat

heres something to give a little perspective to those people not familiar with Brisbane and its Dams

Wivenhoe Dam was built after the 74 Flood to help mitigate te raw destructive force of teh Floods, it has Floodgates and Overspill, the Overspill is supposed to hold out for 7 days, but currently its survivin about 3 beofore capacity, on top of this the Flood gates are timed with the tides, to minimise damage.

Now heres the interesting bit,

Each day for the last week or so Wivenhoe Dam has had to open its floodgates, when this Happens a volume of water Roughtly the same size if not slightly more than the contents of Sydney Harbour comes rushin down to sea.

yes thats what it says - Sydney Harbour, each day this week :eek:

woolymammoth

Mahatma coat wrote: »

yes thats what it says - Sydney Harbour, each day this week :eek:

thats. nuts!

goat2

Mahatma coat wrote: »

heres something to give a little perspective to those people not familiar with Brisbane and its Dams

Wivenhoe Dam was built after the 74 Flood to help mitigate te raw destructive force of teh Floods, it has Floodgates and Overspill, the Overspill is supposed to hold out for 7 days, but currently its survivin about 3 beofore capacity, on top of this the Flood gates are timed with the tides, to minimise damage.

Now heres the interesting bit,

Each day for the last week or so Wivenhoe Dam has had to open its floodgates, when this Happens a volume of water Roughtly the same size if not slightly more than the contents of Sydney Harbour comes rushin down to sea.

yes thats what it says - Sydney Harbour, each day this week :eek:

have they got an idea when all this will ease down or is there a bad weather forecast ahead

Mahatma coat

Conventional wisdom is that it may stop tuesday or Wednesday next week, but it should fade out to that, the peak is the main worry right now which is due in the next 12-24 hours.

TABgirl

!!!UPDATE!!!

****NEXT 2 DAYS, DRIVERS ARE ADVISED TO STAY SOUTH OF GRAFTON (NSW) AND NORTH OF AIRLIE BEACH****

******NEXT 24 HOURS AVOID DRIVING IN THE BRISBANE – SUNSHINE COAST AREA****************************

******REMEMBER IT IS VERY DANGEROUS TO ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS********************

Dramatic reports, images and video overnight of serious flash flooding in Toowoomba. The media is in frenzy and the headlines are frightening and tragic.

We think it’s important to counter the mainstream media message with some advice that hopefully will provide some comfort to our customers, agents and concerned families and friends.

Find more details on our Blog.

The Sweeper

Brisbane flooding to peak on Thursday in floods that are due to outstrip the floods of 1974. It's not over yet, the death toll will rise and the clean up will ultimately take years. Three quarters of the entire state of Queensland is a disaster zone.

Flood donations here:

http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/donate.html

Am helping to organise a fundraiser at work - this is hitting really close to home for us, we're less than four weeks from the second anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires in Victoria and the memories of destruction and loss are rearing their head again.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/photos/2011/01/11/3110183.htm

Mahatma coat

What people seem to forget is that QLD was flooded the time of Black Friday and has flooded three times since then, We should be Fuppin used to it by now, but then you've still got fools wanderin out and gettin themselves drowned out of PURE STUPIDITY.

when it Rains here it Fuppin rains, this flood has been due for the last 5 Years.

I will concede tho that this Rain is unprecedented for a LOT of people but there are older guys here Who remember the 74 Floods. it rained like this then too, and apparently it has done it a few times before.

this is just makin panic because its falling on Population this time, Did anyone give a fcuk when our property in FNQ was under 3M of water??

A lot of what you see in the media is Hyped to the max

to those people Whose houses are going under

YOU BOUGHT A HOUSE IN A FLOODPLANE

WHAT DID YOU EXPECT

The Sweeper

Oooooo sympathy fail Mahatma!

Though in fairness, there's a reason why the below picture is a house design called a 'Queenslander' - where there's no bottom floor because it'll be UNDERWATER.



Still there are nine confirmed deaths and over 50 people in the Lockyer valley still unaccounted for, and this smacks to me of what happened after the bushfires, where the death toll far exceeded anything that initial estimations imagined.

Brisbane river has burst its banks.

Mahatma coat

We have been sittin here for tha Last Month is QLD watchin this build and build, anyone who has been 'Caught Unaware' has only themselves to blame, if you are runnin around tryin to Shore up your defences now you have FAILED and have no sympathy from me.

Toowoomba and the Lockyer valley were tragic, but not unexpected

The Sweeper

The Brisbane stuff I can agree with, sad but you shouldn't be caught unawares. Everyone there has plenty of time to clear out themselves, their families, their animals, their possessions.

But Toowoomba?? That town's 700m above sea level! How could anyone have expected that main street tsunami? (Genuine question)

Mahatma coat

ah but have you been to Toowoomba??

its a 'Cauldera' in a big catchment area and its not unusual for it to flood

The Sweeper

ah okay - thanks I was having trouble visualising how it's happened.

hope the wivenhoe dam was built before the corner-cutting era... :O

Mahatma coat

the people in Lockyer Valley had a good Five hours to get their Sh!t together.

wouldnt you have love 5 hours on Black Saturday

Mahatma coat

Sir Joh built Wivenhoe so Overkill to the Nth

its at 190% capacity and the current figure for release is being calculated as TWICE the Volume of sydney Harbour

The Sweeper

The biggest thing I remember about Black Saturday was flying completely blind. We had no goddamn clue what was going on. I can remember the ambulance bay doors opening and stepping out into a wall of 50 degree heat with the sky boiling orange and not knowing if there was a wall of fire due over the hill behind the hospital or if it was 10 miles away and heading in the opposite direction.

Still people do stupid stuff - I watched a guy on ABC news taking the air out of his tyres so he could drive his 4x4 away from the floodwaters.

Mahatma coat

OK, change of tack here, This one is now Definitley BIG, the Creek out the back has been up and down with teh tide for the last few Weeks, but this is Different, theres s ferocity in the flow that I havent seeen before, its Low tide now, that usually means that the water is back to the bank on this side, but its at High tide levels now and its only gonna keep climbin, I fully expect the Merc to be Submerged tonight, might see if I can find a camera

woolymammoth

Mahatma coat wrote: »

OK, change of tack here, This one is now Definitley BIG, the Creek out the back has been up and down with teh tide for the last few Weeks, but this is Different, theres s ferocity in the flow that I havent seeen before, its Low tide now, that usually means that the water is back to the bank on this side, but its at High tide levels now and its only gonna keep climbin, I fully expect the Merc to be Submerged tonight, might see if I can find a camera

webcam with live stream?

Irish Slaves for Europe

Mahatma coat wrote: »

OK, change of tack here, This one is now Definitley BIG, the Creek out the back has been up and down with teh tide for the last few Weeks, but this is Different, theres s ferocity in the flow that I havent seeen before, its Low tide now, that usually means that the water is back to the bank on this side, but its at High tide levels now and its only gonna keep climbin, I fully expect the Merc to be Submerged tonight, might see if I can find a camera

can't you move the merc to somewhere where it will be safe? how much did you pay for it?

woolymammoth

interesting video

http://video.news.com.au/1735965300/Queensland-flood-disaster?area=videoindex1

I'm pretty sure i seen a merc in this one:
http://video.news.com.au/1735546960/Incredible-flash-flood-footage?area=videohighlights1

Mahatma coat

The Merc is Currently submerged to the wheel arches, so no movin it, its a 'Fixer' that I parked down there ages ago. I'm not worried about it Hell the Sunroof is open :rolleyes: but its a good marker for the Waterlevels

Seán_B

The Sweeper wrote: »

The biggest thing I remember about Black Saturday was flying completely blind. We had no goddamn clue what was going on. I can remember the ambulance bay doors opening and stepping out into a wall of 50 degree heat with the sky boiling orange and not knowing if there was a wall of fire due over the hill behind the hospital or if it was 10 miles away and heading in the opposite direction.

Still people do stupid stuff - I watched a guy on ABC news taking the air out of his tyres so he could drive his 4x4 away from the floodwaters.

He wasn't letting air out - he was locking the free wheel hubs so that he could engage his four wheel drive.
Agree it's risky, but I reckon I'd have done the same!

The Sweeper

Ah I seeeee!! I thought he was deflating them so he wouldn't float as much or somesuch!!

Mahatma coat

I can hear the Creek from here now, its still raining albeit Lighter than before, the Frogs stopped a while ago now all i hear is the Creek and the Rain

woolymammoth

Mahatma coat wrote: »

I can hear the Creek from here now, its still raining albeit Lighter than before, the Frogs stopped a while ago now all i hear is the Creek and the Rain

sounds almost like something out of a scary movie!

goat2

looking at these posts, i see all are logging in from australia, i am here in ireland, we are froozen out of it, but it is better than the flooding, i was looking at sky news a while ago and did not realise until then that there are many deaths and an auful lot of people missing due to this disaster, can anyone tell me if this kind of event has happened in these same places previously or is it the first time, which would explain how hard it is on everyone, i wish everyone safety right now, keep us updated,,,,,, as ireland is loosing all her young people to emmigration and the majority are going down under, were broke here, while youre flooded out there

woolymammoth

goat2 wrote: »

looking at these posts, i see all are logging in from australia, i am here in ireland
..
can anyone tell me if this kind of event has happened in these same places previously or is it the first time
..
as ireland is loosing all her young people to emmigration and the majority are going down under

eh!?

I'm not in Aus. not yet at least I will be escaping come March though.

Floods and droughts are a regular pattern in Australia. Though i don't believe there's been one quite this bad in decades though.

woolymammoth

goat2 wrote: »

are you going for a year or a few months

possibly for life!

goat2 wrote: »

no doubt you will meet plenty from this country

I wouldn't count on it. Spent 15 concurrent months there in the last two years, met one other paddy, in passing.

Ozeire

New images released by NASA document the extensive flooding in Queensland

The Sweeper

goat2 wrote: »

can anyone tell me if this kind of event has happened in these same places previously or is it the first time

Flooding and road closures happen virtually every year, but not on this scale.

The previous bad floods were in 1974, and the shape of Brisbane has changed considerably since then. There are more people in more buildings, and the traditional style of the old Queenslander house has been abandoned - with unjustified complacency IMHO, for standard single storey timber frame housing. Not that the Queenslander house style would save you in these floods - these are exceptional floods.

54 suburbs in Brisbane are on alert this morning. They're now comparing the floods in some regions, which have exceeded the levels of 1974, to flooding last seen in the late 1800s.

The rivers are rising to ridiculous levels - 20 metres, 21 metres, 22 metres. They're swamping the towns and districts around them.

10 people are confirmed dead, and as of this morning there are 90 people missing. The force of the influx in Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley took a lot of people by surprise. The state premier has declared on the news that she is highly concerned about the bad news that the emergency clean up will reveal.

If you can imagine, Ipswich is currently submerging, with 11am marked as the dangerous time where the river will peak. The Ipswich CBD main street, which was dry as a bone yesterday, is under a couple of metres of water today. However these submersions are slow - the water is creeping, steadily, but creeping, giving people the opportunity to get out and get their possessions and pets out.

Vorsprung

Doesn't somebody here live in Auchenflower? Can't remember who it is but if you read this, I'm just up in Paddington so send me a PM if you need a hand. Same for others around the place, will help if I can.

Just saw on TV that the water us about 5 mins walk from my house.

Scary stuff for those affected

Mahatma coat

I used to live in Auchenflower, but I dont anymore, My friend is in Paddo right now He spent Yesrterday unbolting all the MAchinery in his Workshop and loading it ito his Van, his Workshop is at the Bottom of Douglas St and is Flooded, he's currently on his way yo New Farm to see if ters anything rescuable in his furniture Showroom.
Plus side, if anyone wants to buy a Zinc Table I'll have a few ''Slightly" waterdamaged models on sale shortly :D

Mahatma coat

He Just said that they intend to SHUT DOWN the City of Brisbane in 2 hours :eek:

Mahatma coat

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/brisbanes-suncorp-staudium-on-fire/story-e6frfku0-1225986177554

Suncorp stadium on Fire :eek:


Right so, I suppose its time to start crackin skulls and feastin on the goo:D:D:D

Mahatma coat

Heres some interesting and useful information
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/#maps

its a projection of where Floodwaters will go, Suburb by Suburb, Both my Houses are fine :D according to this, Well the one in Kedron would have been at risk had the copuncil not kindly dug a 2KM tunnel outside it, I'm fairly sure that'll take the brunt of the Water

Vorsprung

Mahatma coat wrote: »

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/brisbanes-suncorp-staudium-on-fire/story-e6frfku0-1225986177554

Suncorp stadium on Fire :eek:


Right so, I suppose its time to start crackin skulls and feastin on the goo:D:D:D

Looking at the Suncorp from my window, it's not on fire!

Mahatma coat

Well I presume they've managed to Put it out in the Four hours since I posted that

The Sweeper

I believe there is a fire in some part of the Suncorp Stadium based on an eyewitness report on abc news radio - doesn't mean the whole stadium is alight.

hussey

The website cudo are doing $ match (up to $100) on donations
http://cudo.com.au/brisbane

Mahatma coat

Hey Lets do a fundraiser on Boards

All donations to
the

Get Mahatmas Merc out of the Creek - Fund
C/O
Bank of Queensland

or you can just PM me your Credit Card details.



I'm ot too bad tho, theres a fair chance my cars will run after all this, a friend of mine up in Morayfield found her 08 Golf upside down on the other side of the Street, Every single electronic component is Rooted, VW Wrote it off for her there and then, apparently a lot of the newer cars have so many computer controlled bits that its a Full rebuild to get them running

The Sweeper

Mahatma coat wrote: »

Hey Lets do a fundraiser on Boards

All donations to
the

Get Mahatmas Merc out of the Creek - Fund
C/O
Bank of Queensland

or you can just PM me your Credit Card details.

I believe the correct response to this is:

We have been sittin here for tha Last Month is QLD watchin this build and build, anyone who has been 'Caught Unaware' has only themselves to blame, if you are runnin around tryin to Shore up your defences now you have FAILED and have no sympathy from me.

Still you're lucky if its still outside your house, as opposed to floating out to sea or stacked in some sort of multi-car pileup.

Australia meeja though - was interested to see the abc pick up on the whole 'Will the Wivenhoe Hold' story and have seen and read various segments addressing the worst case scenario...

Mahatma coat

The Sweeper wrote: »

I believe the correct response to this is:




Still you're lucky if its still outside your house, as opposed to floating out to sea or stacked in some sort of multi-car pileup.

Tuoche

Australia meeja though - was interested to see the abc pick up on the whole 'Will the Wivenhoe Hold' story and have seen and read various segments addressing the worst case scenario...

Any mention of the fuseable Bung Failsafe on the overflow???

the Dam is almost at 200% at 225% that Fails spectacularly

Mahatma coat

Just started rainin again here
Heavy there for a bit