Ozzie Floods

[Mrs flatchat]

Just checking to see if our country Queensland brethren has raised his Cobra out of the Great Floods path.
We in Warwick survived a 9 metre swell and some regions are up to 28 meters aaand there's heaps more to come --in fact probably enough water heading south to float Victoria off the continent

[Merv and Sharon]

Not sure - but I was thinking the other day about Mick Schipper in Bundaberg. He has finished his build but that town was just inundated.

[Mrs flatchat]

Bit hard to talk under water --might not hear from them for a while

[Merv and Sharon]

Ha! Mick is a surveyor so I suspect that he will be above the water level.

[Donunder]

The extent of the flooding is horrendous.
I read the other day that an area the size of France and Germany combined was under water. Sounded a lot.
An American neighbour just back from a holiday in Germany said the floods are getting widespread coverage in Europe and the US, with reports that the floods covered an area the size of Texas.
But what really grabbed my attention was tonight's news when the area underwater was described as being the size of New South Wales !!!
We all chipped in for the tsunami, but here's a chance to really dig deep and help the many thousands of our own Queenslanders who are suffering through the worst floods in Queensland in recorded history.

[Merv and Sharon]

True Don. The Federal and State Governments have already committed to the billions in costs (75/25%), but that is for roads and rail, schools and all the infrastructure costs. It is the many things for peoples' everyday lives that hard the hardest: school uniforms, food, clothes, etc. Is there a national appeal as yet?

[schipps]

Originally Posted by Mrs flatchat

Just checking to see if our country Queensland brethren has raised his Cobra out of the Great Floods path.
We in Warwick survived a 9 metre swell and some regions are up to 28 meters aaand there's heaps more to come --in fact probably enough water heading south to float Victoria off the continent

Well Bundaberg flood waters have started to recede. We saw water here that has not been at those levels since 1942. Houses were under, countless businesses, roads cut, about 20 yachts have been lost down the river, the town was isolated north and south.

I was ok and had no flooding, but some people have lost a everything. We are not as bad as Emerald and Theodore and Rockhampton though.

There is a Premiers Appeal for those able to donate.

Details are here. http://www.qld.gov.au/floods/

Merv, I am a Property Valuer and check flood maps as part of the process doing valuations, but seeing the extent of the flooding firsthand in a town as flat as Bundy was quite incredible and not something I want to see again when you see the devastation it causes.

Some pics of the flooding are here: http://www.news-mail.com.au/photos/g...rg-update-2812
regards
Mick

[Merv and Sharon]

Good to hear Mick and also that all you guys are Ok there. Thanks also for the donation site. I suspect that many will want to contribute to that, even if they don't care for "Anna"!

We have friends who are leaving us from the Sunshine Coast today (where the weather is good and the Cobra has just had a run) for Barcaldine. They are now planning on staying at 1770 for a week and waiting for things to clear. He is a road construction engineer and is dreading what will face him out there.

[dc7531]

Although we have had a lot of rain here in Yeppoon, the skies are now clear and we are not affected by flooding. As you know, Rockhampton is now cut off to the south and west with the peak to come on Tuesday or Wednesday so there will be a lot of people affected with the clean-up still to come. A work colleague of mine hurried home from Brisbane on Saturday to check on his CBD office but was cut off from his home which is just 10k out of town in Gracemere.

Glad to hear Micks place was ok.

Derek (surveyor)

[spookypt]

I was in Bundy from the 25th to the 27th. Just got out before the roads became uncrossable safely.

Pic below is on the causeway leading into my Father In Laws property. He's got a 100acres and this bridge is usually about 1.5m above the waterline. By the 28th where I took this picture it was over my head!




Its a mess up there. Give generously. They need it!!!!

SpookPT

[Zedn]

Nice rump

Good luck QLD's hope things clear up soon.

[Merv and Sharon]

Hmmm. Good to hear your OK there too Derek.

[Wazza]

Originally Posted by Zedn

Nice rump


Good luck QLD's hope things clear up soon.

Hey Spook....
For once it wasn't me !!

Good luck to all the poor b's out there getting a touch up with the floods.....

I've lived twelve years in Rocky....Three years in Bundy...and also a short time in Emerald, and Theodore....I know there are a lot of good people in these places doing it tough.....hope they all get through this o.k.

Regard,
Warren

[albanycobra]

I spent years as a kid in Bundaberg. We lived at place called
The Hummuck . Great years, went to Bargara primary school.

Hope everyone is ok in QLD and hope DRB and the other QLD kit car companies alright.

[schipps]

Originally Posted by dc7531

Although we have had a lot of rain here in Yeppoon, the skies are now clear and we are not affected by flooding. As you know, Rockhampton is now cut off to the south and west with the peak to come on Tuesday or Wednesday so there will be a lot of people affected with the clean-up still to come. A work colleague of mine hurried home from Brisbane on Saturday to check on his CBD office but was cut off from his home which is just 10k out of town in Gracemere.

Glad to hear Micks place was ok.

Derek (surveyor)

Derek,

good to hear you fared well too.

regards

Mick

[spookypt]

U did well Wazza.

[Outwest34au]

I live 50 km west of Emerald at Sapphire, yes, gemfields. As usual we had a flood earlier than Emerald. Depending on where it rains here 20 km north or south can mean it hits the Fairbairn Dam which is the emerald side, or go through to Comet, a small town enroute to Rocky which has had much and prolonged water from all directions.
When we flooded this time we only got cut off by road from emerald for 2 or 3 days. When we got to buy up before emerald flooded the choice of fresh milk and potatoes was non existent, bread was 2 loaves per customer. Woolies had some pork chops and pretty much nil else in way of meat.
With the roads cut all over the shop and truckies needing a WRC navigator to find a dry route things slowed up more when Emerald went under.
The road from Anakie to Emerald was opened late yesterday, so this morning I packed the small pressure washer, hose, shovel and 14 yo son, headed to town to see the damage at my other part time job (pest control). 600 mm or so through the shop, boss is in Bris. The stench of the organic material is a reminder of the destruction. We spent the day cleaning out all the crud and mud, back tomorrow for more.
To drive around Emerald and see house after house with most every possesion out on the road for collection was somewhat a deep moment. Ordinary people we see everyday walking out the door to hurl a chair or tip a bucket of slush out, houses with water lines at window sills and others on the gutters. the Retravision store had truck after truck carting trashed furniture and whitegoods away, today milk was 2 litres per customer at stores (which is fine if you live nearby, we should have milk here tomorrow locally tho) meat was harder to find than rocking horse poo, and $11 for a for a small pumpkin.
All this flooding has both and immediate and longterm effect on people, it is understandably crippling to be left with nothing and still owe a motza.
It's good, and touching, to see everyone here and across the state that is in the same boat (had to crack me a smile then) chipping in like Aussies do in times of fight and plight.
At times like this, Aussies seem to resist the temptation to worry about themselves and help the poor bugger that needs a hand worse than them. That is one of the things I will drink to on January 26.

[Donunder]

Sobering stuff Outwest.
All we can do from Brisbane is look on in disbelief and marvel at the fortitude of our country cousins. Anyone who doesn't sling a few bucks into the Premier's fund can't have a heart.
Take care out there.

[strida]

My wife and I sat down this morning to discuss what we could give to this appeal, when she said to me "how come when there is a natural disaster overseas the Prime Minister throws 40 million ozzie taxpayers dollars on the table but when we have a disaster here at home there's no money available, the government has borrowed so much money overseas why not another couple of billion
So far I think the PMs best offer is $1000 per adult and $400 per child, thats peanuts when you,ve lost everything. I guess we can only hope the insurance companies come to the party asap for these folks.

Dennis

[kuzzy]

Dennis,

I agree 100% with you. I remember while at Uni in the 90’s doing a subject where foreign aid was discussed. The amount of money spent per year is outstanding – and some of these counties I still don’t know where they are, now if that money was directed to actual Australian issues such as homeless, Education – or the lack of it within our schools, natural disasters that we have all too often in Australia (floods, fire on a seasonal basis) we would be far better off.

I’m sorry but charity starts at home for me – it is hard to get me to open my wallet for issues that do not affect me, but in this case the wallet is open. I grew up in CQ and have a few friends that have lost everything.