St George ready to withstand next flood

The completion of St George’s new levee system will provide a more certain future for its residents.

Community Recovery and Resilience Minister David Crisafulli said the town had suffered three major floods in the past five years.

“This government is determined to deliver better infrastructure as we promised at the election, to build a stronger, more resilient Queensland,” Mr Crisafulli said.

“The levee is a great example of what can happen when the local council, with support from the State Government, leads the charge to make the community more flood resilient.

“Council has come up with a local solution to a problem that has plagued the town for too long. Historical data shows floodwaters rising above the Bureau of Meteorology’s major flood level 43 times in the past 121 years.

“Last week we called for Expressions of Interest from councils for nearly $47 million worth of projects that will make communities more resilient.

“Different locations need different infrastructure. Levees, drainage upgrades, retention basins and back flow devices will make Queensland communities safer and we hope to see more projects like this one replicated across the state.”

Member for Warrego Howard Hobbs said the levee was a victory for common sense.

“We promised at the last election to deliver better infrastructure, and the St George levee is a showcase of what we can achieve when communities and the state work together,” Mr Hobbs said.

The 2.6 kilometre block wall and earthen embankment levee is designed to withstand a flood even higher than the 2012 event which damaged 50 houses and the Warrawee Aged Care facility, which had been evacuated three times in three years.

Stage One of the levee protects homes and the aged care facility at the southern and northern ends of the town, while the Stage Two block wall joins the levees in the middle to protect the main part of town.

Costing $5.6 million, the levee was funded through State and Federal funding and a partnership between the Balonne Shire Council and the Churches of Christ, owners of the Warrawee Aged Care facility.

[ENDS] 12 March 2014

Media Contact:          Monica Rostron 0409 126 332 or Andrew Longmire 0418 216 627