2010–2011 Queensland floods
Encyclopedia
A series of flood
s hit Australia, beginning in December 2010, primarily in the state of Queensland
including its capital city, Brisbane
. The floods forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least seventy towns and over 200,000 people were affected. Damage initially was estimated at around A$
1 billion. The estimated reduction in Australia's GDP
is about A$30 billion.
Three-quarters of the state of Queensland was declared a disaster zone. Communities along the Fitzroy and Burnett Rivers were particularly hard hit, while the Condamine, Ballone and Mary Rivers recorded substantial flooding. An unexpected flash flood
raced through Toowoomba's central business district before devastating communities in the Lockyer Valley. A few days later thousands of houses in Ipswich and Brisbane were inundated as the Brisbane River rose and Wivenhoe Dam used a considerable proportion of its flood mitigation capacity. Volunteers were quick to offer assistance and sympathy was expressed from afar. A large mobilisation of the Australian Defence Force was activated and a relief fund created. The head of the recovery taskforce was Major General
Michael Slater, DSC
, AM
, CSC
. The Queensland Reconstruction Authority was formed to co-ordinate the rebuilding program beyond the initial taskforce and a Commission of Inquiry established to investigate all matters related to the floods.
The 2010–2011 floods killed 35 people in Queensland. As of 26 January, an additional nine people were missing. The state's coal industry was particularly hard hit. The Queensland floods were followed by the 2011 Victorian floods
which saw more than fifty communities in western and central Victoria
also grapple with significant flooding.
and 1974
as the Brisbane River broke its bank and inundated low lying areas. Towns including St George and Theodore had dealt with major flooding earlier in 2010.
The floods were a result of heavy rainfall caused by Tropical Cyclone Tasha that combined with a trough during the peak of a La Niña event. The 2010 La Niña weather pattern, which brings wetter conditions to eastern Australia, was the strongest since 1973. This La Niña event caused a prolonged event of heavy rainfall over Queensland river catchments. Record or near to record sea surface temperatures were recorded off the Queensland coast in late 2010. December 2010 was Queensland's wettest on record, with record high rainfall totals set in 107 locations for the month. The state average rainfall level of 209.45 millimetres (8.25 in) exceeded the previous record of 200.1 millimetres (7.88 in) set in 1975. 2010 was also recorded as the state's wettest spring since 1900 and the Australian continent's third wettest year. Kevin Trenberth thought climate change as a contributing factor in the unusually high precipitation rates. He attributed a half degree Celsius rise in ocean temperatures around Australia to global warming which produces extra water vapour and intensifies the monsoon. Other scientists say that it is too early to draw such a conclusion. Assertions were also made that mismanagement of the Wivenhoe Dam might be a contributor to the some flooding in the lower Brisbane valley although this is disputed by engineers.
Isolated flooding started across parts of the state in early December. On 23 December a monsoonal trough crossed the coast from the Coral Sea, bringing torrential rain that fell in a broad swath from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Gold Coast. The widest range of intense rainfall occurred on 27 December with very high daily totals recorded on 25 December near where Cyclone Tasha crossed the coast By 30 December vast areas of Southern and Central Queensland were affected by the flood. The conditions led to a large influx of snakes in the Rockhampton area, as well as some crocodiles.
and Chinchilla
were inundated by flood waters on multiple occasions. About 300 roads were closed, including nine major highways.
During the flooding it was reported that more than half of Queensland was affected by flooding.
and other towns, described as unprecedented by the acting chief officer of the Emergency Management Queensland. The military transported residents by helicopter to an evacuation centre at Moura
. The total evacuation of a Queensland town was a first for the state. Major flooding at Theodore persisted for more than two weeks.
Emerald
was cut-off by road on 29 December as the Nogoa River
rose. By the next day, the river surpassed the 2008 flood peak level of 15.36 metres (50.4 ft). At the peak of the flooding, 80% of the town was flooded, the worst the town ever experienced. 1,200 Emerald residents registered as evacuees.
Rockhampton
had nearly a week to prepare for an expected flood peak from the Fitzroy River
, which courses through the centre of the city. The airport was closed on 1 January. A metal flood barrier was erected around the terminal to prevent flood-borne debris from causing damage to the structure. An evacuation centre was set up at the Central Queensland University
. The Bruce Highway leading south out of Rockhampton was closed to traffic. The river peaked at 9.2 metres (30.2 ft) just short the of the predicted 9.4 metres (30.8 ft) maximum.
The Port of Gladstone
reduced its export capacity because the coal stockpiles at the port were saturated and further coal deliveries could not be made by rail. The Goonyella railway line which services a number of coal mines in the Bowen Basin
was closed for one week and shipments of grain were also delayed.
peaked at 18.25 metres (59.9 ft) at Mundubbera—the highest river height since 1942—inundating more than 20 houses. Downstream at Gayndah, the river peaked at 16.1 metres (52.8 ft) with floodwaters reaching two houses. Both towns were isolated for several days and there was major disruption to the potable water supply and local agricultural production.
Bundaberg experienced severe flooding, the worst in 40 years, after the Burnett River
flooded the city, although the Paradise Dam reservoir contributed to some flood mitigation. This resulted in the evacuation of 300 homes. The Bundaberg Port
, a major sugar exporting facility, was closed late in December 2010 as flooding deposited silt in the port, forcing its closure. The port re-opened in early March 2011 after successful dredging operations allowed ships to berth.
and Jericho
were also inundated. At least 40 residents were evacuated from Chinchilla.
Flooding in Dalby
was the worst since 1981. The town's water purification
system was flooded, resulting in water restrictions that have hampered clean-up efforts. 112500 litre of water were transported to the town of 14,000 residents. Warwick
was isolated when all roads into the town were cut-off.
The Condamine River
reached 14.25 metres (46.8 ft) on 30 December, its highest level ever recorded. Condamine
was mandatorily evacuated on 30 December.
A second rain event on 9–10 January saw floodwaters again threaten Chinchilla and Condamine with Chinchilla residents again asked to evacuate.
The Macintyre River
, which forms part of the border between the Australian states of New South Wales
and Queensland, began to threaten the town of Goondiwindi on 13 January. While the town is protected by a 11 metres (36.1 ft) levee, the local hospital and aged care home were evacuated as a precaution and an evacuation centre was established.
catchment on 8–9 January 2011 led to flooding at Maryborough
and Gympie
. The Mary River at Maryborough was expected to initially peak at 8.5 metres (27.9 ft) at midday 9 January with some houses and businesses inundated.
, some 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) above sea level. A three week period where it had rained on all but three days had left the soil around Toowoomba super saturated and when a line of storms hit the city on 10 January, the resulting torrential rain rapidly ran off down gullies and streets. The central business district of the city sits in a small valley where two small water courses—East Creek and West Creek—meet to form Gowrie Creek. Unable to cope with the volume of water heading toward them, the creeks burst their banks, pushing a devastating wall of water through the city centre. This water then headed west, not towards the Lockyer Valley which was also experiencing extreme rainfall that fell on eastern facing slopes.
The surge passed through the Lockyer Valley town of Withcott
, where the force of the water pushed cars into shops and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people. The scene was described by an onlooker as "like Cyclone Tracy
has gone through it ... If you dropped an atom bomb on it, you couldn't tell the difference." Nearby Helidon had several homes and farms flooded but did not break the main creek bank and enter the town. It was cutoff from all sides by destroyed roads. Grantham
was also devastated by the surge of water. Houses were left crumpled by what Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh
described as an "inland tsunami
". According to local media, the flood waters had reached a height of 7 or by the time it struck Grantham. At least 100 people were evacuated to the Helidon Community Hall. Nine people were confirmed dead, and many more feared dead among 66 reported missing. The body of one victim washed away at Grantham was recovered 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) downstream and Queensland Police
Commissioner Bob Atkinson
warned that some bodies may never be found. Nearby Gatton
saw voluntary evacuations as the Lockyer Creek rose to a record height of 18.92 metres (62.1 ft), exceeding the previous record set in the 1893 Queensland floods.
broke its banks leading to evacuations in the Brisbane CBD and the suburbs of Fortitude Valley and West End
. An evacuation centre was established for flood-affected residents at the RNA Showgrounds
in Bowen Hills
. Residents of 2100 Brisbane streets were advised to evacuate prior to the arrival of floods, which struck the city on 12 January. Lord Mayor
Campbell Newman
stated than an estimated 20,000 homes would be affected when the river peaked on 14 January. He subsequently advised that the Brisbane River transport infrastructure had been "substantially destroyed".
The Brisbane River peaked on 13 January at a lower level than predicted, but still 20,000 houses in Brisbane were inundated. Some of the Brisbane suburbs worst affected by the floods were St Lucia
, West End
, Rocklea
and Graceville
. The floods damaged some of Brisbane's icons. The Brisbane Riverwalk, a floating walkway over the Brisbane River linking the inner city neighbourhoods of Fortitude Valley and New Farm
, broke up, with a section forming a 300 metres (984.3 ft) "floating missile" that threatened the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges. The largest part of the floating boardwalk was safely guided under the bridge by a tugboat
and past other infrastructure
before being safely secured. Brisbane's major Rugby league
and Soccer venue, Suncorp Stadium
, filled with water up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) deep, reaching the third or fourth row of seats.
With the flood peaking at 4.46 metres (14.6 ft) in Brisbane City, the flood level was about the 10th highest in the city's history, several metres below the 1890 flood and the two major floods in 1893., Parts of the western suburbs of Brisbane were cut off for three days. Resident of suburbs including Bellbowrie, Karana Downs, Moggill and Pullenvale were running low on food and other items when Moggill Road
was cut, until the Australian Army was able to reach the area on 15 January with supplies.
The Bremer River at Ipswich
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) west of Brisbane, reached a height of 19.4 metres (63.6 ft) on 12 January, inundating the central business district and at least 3,000 houses. One third of the city was reported to be underwater and over 1100 people took shelter at evacuation centres. At nearby Marburg
, a four year old boy was swept away by floodwaters when he fell from a rescue boat. A man in his fifties died when he accidentally drove into floodwaters in the Ipswich suburb of Wulkuraka
. The worst affected areas of Ipswich were the suburbs of Goodna
and Gailes
. The flooding allowed bull shark
s to reach the center of Goodna; one was spotted swimming in Williams Street, and a second in Queen Street.
, the Wivenhoe Dam
filled to a level equivalent to 191% of its supply capacity on 11 January 2011. Although the dam can hold the equivalent of 225% of its supply capacity, storage exceeding 100% is required to be progressively released through the floodgates to restore capacity to mitigate future flood events. Brisbane experienced its wettest December since 1859. Wyaralong Dam
, near Beaudesert
, had recently been completed and was praised for mitigating flooding in downstream Logan
, having exceeded 80% of its capacity.
In North Queensland
, the town of Ingham
became isolated as the Herbert River
peaked. Homes at Babinda
, and Gordonvale
were flooded.
The first death was reported on 20 November 2010, when a woman drowned in her vehicle near Dysart
. In the following weeks, five others died from similar circumstances. Nine people drowned after being caught directly by the flowing waters. and thirteen people died in other circumstances.
13 year old Jordan Lucas Rice died January 10, 2011 after insisting that his 10 year old brother Blake be saved from the flood waters before him. He drowned along with his mother, 43 year old Donna Maree Rice, both being residents of Toowoomba He has been dubbed by the public as an Australian hero.
toured flood-affected areas on 31 December, the day before The Queen (Elizabeth II), sent her expressions of concern and sympathy for the victims of the floods to her representative in Queensland, Governor Penelope Wensley
. The Queen later made a donation to her Queensland premier's flood relief appeal, as did her son, The Prince of Wales
. In March 2011, The Prince's eldest son, Prince William, toured the affected areas in Queensland, as well as those damaged by the floods in Victoria
.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, "On behalf of President Obama
and the people of the United States, I offer my condolences for the loss of life and damage in Queensland caused by the recent flooding." U.S. President Barack Obama said he was ready to help.
John Key
, the Prime Minister of New Zealand
, held a telephone call with Gillard, during which she thanked New Zealand for its help. Len Brown
, the Mayor of Auckland
, a sister city of Brisbane, offered assistance to Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman
.
David Cameron
, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
offered his sympathies. Downing Street
stated: "The Prime Minister offered his deep sympathy on behalf of the British people for those who have died, those who have lost their homes and all those who have been affected by the floods in Queensland."
based at the Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera
, Brisbane. The taskforce was later replaced by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, a new body created to co-ordinate the rebuilding program.
The Australian Defence Force
's contribution to flood relief efforts was designated Operation Queensland Flood Assist
. The ADF established Joint Task Force 637, based at Enoggera Barracks
in Brisbane, for operational command of on 1 January 2011. According to the Australian Prime Minister the deployment was the largest for a natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy
.
About 35 State Emergency Service personnel from New South Wales and 20 personnel from Victoria were deployed to provide relief to exhausted staff and volunteers. A national appeal was established on 29 December, with the state and federal governments giving A$1 million each.
Small businesses and primary producers in 13 local government areas became eligible for grants of up to A$25,000 to pay for costs from damage incurred as a result of the floods. National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements were made available to a total of 31 local government areas across Queensland
.
New Zealand
announced that the country would be sending two fifteen member civil defence teams to assist in flood rescue efforts. In addition to this, New Zealand will send a number of New Zealand Defence Force
soldiers, mainly engineers, as well as New Zealand Police
and New Zealand Fire Service
firefighters. A New Zealand Red Cross team was also dispatched.
from the Suncorp Piazza
at South Bank Parklands, Brisbane raised more than A$10 million in pledged aid. The South Bank area which includes the Wheel of Brisbane
pictured above was itself inundated by flood waters only two days later.
At the first Twenty20 cricket match between Australia and England in Adelaide
on 12 January, both teams donated part of their match fees to help the victims and A$28,450 was collected from people in attendance.
On 16 January, the day before the 2011 Australian Open
commenced, a number of players took part in the Rally for Relief which was held at Rod Laver Arena and attended by 15,000 people, which raised A$750,000. The Seven Network
televised the event. Players who took part included Roger Federer
, Rafael Nadal
, Lleyton Hewitt
, Novak Djokovic
and Andy Roddick
.
On 27 January, the 2011 Legends of Origin charity match
was contested between former New South Wales and Queensland Rugby League State of Origin
players. Organised by Mark Geyer
, the match raised $380,587 to go towards the recovery effort.
cover a wide array of related aspects and stipulate a final report is due in one year. On August 1, 2011 the Commission handed an interim report containing 175 recommendations to Ms Bligh.
's support of the Queensland Flood Levy, the Government will modify the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements and force the states to take up disaster insurance.
said it was not possible to put a figure on the damage; "other than to say the damage bill is going to start with a b and not an m". The floods will cost the Australian economy at least A$10 billion. In figures released at the end of January 2011, the Insurance Council of Australia calculated that 38,460 individual claims were lodged with insurers which were worth A$1.51 billion. Nearly half of those claims were for damage to homes and more than half were made by those living in Brisbane.
The price of food across Australia will go up. The floods will cost supermarket chains tens of millions of dollars. Some communities isolated by floodwaters experienced food shortages, and a rise in the cost of fruits and vegetables was reported shortly after. Food supplies to northern Queensland were disrupted requiring groceries to be transported to Townsville by ship.
Coal railway lines were closed and numerous mine sites flooded. According to an analysist at Macquarie Group
almost all the available stockpiles of coking coal in Queensland were exhausted in late January 2011 due to reduced rail capacity. About 15% of the state's annual output of coal production was lost and by late March 2011 recovery was progressing slowly. Four months after the floods the Dalrymple Bay coal terminal was operating at half its capacity as the open-cut mines in the region continued to deal with de-watering issues.
Swimming pool salt was in short supply as salt mines near Rockhampton were flooded. Thousands of litres of milk had to be dumped because it couldn't be transported for processing. The persistent wet conditions also caused health problems for livestock. There was severe damage to roadways in forestry plantations across wide areas of the south of the state.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that the government would impose a flood levy
on people across Australia, to fund reconstruction works.
The floods caused banana prices to soar across Australia. The price of bananas reached as high as $15 per kilogram.
Flood
A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water...
s hit Australia, beginning in December 2010, primarily in the state of Queensland
Queensland
Queensland is a state of Australia, occupying the north-eastern section of the mainland continent. It is bordered by the Northern Territory, South Australia and New South Wales to the west, south-west and south respectively. To the east, Queensland is bordered by the Coral Sea and Pacific Ocean...
including its capital city, Brisbane
Brisbane
Brisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
. The floods forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least seventy towns and over 200,000 people were affected. Damage initially was estimated at around A$
Australian dollar
The Australian dollar is the currency of the Commonwealth of Australia, including Christmas Island, Cocos Islands, and Norfolk Island, as well as the independent Pacific Island states of Kiribati, Nauru and Tuvalu...
1 billion. The estimated reduction in Australia's GDP
Economy of Australia
The economy of Australia is a developed, modern market economy with a GDP of approximately US$1.23 trillion. In 2011, it was the 13th largest national economy by nominal GDP and the 17th largest measured by PPP adjusted GDP, representing about 1.7% of the World economy. Australia was also ranked...
is about A$30 billion.
Three-quarters of the state of Queensland was declared a disaster zone. Communities along the Fitzroy and Burnett Rivers were particularly hard hit, while the Condamine, Ballone and Mary Rivers recorded substantial flooding. An unexpected flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
raced through Toowoomba's central business district before devastating communities in the Lockyer Valley. A few days later thousands of houses in Ipswich and Brisbane were inundated as the Brisbane River rose and Wivenhoe Dam used a considerable proportion of its flood mitigation capacity. Volunteers were quick to offer assistance and sympathy was expressed from afar. A large mobilisation of the Australian Defence Force was activated and a relief fund created. The head of the recovery taskforce was Major General
Major General (Australia)
Major General is a senior rank of the Australian Army, and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of Major General. It is the third-highest active rank of the Australian Army, and is considered to be equivalent to a two-star rank...
Michael Slater, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System...
, AM
Order of Australia
The Order of Australia is an order of chivalry established on 14 February 1975 by Elizabeth II, Queen of Australia, "for the purpose of according recognition to Australian citizens and other persons for achievement or for meritorious service"...
, CSC
Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia)
The Conspicuous Service Cross is a decoration of the Australian Honours System. The CSC is awarded only for outstanding devotion to duty, or outstanding achievement in the application of exceptional skills, judgment or dedication, in non-warlike situations...
. The Queensland Reconstruction Authority was formed to co-ordinate the rebuilding program beyond the initial taskforce and a Commission of Inquiry established to investigate all matters related to the floods.
The 2010–2011 floods killed 35 people in Queensland. As of 26 January, an additional nine people were missing. The state's coal industry was particularly hard hit. The Queensland floods were followed by the 2011 Victorian floods
2011 Victorian floods
High intensity rainfall between 12–14 January 2011 caused major flooding across much of the western and central parts of the Australian state of Victoria...
which saw more than fifty communities in western and central Victoria
Victoria (Australia)
Victoria is the second most populous state in Australia. Geographically the smallest mainland state, Victoria is bordered by New South Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania on Boundary Islet to the north, west and south respectively....
also grapple with significant flooding.
Background
Brisbane experienced major flooding in 18931893 Brisbane flood
The 1893 Brisbane flood, occasionally referred to as the Great Flood of 1893 or the Black February flood, occurred when the Brisbane River burst its banks on three occasions in February 1893. It is the occurrence of three major floods in the same month that saw the period named "Black February"....
and 1974
1974 Brisbane flood
The 1974 Brisbane flood occurred in January 1974 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, when waterways in the city experienced significant flooding...
as the Brisbane River broke its bank and inundated low lying areas. Towns including St George and Theodore had dealt with major flooding earlier in 2010.
The floods were a result of heavy rainfall caused by Tropical Cyclone Tasha that combined with a trough during the peak of a La Niña event. The 2010 La Niña weather pattern, which brings wetter conditions to eastern Australia, was the strongest since 1973. This La Niña event caused a prolonged event of heavy rainfall over Queensland river catchments. Record or near to record sea surface temperatures were recorded off the Queensland coast in late 2010. December 2010 was Queensland's wettest on record, with record high rainfall totals set in 107 locations for the month. The state average rainfall level of 209.45 millimetres (8.25 in) exceeded the previous record of 200.1 millimetres (7.88 in) set in 1975. 2010 was also recorded as the state's wettest spring since 1900 and the Australian continent's third wettest year. Kevin Trenberth thought climate change as a contributing factor in the unusually high precipitation rates. He attributed a half degree Celsius rise in ocean temperatures around Australia to global warming which produces extra water vapour and intensifies the monsoon. Other scientists say that it is too early to draw such a conclusion. Assertions were also made that mismanagement of the Wivenhoe Dam might be a contributor to the some flooding in the lower Brisbane valley although this is disputed by engineers.
Isolated flooding started across parts of the state in early December. On 23 December a monsoonal trough crossed the coast from the Coral Sea, bringing torrential rain that fell in a broad swath from the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Gold Coast. The widest range of intense rainfall occurred on 27 December with very high daily totals recorded on 25 December near where Cyclone Tasha crossed the coast By 30 December vast areas of Southern and Central Queensland were affected by the flood. The conditions led to a large influx of snakes in the Rockhampton area, as well as some crocodiles.
Extent
Flooding was widespread across Queensland from end of December 2010 to January 2011 with several separate rain events causing rivers to rise over a lengthy period. Many places, including CondamineCondamine, Queensland
Condamine is a small town in Queensland, Australia, located from Miles. At the 2006 census, Condamine had a population of 373.Condamine is claimed to be the location of the invention of the 'Condamine Bell', a small bell made from sheet metal used to locate herds of cattle.Condamine is serviced by...
and Chinchilla
Chinchilla, Queensland
Chinchilla is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Chinchilla had a population of 3,681.The town was established in 1877...
were inundated by flood waters on multiple occasions. About 300 roads were closed, including nine major highways.
During the flooding it was reported that more than half of Queensland was affected by flooding.
Fitzroy River basin
The flooding initially forced the evacuation of 1,000 people from TheodoreTheodore, Queensland
Theodore is a town in Queensland, Australia, situated on the Dawson River. The town - like the Canberra suburb - is named in honour of Labor politician Ted Theodore, Premier of Queensland and Treasurer of Australia in the ministry of Prime Minister James Scullin...
and other towns, described as unprecedented by the acting chief officer of the Emergency Management Queensland. The military transported residents by helicopter to an evacuation centre at Moura
Moura, Queensland
Moura is a small town servicing the surrounding coal mining and rural activities. The town was first established in 1936 as a farming centre near the existing Moura Station.The town of Moura is located in Central Queensland, Australia...
. The total evacuation of a Queensland town was a first for the state. Major flooding at Theodore persisted for more than two weeks.
Emerald
Emerald, Queensland
Emerald is a town located in the Central Highlands district of Central Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Emerald had a population of 10,999. The town is the business centre for the Central Highlands Regional Council....
was cut-off by road on 29 December as the Nogoa River
Nogoa River
The Nogoa River rises on the Carnarvon Range in the Carnarvon National Park in Central Queensland and flows in a north easterly direction. The river ends where it meets the Comet River north of Comet. From this point the river is called the Mackenzie River....
rose. By the next day, the river surpassed the 2008 flood peak level of 15.36 metres (50.4 ft). At the peak of the flooding, 80% of the town was flooded, the worst the town ever experienced. 1,200 Emerald residents registered as evacuees.
Rockhampton
Rockhampton
Rockhampton can refer to:* Rockhampton, Queensland is a city in Queensland, Australia* Rockhampton City, Queensland, a suburb of Rockhampton, Queensland* Electoral district of Rockhampton, Queensland, Australia...
had nearly a week to prepare for an expected flood peak from the Fitzroy River
Fitzroy River (Queensland)
The Fitzroy River lies in Queensland, Australia. Its catchment covers an area of 142,665 square kilometres, making it the largest river catchment flowing to the eastern coast of Australia. The river is formed by the joining of the Mackenzie and Dawson rivers at Duaringa. The catchment stretches...
, which courses through the centre of the city. The airport was closed on 1 January. A metal flood barrier was erected around the terminal to prevent flood-borne debris from causing damage to the structure. An evacuation centre was set up at the Central Queensland University
Central Queensland University
CQUniversity is an Australian public university based in Queensland. Its main campus is in North Rockhampton Queensland. However, it also has campuses in Bundaberg, Emerald, Gladstone and Mackay, as well as operations throughout Asia-Pacific. For instance, Melior Business School is one of its...
. The Bruce Highway leading south out of Rockhampton was closed to traffic. The river peaked at 9.2 metres (30.2 ft) just short the of the predicted 9.4 metres (30.8 ft) maximum.
The Port of Gladstone
Port of Gladstone
The Port of Gladstone is Queensland's largest multi-commodity port and the fifth largest multi-commodity port in Australia. It is the world's fourth largest coal exporting terminal. It forms and integral part of the City of Gladstone in Central Queensland and is located about 525 km north of...
reduced its export capacity because the coal stockpiles at the port were saturated and further coal deliveries could not be made by rail. The Goonyella railway line which services a number of coal mines in the Bowen Basin
Bowen Basin
The Bowen Basin contains the largest coal reserves in Australia. This major coal producing region contains one of the world's largest deposits of bituminous coal. The Basin contains much of the known Permian coal resources in Queensland including virtually all of the known mineable prime coking coal...
was closed for one week and shipments of grain were also delayed.
Burnett River basin
The central Burnett towns of Gayndah and Mundubbera saw major flooding on 28–29 December. The Burnett RiverBurnett River
The Burnett River is a river in central Queensland, Australia that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the city of Bundaberg. The Burnett River region is largely given over to growing sugar cane....
peaked at 18.25 metres (59.9 ft) at Mundubbera—the highest river height since 1942—inundating more than 20 houses. Downstream at Gayndah, the river peaked at 16.1 metres (52.8 ft) with floodwaters reaching two houses. Both towns were isolated for several days and there was major disruption to the potable water supply and local agricultural production.
Bundaberg experienced severe flooding, the worst in 40 years, after the Burnett River
Burnett River
The Burnett River is a river in central Queensland, Australia that empties into the Pacific Ocean near the city of Bundaberg. The Burnett River region is largely given over to growing sugar cane....
flooded the city, although the Paradise Dam reservoir contributed to some flood mitigation. This resulted in the evacuation of 300 homes. The Bundaberg Port
Bundaberg Port
Bundaberg Port is located 20 kilometres northeast of the city of Bundaberg, 5.6 nautical miles from the mouth of the Burnett River. The port is a destination for ships from Australia and overseas. It is predominantly used for shipping raw sugar and other goods related to that industry such as...
, a major sugar exporting facility, was closed late in December 2010 as flooding deposited silt in the port, forcing its closure. The port re-opened in early March 2011 after successful dredging operations allowed ships to berth.
Condamine/Balonne River basin
ChinchillaChinchilla, Queensland
Chinchilla is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Chinchilla had a population of 3,681.The town was established in 1877...
and Jericho
Jericho, Queensland
Jericho is a rural village situated on the Capricorn Highway in Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Jericho and the surrounding region had a population of 309.-History:...
were also inundated. At least 40 residents were evacuated from Chinchilla.
Flooding in Dalby
Dalby, Queensland
Dalby is a town in the Darling Downs region of Queensland, Australia, and is located approximately west of the state capital, Brisbane, at the junction of the Warrego, Moonie and Bunya Highways. Dalby is the administrative centre of the Western Downs Region and the centre of Australia's richest...
was the worst since 1981. The town's water purification
Water purification
Water purification is the process of removing undesirable chemicals, materials, and biological contaminants from contaminated water. The goal is to produce water fit for a specific purpose...
system was flooded, resulting in water restrictions that have hampered clean-up efforts. 112500 litre of water were transported to the town of 14,000 residents. Warwick
Warwick, Queensland
Warwick is a town in Queensland, Australia, lying south-west of Brisbane. It is the administrative centre of the Southern Downs Local Government Area. In 2006 the town of Warwick had a population of 12,562....
was isolated when all roads into the town were cut-off.
The Condamine River
Condamine River
The Condamine River, part of the Murray-Darling Basin, drains the northern portion of the Darling Downs, an area of sub-coastal southern Queensland, Australia...
reached 14.25 metres (46.8 ft) on 30 December, its highest level ever recorded. Condamine
Condamine, Queensland
Condamine is a small town in Queensland, Australia, located from Miles. At the 2006 census, Condamine had a population of 373.Condamine is claimed to be the location of the invention of the 'Condamine Bell', a small bell made from sheet metal used to locate herds of cattle.Condamine is serviced by...
was mandatorily evacuated on 30 December.
A second rain event on 9–10 January saw floodwaters again threaten Chinchilla and Condamine with Chinchilla residents again asked to evacuate.
The Macintyre River
MacIntyre River
The Macintyre River is a river in northern New South Wales, Australia, part of which forms the border with Queensland.The headwaters of the Macintyre River rise west of Guyra and south of Glen Innes on the Northern Tablelands...
, which forms part of the border between the Australian states of New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
and Queensland, began to threaten the town of Goondiwindi on 13 January. While the town is protected by a 11 metres (36.1 ft) levee, the local hospital and aged care home were evacuated as a precaution and an evacuation centre was established.
Mary River basin
Heavy rain in the Mary RiverMary River (Queensland)
The Mary River is a river system in South East Queensland, Australia. The river rises at Booroobin in the Sunshine Coast hinterland, west of Landsborough...
catchment on 8–9 January 2011 led to flooding at Maryborough
Maryborough, Queensland
Maryborough is a city located on the Mary River in South East Queensland, Australia, approximately north of the state capital, Brisbane. The city is serviced by the Bruce Highway, and has a population of approximately 22,000 . It is closely tied to its neighbour city Hervey Bay which is...
and Gympie
Gympie
Gympie may refer to:* Gympie, a city in Queensland, Australia** Gympie Airport** Electoral district of Gympie** Gympie Region, its local government authority* Gympie Gympie , a stinging plant...
. The Mary River at Maryborough was expected to initially peak at 8.5 metres (27.9 ft) at midday 9 January with some houses and businesses inundated.
Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley
The city of Toowoomba, in the Darling Downs, was hit by flash flooding after more than 160 millimetres (6.3 in) of rain fell in 36 hours to 10 January 2011; this event caused four deaths in a matter of hours. Cars were washed away (see video). Toowoomba sits on the watershed of the Great Dividing RangeGreat Dividing Range
The Great Dividing Range, or the Eastern Highlands, is Australia's most substantial mountain range and the third longest in the world. The range stretches more than 3,500 km from Dauan Island off the northeastern tip of Queensland, running the entire length of the eastern coastline through...
, some 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) above sea level. A three week period where it had rained on all but three days had left the soil around Toowoomba super saturated and when a line of storms hit the city on 10 January, the resulting torrential rain rapidly ran off down gullies and streets. The central business district of the city sits in a small valley where two small water courses—East Creek and West Creek—meet to form Gowrie Creek. Unable to cope with the volume of water heading toward them, the creeks burst their banks, pushing a devastating wall of water through the city centre. This water then headed west, not towards the Lockyer Valley which was also experiencing extreme rainfall that fell on eastern facing slopes.
The surge passed through the Lockyer Valley town of Withcott
Withcott
Withcott is a town in the Lockyer Valley region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located on the Warrego Highway, west of the state capital, Brisbane and east of the regional centre of Toowoomba. At the 2006 census, Withcott had a population of 1,000....
, where the force of the water pushed cars into shops and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people. The scene was described by an onlooker as "like Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
has gone through it ... If you dropped an atom bomb on it, you couldn't tell the difference." Nearby Helidon had several homes and farms flooded but did not break the main creek bank and enter the town. It was cutoff from all sides by destroyed roads. Grantham
Grantham, Queensland
Grantham is a town in the Lockyer Valley region of Queensland, Australia. The town is located west of the state capital, Brisbane. At the 2006 census, Grantham had a population of 370.-History:...
was also devastated by the surge of water. Houses were left crumpled by what Premier of Queensland Anna Bligh
Anna Bligh
Anna Maria Bligh is an Australian politician and the Premier of Queensland since 2007. The 2009 Queensland state election was the first time a female-led political party won or retained state or federal government in Australia...
described as an "inland tsunami
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of water waves caused by the displacement of a large volume of a body of water, typically an ocean or a large lake...
". According to local media, the flood waters had reached a height of 7 or by the time it struck Grantham. At least 100 people were evacuated to the Helidon Community Hall. Nine people were confirmed dead, and many more feared dead among 66 reported missing. The body of one victim washed away at Grantham was recovered 80 kilometres (49.7 mi) downstream and Queensland Police
Queensland Police
The Queensland Police Service is the law enforcement agency responsible for policing the Australian state of Queensland. In 1990, the Queensland Police Force was officially renamed the Queensland Police Service and the old motto of "Firmness with Courtesy" was changed to "With Honour We Serve"...
Commissioner Bob Atkinson
Bob Atkinson
Bob Atkinson was an Australian rules footballer in the Victorian Football League.Atkinson made his debut for the Carlton Football Club in Round 2 of the 1942 season, coming across from Coburg. He returned to Coburg after the 1944 season.-External links:* at...
warned that some bodies may never be found. Nearby Gatton
Gatton, Queensland
Gatton is a town and the administrative centre of the Lockyer Valley Local Government Area situated in the Lockyer Valley of South East Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Gatton had a population of 5,295....
saw voluntary evacuations as the Lockyer Creek rose to a record height of 18.92 metres (62.1 ft), exceeding the previous record set in the 1893 Queensland floods.
Brisbane River catchment
Flooding began to affect low-lying areas of Brisbane on the morning of 11 January 2011. By around 2:30 p.m. AEST, the Brisbane RiverBrisbane River
The Brisbane River is the longest river in south east Queensland, Australia, and flows through the city of Brisbane, before emptying into Moreton Bay. John Oxley was the first European to explore the river who named it after the Governor of New South Wales, Thomas Brisbane in 1823...
broke its banks leading to evacuations in the Brisbane CBD and the suburbs of Fortitude Valley and West End
West End, Queensland
West End is an inner-city suburb of southern Brisbane.-History:West End was named by early English settlers who found the area reminiscent of the West End of London....
. An evacuation centre was established for flood-affected residents at the RNA Showgrounds
Brisbane Exhibition Ground
The Brisbane Exhibition Ground , is a showground established in Brisbane during 1875 especially for Ekka . The Exhibition ground is owned and operated by the Royal National Agricultural and Industrial Association of Queensland...
in Bowen Hills
Bowen Hills, Queensland
Bowen Hills is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 3 km northeast of the Brisbane CBD. It was named after a Governor of Queensland, Sir George Ferguson Bowen.-History:...
. Residents of 2100 Brisbane streets were advised to evacuate prior to the arrival of floods, which struck the city on 12 January. Lord Mayor
Lord Mayor
The Lord Mayor is the title of the Mayor of a major city, with special recognition.-Commonwealth of Nations:* In Australia it is a political position. Australian cities with Lord Mayors: Adelaide, Brisbane, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Parramatta, Perth, Sydney, and Wollongong...
Campbell Newman
Campbell Newman
Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman is the leader of the Liberal National Party of Queensland. He was the 15th Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 2004 to 2011....
stated than an estimated 20,000 homes would be affected when the river peaked on 14 January. He subsequently advised that the Brisbane River transport infrastructure had been "substantially destroyed".
The Brisbane River peaked on 13 January at a lower level than predicted, but still 20,000 houses in Brisbane were inundated. Some of the Brisbane suburbs worst affected by the floods were St Lucia
St Lucia, Queensland
St Lucia is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia located 4 km south-west of the Brisbane CBD. The suburb is bordered on three sides by the Brisbane River and is dominated by the main campus of the University of Queensland.-History:...
, West End
West End, Queensland
West End is an inner-city suburb of southern Brisbane.-History:West End was named by early English settlers who found the area reminiscent of the West End of London....
, Rocklea
Rocklea, Queensland
The large Brisbane suburb of Rocklea is located 12 kilometres south of the city. At times the suburb has experienced significant flooding from the nearby Brisbane River. The west of the suburb is bordered by the Oxley Creek....
and Graceville
Graceville, Queensland
Graceville is a suburb in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is located 8 km south-west of the Brisbane CBD. Graceville is bordered by the Brisbane River to the North-East and West, Oxley Creek to the East, Chelmer to the North and Sherwood to the South....
. The floods damaged some of Brisbane's icons. The Brisbane Riverwalk, a floating walkway over the Brisbane River linking the inner city neighbourhoods of Fortitude Valley and New Farm
New Farm, Queensland
New Farm is an inner suburb of Brisbane, Australia, located 2 km east of the Brisbane CBD on a large bend of the Brisbane River. New Farm is partly surrounded by the Brisbane River, with land access from the north west through Fortitude Valley and from the north through...
, broke up, with a section forming a 300 metres (984.3 ft) "floating missile" that threatened the Sir Leo Hielscher Bridges. The largest part of the floating boardwalk was safely guided under the bridge by a tugboat
Tugboat
A tugboat is a boat that maneuvers vessels by pushing or towing them. Tugs move vessels that either should not move themselves, such as ships in a crowded harbor or a narrow canal,or those that cannot move by themselves, such as barges, disabled ships, or oil platforms. Tugboats are powerful for...
and past other infrastructure
Infrastructure
Infrastructure is basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise, or the services and facilities necessary for an economy to function...
before being safely secured. Brisbane's major Rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
and Soccer venue, Suncorp Stadium
Suncorp Stadium
Lang Park is the original name of the site located in the Brisbane suburb of Milton, Queensland, Australia, now occupied by the major sports facility known by its sponsorship name, Suncorp Stadium...
, filled with water up to 2 metres (6.6 ft) deep, reaching the third or fourth row of seats.
With the flood peaking at 4.46 metres (14.6 ft) in Brisbane City, the flood level was about the 10th highest in the city's history, several metres below the 1890 flood and the two major floods in 1893., Parts of the western suburbs of Brisbane were cut off for three days. Resident of suburbs including Bellbowrie, Karana Downs, Moggill and Pullenvale were running low on food and other items when Moggill Road
Moggill Road
Moggill Road is a major road in Brisbane. It goes under the 32 number. It starts at the Moggill Ferry in Moggill and finishes at High Street at Toowong.It stretches 27 kilometers...
was cut, until the Australian Army was able to reach the area on 15 January with supplies.
The Bremer River at Ipswich
Ipswich, Queensland
Ipswich is a city in South-East Queensland, Australia. Situated along the Bremer River Valley approximately 40 kilometres away from the state's capital Brisbane. The suburb by the same name forms the city's Central Business District and administrative centre...
, 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) west of Brisbane, reached a height of 19.4 metres (63.6 ft) on 12 January, inundating the central business district and at least 3,000 houses. One third of the city was reported to be underwater and over 1100 people took shelter at evacuation centres. At nearby Marburg
Marburg, Queensland
Marburg is a small township of 536 inhabitants located 60 km west of Brisbane, the capital of the State of Queensland, Australia. It is a township in the City of Ipswich.German settlers arrived in the region around the 1860s...
, a four year old boy was swept away by floodwaters when he fell from a rescue boat. A man in his fifties died when he accidentally drove into floodwaters in the Ipswich suburb of Wulkuraka
Wulkuraka, Queensland
Wulkuraka is a suburb of Ipswich, Queensland, Australia.The origin of the suburb name is from an Aboriginal word meaning either red flowering gum tree or plenty of kookaburras. -Transport:...
. The worst affected areas of Ipswich were the suburbs of Goodna
Goodna, Queensland
Goodna is a suburb on the eastern edge of the City of Ipswich in Queensland, Australia.It is bounded to the north by the Brisbane River. Founded in 1856 when the area was still part of New South Wales, it celebrated its 150 year anniversary in 2006. Its beginnings can be traced back further to...
and Gailes
Gailes, Queensland
Gailes is a suburb of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.The origin of the suburb name is from the Western Gailes Golf Course in Ayrshire, Scotland as it was the name given to the local Gailes Golf Club...
. The flooding allowed bull shark
Bull shark
The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, also known as Zambezi shark or unofficially known as Zambi in Africa and Nicaragua shark in Nicaragua, is a shark common worldwide in warm, shallow waters along coasts and in rivers...
s to reach the center of Goodna; one was spotted swimming in Williams Street, and a second in Queen Street.
Elsewhere
In South East QueenslandSouth East Queensland
South East Queensland is a region of the state of Queensland in Australia, which contains approximately two-thirds of the state population...
, the Wivenhoe Dam
Wivenhoe Dam
Wivenhoe Dam is a dam across the Brisbane River a little way upstream from Locker Creek. The dam creates the artificial Lake Wivenhoe. The dam wall is located about by road from the centre of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia....
filled to a level equivalent to 191% of its supply capacity on 11 January 2011. Although the dam can hold the equivalent of 225% of its supply capacity, storage exceeding 100% is required to be progressively released through the floodgates to restore capacity to mitigate future flood events. Brisbane experienced its wettest December since 1859. Wyaralong Dam
Wyaralong Dam
The Wyaralong Dam is a water project that was initiated by the Queensland Government in 2006 as a result of a prolonged drought which saw the catchment areas of South East Queensland's dams receive record low rain....
, near Beaudesert
Beaudesert, Queensland
Beaudesert is a town located on the Mount Lindesay Highway, some 64 km south of Brisbane. It is possibly named after Beau Desert Park, the property of Charles Henry Alexander Paget, 6th Marquess of Anglesey in Staffordshire, England...
, had recently been completed and was praised for mitigating flooding in downstream Logan
Logan City, Queensland
Logan City is a Local Government Area in South East Queensland, Australia. The city is situated between the City of Brisbane to the north and Gold Coast to the south. The city also borders the Scenic Rim, the City of Ipswich and Redland City....
, having exceeded 80% of its capacity.
In North Queensland
North Queensland
North Queensland or the Northern Region is the northern part of the state of Queensland in Australia. Queensland is a massive state, larger than most countries, and the tropical northern part of it has been historically remote and undeveloped, resulting in a distinctive regional character and...
, the town of Ingham
Ingham, Queensland
Ingham is a town in the Great Green Way region of North Queensland, Australia. The town was founded in 1864, gazetted a shire in 1879, and is the service centre for many sugarcane plantations, pioneered in the 1870s by William Ingham, for whom the town is named...
became isolated as the Herbert River
Herbert River
The Herbert River is a river located in Far North Queensland, Australia. The southernmost of Queensland's wet tropics river systems, it is named after Robert George Wyndham Herbert , the first Premier of Queensland...
peaked. Homes at Babinda
Babinda, Queensland
Babinda is a small town 60 km south of Cairns, Queensland. It is located in the Cairns Region.The town is noted for its proximity to two of Queensland's highest mountains Mount Bartle Frere and Mount Bellenden Ker....
, and Gordonvale
Gordonvale, Queensland
Gordonvale is a small sugar-growing suburb situated in the southern end of Cairns on the Mulgrave River. At the 2006 census, Gordonvale had a population of 4,420....
were flooded.
Deaths
As of 28 January 2011, 35 deaths have been attributed to the floods, 21 of which are from the Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley area. Additionally, 9 people are listed as missing, after the catastrophic flash flood struck Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley, Brisbane and Ipswich.The first death was reported on 20 November 2010, when a woman drowned in her vehicle near Dysart
Dysart, Queensland
Dysart is a town in central Queensland, Australia, located in the Isaac Region. Established in 1973, Dysart is a service centre for the nearby Norwich Park and Saraji coal mines, as well as grazing properties in the district. Most residents are employed by the coal mines...
. In the following weeks, five others died from similar circumstances. Nine people drowned after being caught directly by the flowing waters. and thirteen people died in other circumstances.
13 year old Jordan Lucas Rice died January 10, 2011 after insisting that his 10 year old brother Blake be saved from the flood waters before him. He drowned along with his mother, 43 year old Donna Maree Rice, both being residents of Toowoomba He has been dubbed by the public as an Australian hero.
Public response
More than 55,000 volunteers registered to help clean up the streets of Brisbane, with thousands more unregistered volunteers wandering the muddy streets with gumboots and mops. Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the volunteering effort showed tremendous 'Aussie spirit' and that "Right across Queensland today people have got up, marched out of their homes and gone to find people to help," she said. All across the state people have opened their houses, their hearts and their wallets to help.Reaction
Prime Minister of Australia Julia GillardJulia Gillard
Julia Eileen Gillard is the 27th and current Prime Minister of Australia, in office since June 2010.Gillard was born in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan, Wales and migrated with her family to Adelaide, Australia in 1966, attending Mitcham Demonstration School and Unley High School. In 1982 Gillard moved...
toured flood-affected areas on 31 December, the day before The Queen (Elizabeth II), sent her expressions of concern and sympathy for the victims of the floods to her representative in Queensland, Governor Penelope Wensley
Penelope Wensley
Penelope "Penny" Anne Wensley, AC is the Governor of Queensland and a former Australian diplomat.Born in Toowoomba, Queensland, she was educated at Penrith High School in New South Wales, the Rosa Bassett School in London , and the University of Queensland where she graduated with a first class...
. The Queen later made a donation to her Queensland premier's flood relief appeal, as did her son, The Prince of Wales
Charles, Prince of Wales
Prince Charles, Prince of Wales is the heir apparent and eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. Since 1958 his major title has been His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In Scotland he is additionally known as The Duke of Rothesay...
. In March 2011, The Prince's eldest son, Prince William, toured the affected areas in Queensland, as well as those damaged by the floods in Victoria
2011 Victorian floods
High intensity rainfall between 12–14 January 2011 caused major flooding across much of the western and central parts of the Australian state of Victoria...
.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton stated, "On behalf of President Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
and the people of the United States, I offer my condolences for the loss of life and damage in Queensland caused by the recent flooding." U.S. President Barack Obama said he was ready to help.
John Key
John Key
John Phillip Key is the 38th Prime Minister of New Zealand, in office since 2008. He has led the New Zealand National Party since 2006....
, the Prime Minister of New Zealand
Prime Minister of New Zealand
The Prime Minister of New Zealand is New Zealand's head of government consequent on being the leader of the party or coalition with majority support in the Parliament of New Zealand...
, held a telephone call with Gillard, during which she thanked New Zealand for its help. Len Brown
Len Brown
Len Brown is the Mayor of Auckland in New Zealand and the head of the Auckland Council. He won the 2010 Auckland mayoral election on 9 October 2010 and was sworn in as Mayor of Auckland on 1 November 2010, being the first to hold that title for the amalgamated Auckland 'Super City'...
, the Mayor of Auckland
Auckland
The Auckland metropolitan area , in the North Island of New Zealand, is the largest and most populous urban area in the country with residents, percent of the country's population. Auckland also has the largest Polynesian population of any city in the world...
, a sister city of Brisbane, offered assistance to Brisbane Lord Mayor Campbell Newman
Campbell Newman
Campbell Kevin Thomas Newman is the leader of the Liberal National Party of Queensland. He was the 15th Lord Mayor of Brisbane from 2004 to 2011....
.
David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
, the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
offered his sympathies. Downing Street
Downing Street
Downing Street in London, England has for over two hundred years housed the official residences of two of the most senior British cabinet ministers: the First Lord of the Treasury, an office now synonymous with that of Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, and the Second Lord of the Treasury, an...
stated: "The Prime Minister offered his deep sympathy on behalf of the British people for those who have died, those who have lost their homes and all those who have been affected by the floods in Queensland."
Recovery
Major General Michael Slater was appointed head of a civilian recovery task force. Slater was at the time also the Commander of the 1st Division1st Division (Australia)
The 1st Division is the main formation of the Australian Army and contains the majority of the army's regular forces. Its headquarters is in Enoggera, a suburb of Brisbane...
based at the Gallipoli Barracks in Enoggera
Enoggera, Queensland
Enoggera is a suburb of Brisbane, in Queensland, Australia. The suburb is located 6 km north-west of the Brisbane CBD.-History:In 1845 John Brennan purchased six hectares of land in Enoggera. Six years later, Thomas Hayes moved to the area and bought thirty-three acres of land...
, Brisbane. The taskforce was later replaced by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, a new body created to co-ordinate the rebuilding program.
The Australian Defence Force
Australian Defence Force
The Australian Defence Force is the military organisation responsible for the defence of Australia. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy , Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Force and a number of 'tri-service' units...
's contribution to flood relief efforts was designated Operation Queensland Flood Assist
Operation Queensland Flood Assist
Operation Queensland Flood Assist is a complex, multi-Service activity by the Australian Defence Force as a contribution to the response to the 2010–2011 Queensland floods. Coordinated to aid civilian emergency response efforts, at Federal inter-departmental level it is managed by Emergency...
. The ADF established Joint Task Force 637, based at Enoggera Barracks
Enoggera Barracks
Enoggera Barracks is an Australian Army base in the northwestern Brisbane suburb of Enoggera in Queensland.-History:...
in Brisbane, for operational command of on 1 January 2011. According to the Australian Prime Minister the deployment was the largest for a natural disaster since Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy
Cyclone Tracy was a tropical cyclone that devastated the city of Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia, from Christmas Eve to Christmas Day, 1974...
.
About 35 State Emergency Service personnel from New South Wales and 20 personnel from Victoria were deployed to provide relief to exhausted staff and volunteers. A national appeal was established on 29 December, with the state and federal governments giving A$1 million each.
Small businesses and primary producers in 13 local government areas became eligible for grants of up to A$25,000 to pay for costs from damage incurred as a result of the floods. National Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements were made available to a total of 31 local government areas across Queensland
Local Government Areas of Queensland
This is a list of local government areas in Queensland, sorted by region. For the history and responsibilities of local government in that state, see Local government in Queensland.-LGAs sorted by region:...
.
New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
announced that the country would be sending two fifteen member civil defence teams to assist in flood rescue efforts. In addition to this, New Zealand will send a number of New Zealand Defence Force
New Zealand Defence Force
The New Zealand Defence Force consists of three services: the Royal New Zealand Navy; the New Zealand Army; and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. The Commander-in-Chief of the NZDF is His Excellency Rt. Hon...
soldiers, mainly engineers, as well as New Zealand Police
New Zealand Police
The New Zealand Police is the national police force of New Zealand, responsible for enforcing criminal law, enhancing public safety, maintaining order and keeping the peace throughout New Zealand...
and New Zealand Fire Service
New Zealand Fire Service
The New Zealand Fire Service is New Zealand's national fire fighting body. While its founding legislation, the Fire Service Act 1975, only provides for this role, the organisation has assumed responsibility for several other areas.-Strategic Direction:The New Zealand Fire Service has defined for...
firefighters. A New Zealand Red Cross team was also dispatched.
Aid efforts
On 9 January, the Flood Relief Appeal: Australia Unites telethon broadcast by the Nine NetworkNine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
from the Suncorp Piazza
Suncorp Piazza
thumb|250px|alt=Suncorp Piazza|Northern side of the piazza.The Suncorp Piazza is a multi-purpose venue in Brisbane, Australia. It was inspired by the popular Piazza performance venue built for World Expo 88 and remains today at South Bank Parklands, the transformed Expo site...
at South Bank Parklands, Brisbane raised more than A$10 million in pledged aid. The South Bank area which includes the Wheel of Brisbane
Wheel of Brisbane
The Wheel of Brisbane is a tall transportable Ferris wheel installation erected as part of the 20th anniversary of World Expo 88 and the 150th anniversary of the State of Queensland 1859–2009 celebrations....
pictured above was itself inundated by flood waters only two days later.
At the first Twenty20 cricket match between Australia and England in Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
on 12 January, both teams donated part of their match fees to help the victims and A$28,450 was collected from people in attendance.
On 16 January, the day before the 2011 Australian Open
2011 Australian Open
The 2011 Australian Open was a tennis tournament featuring six different competitions, and part of the 2011 ATP World Tour, the 2011 WTA Tour, ITF Junior Tour and the NEC Tour, as tournaments for professional, junior and wheelchair players were held...
commenced, a number of players took part in the Rally for Relief which was held at Rod Laver Arena and attended by 15,000 people, which raised A$750,000. The Seven Network
Seven Network
The Seven Network is an Australian television network owned by Seven West Media Limited. It dates back to 4 November 1956, when the first stations on the VHF7 frequency were established in Melbourne and Sydney.It is currently the second largest network in the country in terms of population reach...
televised the event. Players who took part included Roger Federer
Roger Federer
Roger Federer is a Swiss professional tennis player who held the ATP no. 1 position for a record 237 consecutive weeks, and 285 weeks overall. As of 28 November 2011, he is ranked World No. 3 by the Association of Tennis Professionals . Federer has won a men's record 16 Grand Slam singles titles...
, Rafael Nadal
Rafael Nadal
Rafael "Rafa" Nadal Parera is a Spanish professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. , he is ranked No. 2 by the Association of Tennis Professionals...
, Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Hewitt
Lleyton Glynn Hewitt born 24 February 1981) is an Australian professional tennis player and former world no. 1.In 2000, Hewitt had won ATP titles on all three major surfaces and reached one final on carpet. By 2001, he became the youngest male ever to be ranked no. 1 at the age of 20...
, Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic
Novak Djokovic is a Serbian professional tennis player who has been ranked world no. 1 by the Association of Tennis Professionals since 4 July 2011. He has won four Grand Slam singles titles: the 2008 and 2011 Australian Open, the 2011 Wimbledon Championships, and the 2011 US Open...
and Andy Roddick
Andy Roddick
Andrew Stephen "Andy" Roddick is an American professional tennis player and a former World No. 1. He is currently the second highest-ranked American player, behind Mardy Fish....
.
On 27 January, the 2011 Legends of Origin charity match
2011 Legends of Origin charity match
The 2011 Legends of Origin charity match was a rugby league football game played on 27 January 2011 at Parramatta Stadium in Sydney. The match was organised by Mark Geyer in response to the 2010–2011 Queensland floods. The match was contested between the New South Wales Origin Legends and the...
was contested between former New South Wales and Queensland Rugby League State of Origin
Rugby League State of Origin
State of Origin is an annual best of three series of rugby league football matches contested by the Maroons and the Blues, who represent the Australian states of Queensland and New South Wales respectively...
players. Organised by Mark Geyer
Mark Geyer
Mark Geyer , is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative second-rower, he is currently a rugby league media identity...
, the match raised $380,587 to go towards the recovery effort.
Inquiry
On 17 January 2011, Anna Bligh announced a Commission of Inquiry into the 2010–11 Queensland floods. The Commission’s Terms of referenceTerms of reference
Terms of reference describe the purpose and structure of a project, committee, meeting, negotiation, or any similar collection of people who have agreed to work together to accomplish a shared goal. The terms of reference of a project are often referred to as the project charter.- Terms of...
cover a wide array of related aspects and stipulate a final report is due in one year. On August 1, 2011 the Commission handed an interim report containing 175 recommendations to Ms Bligh.
Mandatory disaster insurance
In return for Senator Nick XenophonNick Xenophon
Nicholas "Nick" Xenophon is a South Australian barrister, anti-gambling campaigner and politician. He attended Prince Alfred College, and studied law at the University of Adelaide, attaining his Bachelor of Laws in 1981. Xenophon established and became principal of his own law firm, Xenophon & Co....
's support of the Queensland Flood Levy, the Government will modify the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements and force the states to take up disaster insurance.
Economic Impacts
Queensland Treasurer Andrew FraserAndrew Fraser (Queensland politician)
Andrew Peter Fraser is an Australian politician in the Queensland State Parliament. He was first elected into the Queensland Legislative Assembly on the 7 February 2004...
said it was not possible to put a figure on the damage; "other than to say the damage bill is going to start with a b and not an m". The floods will cost the Australian economy at least A$10 billion. In figures released at the end of January 2011, the Insurance Council of Australia calculated that 38,460 individual claims were lodged with insurers which were worth A$1.51 billion. Nearly half of those claims were for damage to homes and more than half were made by those living in Brisbane.
The price of food across Australia will go up. The floods will cost supermarket chains tens of millions of dollars. Some communities isolated by floodwaters experienced food shortages, and a rise in the cost of fruits and vegetables was reported shortly after. Food supplies to northern Queensland were disrupted requiring groceries to be transported to Townsville by ship.
Coal railway lines were closed and numerous mine sites flooded. According to an analysist at Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group
Macquarie Group Limited is a global investment banking and diversified financial services group, providing banking, financial, advisory, investment and funds management services to institutional, corporate and retail clients and counterparties around the world...
almost all the available stockpiles of coking coal in Queensland were exhausted in late January 2011 due to reduced rail capacity. About 15% of the state's annual output of coal production was lost and by late March 2011 recovery was progressing slowly. Four months after the floods the Dalrymple Bay coal terminal was operating at half its capacity as the open-cut mines in the region continued to deal with de-watering issues.
Swimming pool salt was in short supply as salt mines near Rockhampton were flooded. Thousands of litres of milk had to be dumped because it couldn't be transported for processing. The persistent wet conditions also caused health problems for livestock. There was severe damage to roadways in forestry plantations across wide areas of the south of the state.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced that the government would impose a flood levy
Flood levy
The Flood Levy is a temporary reconstruction tax that will fund the reconstruction of Queensland, Australia, following the 2010-2011 Queensland Floods. The proposal passed Parliament on 22 March 2011. This levy will apply to everyone who has a taxable income of more than $50,000 a year, and will...
on people across Australia, to fund reconstruction works.
The floods caused banana prices to soar across Australia. The price of bananas reached as high as $15 per kilogram.
See also
- 1893 Brisbane flood1893 Brisbane floodThe 1893 Brisbane flood, occasionally referred to as the Great Flood of 1893 or the Black February flood, occurred when the Brisbane River burst its banks on three occasions in February 1893. It is the occurrence of three major floods in the same month that saw the period named "Black February"....
- 1974 Brisbane flood1974 Brisbane floodThe 1974 Brisbane flood occurred in January 1974 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, when waterways in the city experienced significant flooding...
- Floods in AustraliaFloods in AustraliaThis is a list of notable recorded floods that have occurred in the country of Australia.-Further reading:* Devin, L.B. and D.L. Purcell Flooding in Australia Canberra : Australian Government Publishing Service ISBN 0644026278 : .-External links:* .* ....
- List of disasters in Australia by death toll
- March 2010 Queensland floods
External links
- Flooding in Australia and Flooding in Rockhampton, Queensland at NASA Earth ObservatoryNASA Earth ObservatoryNASA Earth Observatory is an online publishing outlet for NASA which was created in 1999. It is the principal source of satellite imagery and other scientific information pertaining to the climate and the environment which are being provided by NASA for consumption by the general public...
- Flash flood death toll rises to 9
- Brisbane City Council COP Situational Awareness Application, interactive map showing extent of flooding in Brisbane
- Interactive map of pre and post flood aerial images along the Brisbane River
- Dam operator blames inaccurate weather forecast for 2011 Brisbane flood
- Interim report of Queensland Floods Commission of Enquiry, handed to Premier Bligh on August 1 2011