Council empowering residents to rebuild flood smart

Published 29 March 2022

Locals are being armed with practical tools to make their properties more flood resilient, as the region continues to stride forward on the road to recovery from the recent disaster.

Acting Mayor Jodie Shipway said Council’s new Flood Smart Buildings Guideline would help home and business owners decide what steps to take to rebuild or retrofit after a severe weather and flood event.

“There’s no getting around it - there will be more severe weather and flood events in the future,” Cr Shipway said.

“While we can’t prevent more storms and floods, we can prepare for them - which is what the Flood Smart Buildings Guideline empowers our communities to do.

“I’ve been so proud to watch everyone rally in the tough few weeks since the recent flooding emergency unfolded.

“From our Moreton Army diving into the massive clean-up, to locals reaching out to others to offer a hot meal or supplies, and our own Council teams working around the clock, we’ve proven there’s nothing we can’t get through together.

“As we continue to recover and rebuild, there’s no better time to learn from the past, and get ahead when it comes to resilience.

“Moreton Bay Region is located in the humid subtropical zone - and severe weather such as storms and flooding are common. Our changing climate also means we can expect more intense downpours in our region.  

“Before you start rebuilding and retrofitting, it’s vital to think about how future floods might affect your building.

“This guide is for anyone whose home or building has been affected by flood or located in an area prone to flooding and would like to adapt their property to be flood smart.

“At the heart of the plan is retrofitting for resilience by raising, replacing and rethinking.

“Using flood smart strategies on the inside of your home or building can mean you spend less time cleaning up, reduce long-term damage, and drive down long-term costs.

“For outside areas of a building as well as yard space, the guide offers solutions that can help prevent water getting in or minimise damage.

“To help our community get back on their feet as quickly as possible, Council is providing a free advisory service to residents whose properties have been most impacted by the recent disaster.

“This service is available over the next couple of months, if your building has sustained flood damage be sure to provide your property address and contact details to Council via floodbuildingenquiry@moretonbay.qld.gov.au.

“Moreton Bay is a beautiful place to live, but as we have witnessed, Mother Nature can dish out some pretty rough weather.

“This guideline is another step forward in our mission to reshape our region’s planning, giving our home and business owners the confidence to say these are the changes I can make to better protect my property.”

To download the Your Flood Smart Buildings Guideline visit mbrc.link/your-home-and-living

To find out more about your building’s flood risk, visit - Flood check property report - Moreton Bay Regional Council

To find out more about Flood management and preparedness visit www.moretonbay.qld.gov.au/Services/Disaster-Management

To be notified of severe weather warnings sign up to MoretonAlert: www.mbrc.qld.gov.au/moretonalert

For information on next-generation homes and climate smart living, visit mbrc.link/your-home-and-living