A 12-month report card reveals that recovery projects are proceeding at a good rate across the city after the devastating February 2022 floods.
Parts of Ipswich recorded more than twice the average summer rainfall across the February flood event, as the Bremer River broke its banks and water raged through the city.
The February 2022 flood inundated almost 600 homes and 300 businesses, displacing residents, destroying job opportunities, and leaving a major clean-up task.
Recovery from the February flood was delayed when a smaller flood came through Ipswich just two months later in May.
Mayor Teresa Harding said since then Ipswich City Council had been focused on rebuilding the lives and livelihoods of our residents, restoring our city to be more resilient, and supporting our community in recovery.
“To date, council has spent more than $24 million on Ipswich’s flood recovery, including $8.7 million on the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program, with six dwellings already demolished in Goodna, and $8.2 million on emergency response and repairs.
“More than one third of council’s 415 recovery projects have been completed, but we still have a long way to go.”
Council has 36 executed contracts across Goodna, Tivoli, Wulkuraka, West Ipswich, East Ipswich, and Basin Pocket under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program, allowing the worst-hit residents to begin their lives free from floodprone homes.
More than $6.5 million has been spent on reconstruction of roads, parks, drainage, street and sports field lighting, and nearly $60,000 to collect and dispose of more than six tonnes of waterway rubbish from the floods.
Major parks such as Bob Gamble Park were reopened last year following an extensive clean-up effort, while the damage caused by floodwaters to River Heart Parklands and Colleges Crossing has left council with more complex recovery challenges.
Council will be spending almost $3 million on flood preparedness and waterway recovery, flood mitigation and drainage.
An interactive Flood Recovery Projects map is now available online for the latest information on council’s recovery efforts and shows when projects are expected to be completed.
For more information about Ipswich’s flood recovery check the interactive Flood Recovery Projects map online, or visit Ipswich.qld.gov.au/services/flood-recovery
