ACTION NEEDED: The home owners in Enid Street, Goodna have been regularly updated by Cr Paul Tully (centre), now they want the State Government to step up and tell them what’s happening. With Cr Tully are Enid Street’s Paul Harding and Chris Bulbrook.
HOME owners in the flood destroyed streets of Goodna fought tenaciously to save their lives and to salvage a few belongings when the water started gushing through their premises on February 26 this year.
The devastation prompted rescue workers to label Enid Street, Goodna as Ground Zero.
It was at the epicentre of the disaster, many homes disappeared under the bubbling brown torrent that cascaded out of nearby creeks.
Residents were gutted when they went back to look at what was left of their homes after the waters finally receded.
The heartbreak of those days still lives with them, but at least now they have been handed a reason to look to a brighter future thanks to the Queensland Government’s flooded homes buy-back scheme.
The authority looking over the program, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, has a $741m Resilient Homes Fund to call on and its now on record that Goodna is priority one.
It all sounds like great news, but residents of Enid Street are still concerned.
They say they know little about how much they will be offered, when they will get a buyback offer and what’s happening with valuations.
Paul Harding, Chris Bulbrook, Francisco Klobucar and Allan Kunst are among the few Enid Street residents who have gone back to their properties.
They say information from the government has been slow and unreliable and they want an urgent sit down meeting to find out first hand what’s happening.
“I am living in a shell of a home with no walls, just a bed I have nailed together,” Allan Kunst said.
“Because of the state of the house my wife who has mobility issues, can’t live here with me. My kitchen is in the garage, and I have to leave rat baits out each night to keep them at bay after the flood saw their numbers skyrocket,” he said.
Paul Harding says he’s ready to sell up and move away with his wife and 12-year-old son, Jett, after a “gut-wrenching” experience.
“It was terrifying and heart-breaking and while we have had five good years in Enid Street the time has
come to leave the flood zone behind,” he said.
Chris Bulbrook has a different story to tell about the buy-back saying he can’t afford to move.
“By the time I pay off my mortgage I’d not be left with enough money to buy a home, I’d prefer to raise the house above the flood levels and stay here,” he said.
“In that regard we had the government come out and investigate doing that work, but I haven’t heard anything since.”
All the residents were unanimous in their praise for their local council representative, Paul Tully. All said he’d been a constant visitor to their street letting them know about what assistance might be coming from the government and council.
Cr Tully said it was excellent news that the buyback figure would be based on the value of the homes immediately prior to the 2022 flood.
“I urge residents who want to be considered for the government buyback to sign-up now,” he said.
“A further benefit from the scheme and the removal of the homes will see an increase in open space and possibly more sporting development, as Enid Street is adjacent to the Western Spirit Football Club.”
