Living in Brisbane - March 2022 Special Edition

Living in Brisbane MA RC H 2022

2022 Mud Army

SPECIAL EDITION

Brisbane unites after floods The severe weather which hit Brisbane had a devastating impact across the city. But Council and the community have rallied together to clean up and restore those areas affected.

Financial support for the flood-affected

Over three days, Brisbane received 676.8 mm of rain, beating the previous three-day record of 600.4 mm from 1974. This unprecedented volume of rain left 23,000 homes and businesses in Brisbane’s suburbs submerged in water, grounded our CityCats and damaged countless roads, parks and pathways. Tragically, some residents also lost their lives.

Council is supporting residents, business owners and community clubs impacted by the recent weather with rates relief initiatives.

Council responded swiftly, with the personal safety of Brisbane residents and visitors being our top priority. We opened evacuation centres and supplied sandbags throughout the weather event while keeping residents up to date on the evolving situation.

Eligible ratepayers can receive a rebate of $250 off their next rates bill, a due-date extension of 60 days, and access to payment plans.

As the city began to emerge from the three-day deluge, Council crews worked around the clock to collect flood-damaged items and started cleaning up our suburbs. We provided food waste bins for flood-affected victims and suspended toll charges on our roads.

All April quarter rates notices for residential properties across Brisbane have been postponed one month.

At the time of writing, the clean-up is well underway, but full recovery will take time and we need to continue to help each other. Inspired by the Mud Army from the 2011 floods, we stood up the Mud Army 2.0 and my thanks goes out to all the volunteers, Council employees, the SES, Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Service, Defence Force and other organisations involved during the severe weather event and recovery.

Under Council’s Community Facility Disaster Relief Payment Program, not-for-profit community clubs on Council-leased sites are eligible to receive a one-off payment of $5000 to help with their clean-up.

Let me assure you that Council is working towards a swift recovery.

It will be hard, but we will get through this together.

Clubs receiving the payment can use the money as they see fit to return their organisation to normal operations.

Call Council on 3403 8888 or visit brisbane.qld.gov.au for more information.

ADRIAN SCHRINNER LORD MAYOR

For more information please get in touch with Council

3403 8888

brisbane.qld.gov.au

Waste disposal

Mud Army 2.0 springs to action

Council is helping support Brisbane residents to clean up and safely dispose of household flood-related waste.

More than 15,000 volunteers signed up to join the Mud Army 2.0, after Council partnered with Volunteering Queensland to coordinate the recovery and clean-up in affected areas.

Emergency food waste bins were placed across flood-affected areas of Brisbane for households to dispose of spoiled food due to flooding and loss of power.

The kerbside large item collection service schedule has been postponed while we prioritise collection in areas that experienced creek flooding and those impacted by the Brisbane River overflow.

Mud Army was formed after the 2011 floods and saw thousands of Brisbane locals take up arms with buckets, brooms and spades to clean up the muddied mess in our flood-ravaged city.

The Mud Army was a defining moment in the city’s history, showing the true spirit of Brisbane.

This time, the clean-up initially focused on areas that received the most damage and were isolated due to ongoing flooding.

More than 2000 requests for assistance were registered as part of the roll out of the Mud Army 2.0 (at the time of print).

From here on, Australian Defence Force and Council officers will continue the clean-up. If residents need help, our teams will be there to ensure no one’s left behind.

Our four resource recovery centres are open and accepting waterdamaged household items, free of charge. Centres in Ferny Grove and Chandler can only receive vehicles with a combined gross vehicle mass (CGVM) under 4.5 tonnes. For vehicles with a CGVM over 4.5 tonnes, visit our centres in Willawong or Nudgee.

Visit brisbane.qld.gov.au and search ‘Waste services and clean up’ for the latest waste-related information and updates.

2011 Mud Army

Public transport services FERRY SERVICES Council ferry services (CityCats, CityHopper and Cross River services) will not operate until further notice due to damage caused by floodwaters and fast-moving debris. Council is working with the ferry operator, maritime engineers and technical experts to determine the extent of damage to the terminals and restore services as soon as possible.

BUS SERVICES Council bus services ran on a reduced timetable due to severe weather impacts, with some services unable to operate due to road closures. Routes have gradually come back into service as roads reopened.

Resource recovery centre

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Refer to the TransLink website (translink.com.au) for the latest information on services and timetables.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GET IN TOUCH WITH COUNCIL | BRISBANE.QLD.GOV.AU | 3403 8888

Restoring local playgrounds and parks

Forsyth Street, Fairfield

Patching up our roads Council is working closely with the Department of Transport and Main Roads and the Queensland Police Service to ensure that streets and roads affected by the severe weather can return to normal as quickly as possible.

On 1 March, Council announced a temporary waiver on tolls on the Clem 7, Legacy Way and the Go Between Bridge to address pressure on the road network.

Council’s Rapid Response crews have been working around the clock to fill and repair more than 6500 potholes. As the clean-up and repairs continue, resulting in some changed traffic conditions and delays, motorists are asked to be vigilant and remain patient on the roads.

Heavy rainfall, creek and riverside flooding have created potentially hazardous conditions for park users.

The damage caused by rainfall, floodwaters and fast-moving debris to facilities like play equipment, lighting, amenity buildings and barbecues is extensive at some locations. Please assess the safety of parks and exercise caution before using any equipment.

Brisbane’s parks are an important part of our green city and Council is working hard to restore them as quickly as possible. We’re closing access to unsafe facilities, clearing debris and cleaning equipment.

Please be patient with any disruptions while Council focuses on making our parks safe and usable again.

To report an urgent or public safety issue on Brisbane roads, call Council on 3403 8888. You can also report potholes by texting details to 0429 234 948 or completing a form on our website.

For traffic updates, visit qldtraffic.qld.gov.au

Getting bikeways back on track Brisbane has an extensive network of bikeways and shared pathways that play an important part in the health and lifestyle of many residents. Council has been working hard to clear debris and repair shared pathways as quickly as possible.

Riders and pedestrians are still reminded to take care on reopened bikeways and pathways, particularly at night, as some may still require minor cleaning or repairs.

To report damaged or blocked bikeways and pathways, visit brisbane.qld.gov.au or call Council on 3403 8888.

FOR MORE INFORMATION GET IN TOUCH WITH COUNCIL | BRISBANE.QLD.GOV.AU | 3403 8888

Hardcastle Park, Hawthorne

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Facilities and venues reopen The majority of Council’s venues have reopened for business following the severe weather.

All Council libraries have resumed their normal opening hours.

Library programs and events, along with the Mobile and Pop-Up Libraries, have resumed their normal timetable.

Brisbane City Council Contact Centre 3403 8888 State Emergency Services (SES) 132 500

Existing customer loans (including FastBacks) were extended by four weeks from current due dates.

All of Council’s swimming pools, except for Bellbowrie and Jindalee, have reopened (at the time of print).

Newmarket‘s indoor pool is operational, while the outdoor pools are closed until further notice.

Residents are encouraged to check Council’s What’s On calendar to confirm that events and activities , including Active and Healthy sessions, are still going ahead before making plans.

13QGov 13 74 68 (General enquiries, housing enquiries, homelessness programs, emergency housing, etc.)

Translating and Interpreting service (TIS) 131 450 13Health 13 43 25 84 (Non-urgent medical help)

Lost and found pets Council maintains a register of all lost and found animals in Brisbane. If your pet is missing:

check if it’s being held at a Council animal rehoming centre and claim them as soon as possible contact Council to report your lost pet

Lifeline 13 11 14 Community Recovery Hotline 1800 173 349 (Information about disaster recovery funds for communities affected by disaster) TransLink 13 12 30

check with the RSPCA and local vets.

Energex 13 62 62

If you find a lost animal, contact your local vet, Council or the RSPCA.

Optus 1800 507 581 (Dedicated line for those affected by severe weather)

COUNCIL’S ANIMAL REHOMING SHELTERS Northside: Warra Animal Shelter 523 Telegraph Road, Bracken Ridge Phone: 3631 6800

HELPFUL CONTACTS

Southside: Willawong Animal Shelter 501 Gooderham Road, Willawong Phone: 3714 2800

Brisbane City Council GPO Box 1434 Brisbane Qld 4001

Printed on sustainable paper

Telstra 13 22 00 Australian Red Cross 1800 733 276

brisbane.qld.gov.au 3403 8888 /BrisbaneCityCouncil

Every effort is made to ensure that information is correct at time of printing

CA22-207081-08-5782 © 2022 Brisbane City Council

@brisbanecityqld @brisbanecitycouncil