Flood information - links

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https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1094111936873082880

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https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1094180081486811136

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https://twitter.com/7NewsBrisbane/status/1094397892888940544

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/2/10/assistance-keeps-rolling-out-to-floodaffected-north-queensland-residents

10th February 2019
   
Media Release

Minister for Communities and Minister for Disability Services and Seniors

The Honourable Coralee O'Rourke

Assistance keeps rolling out to flood-affected North Queensland residents

The Palaszczuk Government's community recovery efforts are in full swing across Townsville, including teams of outreach workers who are visiting some of the worst-hit areas to help people who are experiencing hardship in the wake of the flooding.

Communities Minister Coralee O'Rourke said boots were on the ground, with four outreach teams comprising Ready Reserves, Lifeline staff and Red Cross representatives.

"These teams have already been out in areas such as Idalia, Railway Estate, Mundingburra, Oonoonba, Rosslea and West End to extend face-to-face support to people who are doing it tough," Mrs O'Rourke said.

"Outreach teams can assist with grant applications, provide referrals to other organisations and agencies and offer information and support.

"We know many people might now be focused on cleaning up their homes and don't have the time to attend a community recovery hub, so face-to-face support at their own home can be a big help."

The outreach teams are part of a 500-strong community recovery workforce currently mobilised across the state.

More than 270 Ready Reserves are currently working in Townsville.

Mrs O'Rourke said outreach teams would get out to as many affected communities as possible over the coming days and weeks.

"This is a long-term community recovery effort and we will be here for as long as the community needs us to get back on their feet," she said.

"In addition to outreach, people who are experiencing personal hardship due to the flooding can also download and use the Self-recovery app, go to www.communityrecovery.qld.gov.au or contact the Community Recovery Hotline on 1800 173 349.

"This includes accessing Emergency Hardship Assistance grants of $180 per person, up to $900 for a family of five or more, help cover the costs of essential items such as food, clothing, medication and accommodation, which are available to everyone who lives in the Townsville local government area."

Other grants such the Essential Household Contents Grant, Essential Services Safety and Reconnection Grant and Structural Assistance Grant, which are income tested, are also available to eligible residents who are uninsured and have experienced certain loss or damage following this disaster.

The grants are made available through jointly-funded Commonwealth/State-Disaster Relief Funding Arrangements.

For more information on the grants, financial assistance and locations of community recovery hub, go to https://www.qld.gov.au/community/disasters-emergencies/queensland-disasters/fnq-monsoonal-trough

ENDS

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1094444803255820288

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https://twitter.com/RossRiverDam/status/1094557200767303682

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https://twitter.com/townsvilleport/status/1094756019983405056

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https://twitter.com/AnnastaciaMP/status/1094792761058811904

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21035.shtml

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Southeast Queensland
for DAMAGING WINDS, HEAVY RAINFALL and LARGE HAILSTONES
For people in parts of Somerset, Sunshine Coast and Moreton Bay Council Areas.

Issued at 4:41 pm Tuesday, 12 February 2019.
Potential severe thunderstorms near Woodford and Kilcoy.

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Ross River Dam operators 'inadequately' trained, engineer says

A DAM engineering expert has claimed the Ross River Dam would have prevented Townsville from flooding if its spillway gates had been operated professionally.

Townsville City Council owns the dam, however SunWater — a State Government-owned corporation — is contracted to operate it.

In sensational claims late yesterday, a SunWater spokeswoman told The Courier-Mail the dam was not declared as flood mitigation infrastructure and the organisation was "not required to provide flood-mitigation advice".

This is despite numerous government departments claiming the dam was built in 1971 specifically for flood mitigation.

"Ross River Dam is a water supply dam and although it has some ability to attenuate flooding, it has not been declared under the Water Supply Safety and Reliability Act 2008 as a flood mitigation dam," the spokeswoman said.

"Under regulated operating models, a water supply dam has no approved process to guide the safe release of water for flood mitigation purposes.

"Sunwater is not required to provide flood mitigation advice or advisory services in relation to flood mitigation and does not have the required insurances to provide this advice."

The Bureau of Meteorology website says the dam was constructed for "flood mitigation and water storage", and the Department of Environment and Science's website says it was "designed for flood mitigation."

SunWater's startling claims come after Ken Pearce, who worked as a contractor for the Queensland Water Commission, said the dam operators were "inadequately" trained.

In a letter emailed to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and Townsville Mayor Jenny Hill, Mr Pearce said he was qualified to comment as he had more than 30 years of dam engineering experience and was one of the engineers responsible for the design of the Wivenhoe Dam facility.

"(The) Ross River Dam was designed to protect the city of Townsville from floods far in excess of recent flooding and that the dam would have protected the community if the gates had been professionally operated," he wrote.

SunWater said it was contracted to operate the Ross River Dam in accordance with agreed operational procedures and an Emergency Action Plan, unless otherwise directed by the council.

"Flood mitigation dams typically include a dedicated flood storage compartment and require an approved flood mitigation manual that stipulates the timing and size of releases and gate mechanisms to safely regulate flood waters," the spokeswoman said.

"Water supply dams are not designed for this purpose.

"We are confident that we have met our dam safety and operational obligations and responded to all directions under the contract with Townsville City Council."

The Government last week asked the Inspector-General for Emergency Management to review the recent monsoon rainfall and floods. Opposition Leader Deb Frecklington questioned Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk in Parliament about SunWater's responsibilities.

[ozbob]

ABC News --> A derailed freight train spilled lead and zinc into floodwaters

Short vid of the train that was caught in the floodwaters that inundated the region near Julia Creek.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/TCC_News/status/1097314979559092224

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https://twitter.com/TonyAuden/status/1097357300690341889

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Couriermail --> Queensland's summer of disasters to cost $1.5b, says Premier

TREASURER Jackie Trad has not ruled out borrowing more to cover the estimated $1.5 billion cost of Queensland's summer of disasters.

The bill is an early estimate including damage to state and council roads, as well as hardship payments and other disaster grants.

When asked if the state could borrow more to cover the clean-up and rebuilding costs, Ms Trad did not rule it out.

"We are going through the Budget process now," Ms Trad said.

"Every single minister, every single agency is acutely aware of the fact that we have got a big damage bill that we have to meet.

"We will do a whole range of things. We will look at savings internally. We will look at underspends, we will look at a whole range of things in order to make sure that we are there for Queenslanders to help rebuild after the floods.

"How disaster reconstruction funding works is the state has to foot the bill in the first instance for the rebuild, the rail, the roads, significant amounts of clean up, and then we get reimbursed after the work is assured by the Federal Government.

"So this is a long process.

"After the 2010-11 summer of natural disasters we saw payments after assurance work had been done... years after 2011.

"What we know is that Queenslanders need us to stump up now."

In a speech to the Queensland Media Club lunch in Brisbane today, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk outlined the figure while slamming the Federal Government over its "policy paralysis" on climate change.

"Right now, across Queensland, early estimates suggest the cost to Queensland from this summer of disasters will be in the vicinity of $1.5 billion," Ms Palaszczuk said.

That cost includes damage to state and council infrastructure, hardship payments and grants.

"Dealing with increasing natural disasters will carry heavy burdens, emotional as well as financial," Ms Palaszczuk said.

She said that while Queensland was well versed in dealing with natural disasters, the recent events were proof these events were becoming more and more severe.

"Floods, storms, droughts and bushfires are all increasing," she told the lunch.

"In recent times, the intensity and number of those disasters has risen at an alarming rate.

"Since late November, Queensland has seen a series of natural disasters — two of them are without precedent.

"What are we doing about it?

"In Canberra we have had policy paralysis for years.

"Ideology has unseated science, evidence and facts are simply ignored.

[techblitz]

Ideology has unseated science, evidence and facts are simply ignored.

pffft.....blaming everyone/everything else bar yourselves....

Global warming, the feds , but never ever yourselves.....
ok einsteins.....if the state is going to cop more severe disasters from global warming then you better get your sh%t together & start putting money away for the regions to get some infrastructure sorted instead of shoving most of it towards your little Population Ponzi/SimCity utopia called SEQ....

You have been in power for 17 out of the last 20 years...and have clearly failed to match the libs/nats legacy on major mitigation infrastructure.....to reduce the effects of drought and flood.....we have gotten a first hand lesson this summer and its not even over yet....

You are a party that has continuously sat on the sidelines...waiting for flood/droughts to happen instead of thinking ahead adequately......throwing little pittance infrastructure amounts here and there to make it look like you give a sh%t....

ALL of the states largest dams(Wivenhoe,fairbairn,burdekin) were implemented under nats/libs(two of them under sir joh).....never forget it....make sure you remember that next time the state looks at a 1+ billion dollar flood/drought bill while you hold the fort..

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Analysis: Premier Palaszczuk playing the dangerous climate change blame game

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk's decision to draw a direct link between climate change and the Sunshine State's horrific summer of fire and floods represents a new paradigm in Queensland politics.

Extreme weather used to be a time when premiers would warn about the frequency and ferocity of these events if climate change occurred. However, in making a direct link between Queensland's weather and climate change, Palaszczuk has changed the game.

"Our climate," the Premier insisted "has already changed".

Ms Palaszczuk has some well-qualified support for her position. In November, Climate Council experts said Queensland's bushfires were "made worse by climate change".

Fire ecologist Philip Stewart has insisted the intensity of the fires was "absolutely" the result of climate change.

However, it doesn't make you a climate sceptic to question whether Queensland's weather can accurately be linked to climate change.

Climate scientist Judith Curry recently insisted it was wrong to link the US's wild weather to man-made climate change, given all the modelling showed such impacts would not occur until late in the 21st century.

Townsville's rainfall might have breached all records. But it's important to note that our records don't go back very far.

Palaszczuk's position raises other issues.

She's sitting on the fence on the future of thermal coal mining and the Government's fossil fuel power stations.

If she says climate change is already impacting the weather, the Premier's position will become unsustainable.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1097860935648268288

[ozbob]

Couriermail --> Cyclone watch issued as Oma approaches southeast Queensland coast

A cyclone watch has been issued from Bundaberg to Ballina including Brisbane, the Gold and Sunshine coasts as Cyclone Oma continues its ominous approach to the southeast Queensland.

The slow-moving tropical cyclone is in the Coral Sea about 890km kilometres north-east of Brisbane.

While forecasters predict the system is now only 20 per cent likely to hit the Queensland coast, warnings are in place for severe weather and hazardous surf conditions, and strong winds and up to 300mm of rain are expected in places.

People between Bundaberg and the QLD-NSW border are being advised to consider what action they will need to take if the cyclone threat increases.

Surf Life Saving Queensland at 8.30am announced that all Gold Coast beaches were closed as a result of the combination of big swell generated by Oma and unusually high tides, and most beaches between the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island are also closed.

As the category 2 system sits around 950km off the coast of Brisbane, tracking southwesterly at about 10km/h, uncertainty remains on what the cyclone will do, with the Bureau of Meteorology expecting impacts to be felt along the coast even if the cyclone does not cross land.

"The chance of Cyclone Oma hitting is less likely now, however it can't be ruled out," BoM forecaster Kimba Wong said. "There is a very low chance of it hitting the coast, about less than 20 per cent chance."

The BoM is warning of strong winds, high tides and swells along the coast, and potential heavy rainfall regardless of Oma's direction.

"There are going to be pretty strong winds today of 40km/h, with gales starting tomorrow for Brisbane through to the weekend... quite windy along the coast and in elevated areas," Ms Wong said.

"The heaviest rainfall will be concentrated further north at the Sunshine Coast and Fraser Island, however that is heavily dependent on what the cyclone will do.

"We could see up to 100mm of rain and in excess of 300mm in local areas – Brisbane will see 10 to 50mm this weekend while the Gold Coast will see 10 to 30mm on Saturday."

Hazardous surf warnings remain in place for Queensland as well as severe weather warning for abnormally high tides for people in parts of Wide Bay, Burnett, Gold Coast, Maroochydore, Moreton Island, Noosa Heads, Caloundra and Rainbow Beach.

There is even more uncertainty as the weekend comes, with the possibility the cyclone could move further north to warmer waters or linger off the southern coast.

Overnight, forecasters were divided over what ­happens when Oma gets closer to the southeast Queensland coast, showing 20 ­different possible paths it could take.

An analysis provided to emergency groups shows a possibility the weather event will spear north and sit near Bundaberg for much of next week.

BoM forecaster Adam Blazak said one of the scenarios was Oma may "linger" off the southeast coast and this potentially could have an enormous impact, creating a sustained deluge.

Mr Blazak said if it hovered, it could produce rainfall totals of up to 100mm a day for a number of days, which could create flooding.

"The beaches will get beaten up and there will be rain and flooding, particularly south of Bundaberg. If it crosses the coast, we could see 500mm in some areas in one day, but it might head inland and help farmers."

Mr Blazak said Oma was last night a Category-2 system, packing wind gusts of up to 130km/h.

Today, more effects will be felt, with winds increasing to 45km/h and a powerful long-period swell hitting the coast.

Tomorrow and Saturday will see winds reach 60km/h, with gusts up to 90km/h and the swell rising to 4m.

It was expected to close within 400km of the Sunshine Coast on Sunday before hooking in and then tracking north along the coast, but considerable uncertainty remained about where it may make landfall.

A combination of king tides, a super moon and early effects of Cyclone Oma have seen low-lying suburbs in Brisbane's inner-north inundated with floodwaters. Residents in dozens of other areas also are at risk.

Levels at the mouth of the creek in Newstead were above the "minor flooding" mark yesterday morning, with water washing over Northey St in nearby Windsor.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Graham Quirk said council's sandbag depots were fully stocked, with 57,000 sandbags available for collection.

Windy.com >> https://www.windy.com/-Rain-thunder-rain?rain,-18.646,151.370,5

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> 40km of major washouts on Mt Isa Line

Receding floodwaters in Queensland's northwest have allowed Queensland Rail crews to begin assessing the full extent of damage to the Mt Isa Line, with early reports showing damage across 307 kilometres of track.

QR chief executive Nick Easy updated the public on February 20, saying early assessments showed extreme erosion at 204 sites, including roughly 40 kilometres of major track washouts and 20 kilometres of track scouring.

"Work is underway to confirm required repairs and expected recovery timeframes, taking into account optimum use of all industry resources, plant and equipment."

The Mt Isa Line has been closed since early February when northern Queensland was hit by an historic rainfall event.

A Pacific National freight train was stranded on the line, and Easy said work was continuing at Nelia – 50 kilometres east of Julia Creek – to assess the full extent of work required there.

"While ground conditions still aren't dry enough to accommodate the heavy machinery required for Pacific National to recover the train and wagons, we are hopeful that – weather conditions permitting – Pacific National can commence this process late this week."

An exclusion zone of 20 metres has been established around the train, and fencing will progressively be arranged around the site, Easy said.

19 of the train's wagons carrying zinc concentrate, and two carrying lead concentrate, have sustained damage, according to Easy. Assessments are being made to identify potential impacts.

Elsewhere, crews continue to get a solid idea of damage done. 71 bridges have been inspected and 16 confirmed as damaged. 100,000 cubic metres of ballast or fill is estimated to be required to repair damaged track. And QR has already had 10,000 sleepers delivered to Hughenden and Cloncurry in anticipation of repair works.

"All available resources are being mobilised to undertake repairs, including engineers and track teams from South East Queensland, to ensure we return the Mt Isa Line to full operation as soon as possible," Easy said.

As for a timeline, he reiterated his statements from last week. "At this stage Queensland Rail believes the line can be fixed earlier than the 6-12 months that has been suggested and reported," he said. "We will continue to keep stakeholders and the community informed of these plans and timeframes."

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/HurricaneiOS/status/1098591739814821895

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1098868353332961281

[#Metro]

Lines are washed away each cyclone season. I wonder if they are replaced like for like or replaced with something better so that over time less work in the future is required?

[Bretto1082]

Depends on the damage the wash out has done the rail is just reused sleepers depends on what's on stock fdc and lpc take time to get enough out the with the amount of damage so will be a mix of timber lpc and fdc used and targeted locations as a case by case basis

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/fel_caldwell/status/1099255043927138305

[SABB]

Lines are washed away each cyclone season. I wonder if they are replaced like for like or replaced with something better so that over time less work in the future is required?

From a QR friend.
It depends on the funding source. Natural disaster relief money can only be used for 'Like for Like' repair.  You are not allowed to tip in more funds and go for something better.

[#Metro]

Natural disaster relief money can only be used for 'Like for Like' repair.  You are not allowed to tip in more funds and go for something better.

That doesn't seem to make much sense. It will just wash away the next year!

[SABB]

Hey. I was wrong.  Checked with my friend.  You can do an upgrade. However, on the Mt Isa Line, the damage is usually so wide spread, that upgrading one spot doesn't achieve much. Also, the priority is always to get traffic running again. You don't have time to get new culverts made.

[HappyTrainGuy]

Natural disaster relief money can only be used for 'Like for Like' repair.  You are not allowed to tip in more funds and go for something better.

That doesn't seem to make much sense. It will just wash away the next year!

The whole line is built on a flood plain. No need for extravagant lines like we see in other places.

[ozbob]

http://statements.qld.gov.au/Statement/2019/2/26/new-fund-to-help-protect-queenslanders-from-disasters

Media Statements
JOINT STATEMENT

Premier and Minister for Trade
The Honourable Annastacia Palaszczuk

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning
The Honourable Cameron Dick

Tuesday, February 26, 2019

New fund to help protect Queenslanders from disasters

The Premier has announced the first round of a new $38 million fund to better protect Queensland communities from natural disasters was now open.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk announced in Parliament today that local governments, state agencies and non-government organisations could now apply for a share of the $38 million Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund.

"Queensland is the most disaster-impacted state in Australia," Ms Palaszczuk said.

"Since 2011, the state has faced more than 60 natural disasters, causing more than $14.5 billion in damage to public infrastructure while disrupting homes, schools and businesses.

"This disaster season alone has shown we can be fighting catastrophic bushfires and dealing with unprecedented flooding and the possibility of a tropical cyclone in a matter of weeks.

"We all know that in Queensland, it's a matter of "when" not "if" a disaster will strike.

"That is why my Government is committed to making sure we are as ready as we can be for those disasters and this funding is another crucial step in making this happen."

The $38 million Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund will be delivered over four years with $9.5 million available in this first round of funding.

Minister for State Development, Manufacturing, Infrastructure and Planning Cameron Dick said the Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund provided an opportunity for government and non-government organisations to better protect their communities against future disasters.

"The Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund will support opportunities identified by applicants that build community resilience to disasters including flooding, cyclones and bushfires," he said.

"That includes infrastructure projects as well as other initiatives, such as regional resilience plans and public education programs.

"These initiatives have the potential to save lives and also time and money spent on disaster reconstruction and recovery at all levels of government," he said.

Eligible applicants to the fund include local government bodies, Queensland Government departments and agencies, as well as incorporated non-government organisations and Queensland-based not-for-profit organisations. Successful projects will align to the key objectives of the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience.

The Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund will be administered by the Queensland Reconstruction Authority. Project funding will be capped to $2 million dollars to ensure a broader range and larger number of projects can be funded.

Applications for the Queensland Disaster Resilience Fund close on 18 April 2019.

To apply go to the QRA website.

ENDS

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> 8-12 weeks for Mt Isa return

Queensland Rail believes it can return the heavily flood-damaged Mt Isa Line to service within eight to twelve weeks.

The state operator on February 25 provided its first solid timeline for a return to services since heavy rainfall flooded vast sections of the Mt Isa Line at the start of February.

Queensland Rail boss Nick Easy said the formation of a new taskforce, which met for the first time in Townsville on Monday, would help coordinate repairs to re-open the line well ahead of the six- to twelve-month estimates made by some in the media after the flooding.

"Our coordinated recovery crew will allow us to condense the Mt Isa Line's repair time down to eight to twelve weeks, subject to favourable weather and construction conditions," Easy said. "That would have us reopening the line between late April and mid-May 2019."

The focus of works is a more than 200-kilometre stretch of flood-damaged track between Richmond and Oorindi. Easy said over 400 Queensland Rail employees and contractors will be engaged in the work.

50 sites on the 100-kilometre stretch of rail between Richmond and Hughenden have already been reinstated after they were damaged in the weather event.

"We will continue to identify opportunities wherever possible to accelerate repairs so we can open it earlier if possible," Easy said. "Queensland Rail is allocating every possible resource to the Mount Isa Line recovery work."

The newly-formed taskforce will also play a role in the recovery of the Pacific National train that was stranded and damaged by the flooding at Nelia, east of Julia Creek.

"Pacific National is finalising its recovery plans for the train, wagons and products, with support from Queensland Rail and Glencore," Easy said.

"The option of a rail deviation around the Nelia site will be explored by the taskforce, should Pacific National's recovery take longer than repairs to the Mt Isa Line."

Easy said the damage between Richmond and Oorindi includes track washouts and scouring, 16 damaged rail bridges, damage to track formations, and many locations where access roads, culverts and drainage have also been damaged or washed away.

"Two ballast trains are positioned at either end of the damaged section and we will be working closely with earthworks contractors to repair access roads, track formations and surfaces, and replace ballast and track from both east and west," he said.

"We are absolutely focused on opening the Mount Isa Line as soon as we can safely do so and will continue to keep the community and our stakeholders informed as updates become available."

[ozbob]

Queensland Parliament Hansard

https://www.parliament.qld.gov.au/documents/hansard/2019/2019_02_26_DAILY.PDF

Ministerial Statements

Floods, Transport Infrastructure

Hon. MC BAILEY (Miller—ALP) (Minister for Transport and Main Roads) (9.56 am): The
unprecedented flooding in North and North-West Queensland has severely impacted and damaged
road and rail infrastructure. As soon as flood waters receded, TMR and Queensland Rail workers were
hard at work restoring road and rail access. Works have been underway at the Macrossan Bridge on
the Flinders Highway, the Seymour River north of Ingham, at Rooney's and Bowen Road bridges in
Townsville, the Landsborough Highway and the Wills, Burke and Gulf developmental roads out west.
Queensland Rail crews have already repaired damage to 50 sites and four rail bridges along the
300 kilometres of track on the Mount Isa line between Cloncurry and Hughenden.

Yesterday, a rail recovery task force, created with the sole focus of restoring access on the Mount Isa line, met for the
first time in Townsville. As reported by the Premier, the task force has 400 rail specialists dedicated to
the task and believes it can reopen the line by late April to early May, of course depending on the
weather from the remaining wet season. We understand how important the supply chain is for the
livelihood of North and North-West Queensland local communities, their jobs and the whole
Queensland economy. Getting freight moving on the line is critical for Queensland's mining and
agricultural exports and every effort will be made to open it sooner if possible.

Removing the Pacific National freight train wreck at Nelia, east of Julia Creek, will be a significant
logistical task. Pacific National is leading that recovery with support from other agencies, including
Queensland Rail and the Department of Environment and Science. Independent environmental
specialists are playing a key role in developing the action plan that guides that recovery. We will
continue to keep the community up to date with progress.

Last week, I travelled to the north-west to meet the mayors in Cloncurry and the McKinlay shire
and see firsthand the damage that their communities are dealing with. On sections of the Flinders
Highway between Richmond and Julia Creek, flood waters have shredded bitumen like confetti. Given
the devastation, I am pleased to report that Transport and Main Roads is expected to reopen those
sections of the highway to traffic tomorrow. More than 150 Transport and Main Roads and RoadTek
staff have worked long hours in extremely hot conditions to clear debris, inspect and rectify damage
and manage roadblocks.

Earlier this month I was in Townsville to see the damage at Hervey Range Road, Paluma and
the Bowen Road bridge, and also to our rail network where I met and thanked all rail crews working
very hard on the Rooney's rail bridge. Specialists blasted boulders on Mount Spec Road so that
emergency vehicles could access Paluma. Multiple landslips opened up under-road fissures on a
150-metre stretch of Hervey Range Road. Last Thursday that road reopened under traffic control,
thanks to the hard work of Transport and Main Roads and Townsville City Council's crews. I thank them
for their work. Recovery will take time—such as the long-term works required at the Alice River bridge—
but we are committed to restoring our networks as soon as possible.

Recovery is also underway in Central and North Queensland following the bushfires that raged
through the Eungella Range and threatened Gracemere last November. The government's response
to this summer of extreme weather events has relied on the leadership and courage of women and men
in our lead agencies across Queensland who have stepped up in our darkest times. I thank them all for
giving so much to support the recovery in North-West, North and Central Queensland.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/MarkBaileyMP/status/1102785859172982784

[ozbob]

Rail Express --> Mt Isa recovery on track

Queensland Rail boss Nick Easy says the Mt Isa line is on track to reopen between late April and the middle of May, with good progress being made after last month's major flooding event.

Easy on March 7 said Queensland Rail's taskforce was continuing to spearhead repairs on the line between Cloncurry and Richmond, with the section between Richmond and Hughenden recently deemed open to rail traffic.

Crews worked on 50 damaged sites across 100 kilometres of railway between Richmond and Hughenden before opening the section on March 4.

"We are now working closely with our freight operators and their customers on options to restore services through this section and opportunities for freight to be loaded on and off trains at both Richmond and Hughenden," Easy said.

"We will be continuing to work with our freight operators and their customers over the coming week to finalise these plans."

Easy said weather was still a factor in repairs, with three kilometres of plastic mats delivered to sites, and construction beginning on temporary access roads at several locations.

"The teams will continue to utilise this matting as required to build access roads in areas which remain wet as repairs continue," he said.

"Overall, work is progressing well to date and we will continue to provide weekly updates on our progress."

A 60-bed camp is being built in Richmond to accommodate employees and contractors working on the recovery, and another 120-bed camp will be set up at Julia Creek to accommodate recovery works at Nelia.

"Accommodation presented a significant challenge for the recovery work, but now that a solution has been identified and is being implemented, the Taskforce is confident it can mobilise all of the crews and contractors required to accelerate the recovery program," Easy said.

"Local contractors have been engaged to transport mobile, stackable buildings on trailers which will house workers unable to be accommodated in local motels and caravan parks and local suppliers in each town will also be hired to provide food, cleaning and supplies to the camps. The camps are expected to be operational within the next two weeks, if not earlier."

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21033.shtml

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Thunderstorm Warning
for DAMAGING WINDS, HEAVY RAINFALL and LARGE HAILSTONES
For people in parts of Wide Bay and Burnett, Darling Downs and Granite Belt and Southeast Coast Forecast Districts.

Issued at 3:55 pm Thursday, 14 March 2019.
Severe thunderstorms over Southeast Queensland, increasing threat of localised heavy rain

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21035.shtml

Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Southeast Queensland
for DAMAGING WINDS, HEAVY RAINFALL and LARGE HAILSTONES

For people in parts of Somerset, Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley Council Areas.

Issued at 1:38 pm Friday, 15 March 2019.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/railbotforum/status/1106439996221722624

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/ozbob13/status/1106453731996925952

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1106457017026297861

[ozbob]

http://www.bom.gov.au/products/IDQ21035.shtml

IDQ21035

TOP PRIORITY FOR IMMEDIATE BROADCAST

Severe Thunderstorm Warning - Southeast Queensland
for HEAVY RAINFALL and DAMAGING WINDS
For people in parts of Gold Coast Council Area.

Issued at 2:31 pm Sunday, 17 March 2019.

[ozbob]

https://twitter.com/BOM_Qld/status/1107471080913014784