Nearly 80 per cent of properties impacted by the 2022 South East Queensland floods are no longer showing signs of damage according to a state released report.
Between 13 February and 3 March 2023, 3604 homes and businesses were revisited by Queensland Reconstruction Authority officers for a third time since the flooding of last year.
This is the biggest post-disaster damage assessment operation carried out in Queensland in more than a decade.
Of the 8698 homes and businesses identified as damaged (434 of those in Gympie) following the catastrophic SEQ floods of 2022, 6744 properties are now damage free once again according to the QRA.
According to information released by the Gympie Regional Council, 291 residential properties and 143 commercial and industrial properties within the Gympie LGA were initially assessed by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Service as having minor to severe levels of damage.
A release from the office of Steven Miles, said QRA staff have completed the latest damage assessment and reconstruction monitoring operation, in response to last year’s flooding event in SEQ.
From the 3604 assessments made between 13 February and 3 March, 1650 properties were marked as no longer being damaged.
Of the 1954 properties still damaged, repair work is underway on 739 of these.
Many of the properties visited are registered for the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund, a jointly funded initiative through Commonwealth-state Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA) following the destructive rainfall and flooding events of 2021-2022.
Homes most severely damaged in last year’s flood event and at greatest risk of future flooding have been prioritised through the Resilient Homes Fund Voluntary Home Buy-Back Program.
Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for the QRA Steven Miles said :
“A little over a year ago southern Queensland regions were smashed with some of the worst flooding this state has ever seen, Mr Miles said.
“After the waters receded, we launched a major recovery and reconstruction effort, led by QRA, that has now included three rounds of damage assessments in impacted areas.
“This recent 12-month check-in continues the largest damage assessment and reconstruction monitoring operation we’ve conducted since the 2011 floods.
“Over three weeks 3604 properties were visited, with 45 per cent of these marked as no longer being damaged.
“For the 1954 home and business owners whose properties remain damaged, we’ve informed them of the Queensland Government support services available, including our dedicated Resilient Homes Fund team, available via 13 QGOV (13 74 68),” he said.
“Taking care of Queenslanders is our number one priority as a government.
“Through our flood damage assessment and reconstruction monitoring efforts we can maintain conversations with the people affected to find out exactly what they need.
“Whether that’s accommodation or financial aid, or social assistance, we’re not going to leave anyone behind.”
QRA CEO and retired Major General Jake Ellwood said across Gympie and the other affected LGAs, around a third of the buy-back offers presented have been accepted.
“There’s now been more than 420 voluntary buy-back offers presented to homeowners, with 299 offers accepted,” Major General Ellwood said.
“These buy-backs are allowing some of our most vulnerable Queenslanders to move out of flood danger and move on with their lives.
“We’ve had more than 6000 homeowners register for the Resilient Homes Fund, which also offers options for people to raise their home or retrofit it to a more flood-resilient standard, and applications for the program remain open.
“We’re committed to helping these Queenslanders make the best decision about their homes and to get them back into a resilient property as soon as possible.”
