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Okeden Creek Washout Repaired BEFORE: AFTER: January 22, 2011 - The Okeden Creek washout on the Wondai-Chinchilla Road was successfully repaired today and the road re-opened to traffic. South Burnett Mayor David Carter announced this afternoon on Facebook that the temporary repairs on the major thoroughfare, severely damaged by recent flooding, had been completed. Council staff have spent the day working on the damaged section which has been preventing residents from the Ballogie area accessing Wondai or other parts of the South Burnett without a major detour. Speed restrictions and warning signs are still in place in a number of locations along this road. Cr Carter urged drivers to proceed with caution and drive to the road conditions. Photos: Courtesy Martin Stern and the South Burnett Regional Council

Countdown To Blackbutt Range Re-Opening January 21, 2011 - Work has started on constructing a sidetrack to restore connectivity along the D'Aguilar Highway across the Blackbutt Range. The sidetrack will allow one lane of traffic to proceed under traffic control. Transport and Main Roads crews will remain on-site all weekend to ensure that work is completed as soon as possible. Weather permitting, opening dates for the sidetrack are: Wednesday, January 26 - Open to small vehicles, load limit 4.5 tonnes Friday, January 28 - Open to light trucks, load limit 15 tonnes Monday, January 31 - Open to heavy vehicles, load limit 42.5 tonnes. The additional delay for heavier vehicles is to ensure the pavement can carry the extra load without compromising safety.

Volunteers Lend a Hand In Murgon January 21, 2011 - Thirty volunteers are available to help with flood cleaning - both indoor or outdoor - tomorrow (Saturday) in the Murgon area. If you need a hand, phone Laila Gordon on 0418-194-755. The South Burnett Regional Council also has names of other volunteers that are willing to help if anyone requires assistance. The council is also keen to hear from any more people who could assist. Other assistance is also available: Council will also help with taking loads of rubbish away. Phone Stan Taylor on (07) 4189-9100. Murgon SES is helping people to remove furniture from flooded houses Murgon Fire Brigade is helping with hosing out flooded houses. Local photographer Sherrianne Talon has offered a free service for insurance purposes for flood victims in the Murgon area. Her number is 0410-028-603. Help may also become available for fencing. Marg Enkelman is taking names of people that require help with fencing in a bid to to get "Blazeaid" volunteers to come to the area. Marg can be contacted on (07) 4168-9728. * * * South Burnett Regional Councillor Kathy Duff, (right) - who asked SBBiz this afternoon to pass on the above information - had first-hand experience of the recent floods. She was isolated on her family's Di-Di Station at Proston for several days during the height of the flooding, and said today she had spent most of her time under a tree in the backyard with her mobile phone and an umbrella, attending to Council business and helping to co-ordinate flood relief efforts. Cr Duff said she would like to thank everyone in the Murgon community for the way that they had rallied together during the flood disaster. "History shows that communities that recover from disasters are the communities that work together - so I'm confident that Murgon will recover well," she said. She urged residents seeking information about financial assistance to contact Manny Hegarty from the Department of Communities on 0413-530-197. People with emergency road issues should contact Council on 1300-789-279. Cr Duff also invited concerned residents to contact her on 0437-020-705.

Businesses Urged To Attend Information Sessions January 21, 2011 - UPDATED 6:00pm Business owners and primary producers in the South Burnett and adjacent areas are being urged to attend flood recovery information sessions. The meetings will provide information on assistance available, freight subsidies, income subsidies and QRAA grants. Meetings organised by DEEDI will be held at: Blackbutt – Wednesday, January 26, 8:00am-11:00am at Memorial Hall (alongside Australia Day community celebrations) Chinchilla – Tuesday, January 25, 10:00am at RSL Memorial Club Durong - Friday, January 28, 1:30pm-3.30pm at Durong Hall Goomeri - Thursday, January 27, 3:30pm-5:00pm, at Goomeri Hall of Memory (organised by Gympie Regional Council) Kilkivan - Thursday, January 27, 10:00am-noon at Kilkivan Hall, Bligh Street, Kilkivan Kingaroy - Monday, January 31, 2:00pm-5:00pm at Kingaroy Town Hall supper room Mondure - Friday, January 28 at Mondure Hall (organised by Centacare & BIEDO), from 5:30pm (followed by a barbecue). Phone 0448-723-130 Murgon - Thursday, January 27, 1:30pm–3:30pm at Murgon Town Hall Nanango - Saturday, January 29 from 1:00pm at Nanango High School Hall (organised by Nanango Tourism & Development Association). Phone (07) 4163-2266. Proston - Friday, January 28, 9:00am-11:00am at Proston Hall Tansey - Wednesday, February 9, 2:00pm-4:00pm at Tansey Bowls Club (organised by BIEDO) Widgee - Tuesday, January 25, 3:30pm-5:00pm at Widgee Hall Wondai - Monday, January 31, 9:00am-11:00am at Wondai Town Hall For more information, contact DEEDI Primary Industries & Fisheries Senior Extension Officer Damien O'Sullivan on (07) 4160-0717. * * * Ergon Energy employees from Kingaroy have been hard at work helping to reconnect power at flood-damaged premises in Brisbane's central western suburbs. Twenty Ergon staff from depots in Bundaberg, Kingaroy, Maryborough, Hervey Bay and Toowoomba have been helping Energex with the massive task of restoring power. The crews, who are expected to return to their home bases at the end of next week, have been checking network service lines, reconnecting premises and repairing underground and substation assets. ABOVE RIGHT: Apprentice Steve Harrington and linesman Mark Ellis, Kingaroy, help with reconnections at Fernvale in the Brisbane Valley * * * South Burnett Mayor David Carter has invited all heavy transport operators who use South Burnett roads to a meeting on Monday to discuss damage to roads and bridges and other issues. The meeting will be held from 4:00pm in the Kingaroy Council Chambers at Glendon Street, Kingaroy. * * * Latest road closure information (updated 2:20pm)

Blackbutt Range To Be Re-Opened By Australia Day January 20, 2011 - Weather permitting, the Blackbutt Range will be open to traffic by Australia Day (January 26). In a press release today, the Transport and Main Roads Department said it was giving high priority to establishing a safe route for motorists around the landslip sites on the D'Aguilar Highway. Twelve landslips have occurred along a 600m stretch of the highway, one of which covers both lanes of the road and requires major reconstruction work. The department's Acting District Director (Moreton) Penny Ford said immediate efforts were concentrated on developing a traffic sidetrack to provide access for motorists around the site. "Every endeavour is being made to restore connectivity of the D'Aguilar Highway however the safety of motorists must come first," Ms Ford said. "While comprehensive investigations of the site are underway, expert geotechnical advice has identified an alternative route that is safe for motorists. "Our crew will work through the weekend to ensure this route is ready and open for business by Wednesday next week (January 26), weather permitting." Ms Ford said just getting in to assess the location had been difficult due to the extent of the wet weather and the amount of water impacting the site. "We had to wait for waters to recede before we could even examine the huge scope of the slips via helicopter flyovers. It's only been since last Thursday that vehicles could actually get in and deliver experts to assess the damage," she said. "Most road users appreciate how critical this work is and I thank all road users for their understanding." * * * Some more good news ... South Burnett Regional Mayor David Carter said today that - weather permitting - the badly damaged section of the Wondai-Chinchilla Road at Okeden Creek is expected to be re-opened by Sunday (January 23). Latest road closure information (updated 2:00pm)

Be Quick - Just A Few Tickets Left For Flood Ball! January 20, 2011 - There is still a LIMITED number of tickets available for the Kingaroy Lions Flood Relief Ball which is being held at the Kingaroy Town Hall on Saturday, January 29. The ball will feature a three-course dinner and live entertainment by Captains Road, Blues Excuse and the South Burnett Community Orchestra. Tickets are $75 each or $700 for a table of 10 and can be booked at Mathers Shoes in Kingaroy Shoppingworld or by phoning Mat on 0430-861-285 or Ang on 0400-841-358. This event has been supported strongly by the local business community with generous donations. There will also be a fun auction to raise extra cash! * * * The Kingaroy Chamber of Commerce and Industry will be welcoming a new project officer on board next week, Jo Thorp. Jo is well known in the South Burnett community because of her involvement on the Wine and Food in the Park organising committee. She is replacing Kylie Shulte who has resigned to take up a full-time position with Pharmacy Essentials in Nanango. * * * Has your business been affected by the floods? The State Government has put together assistance information on the Business Queensland website * * * Murgon's water supply has now returned to normal after the repair of flood damage. Critical water restrictions have been lifted. * * * South Burnett Mayor David Carter has told SBBiz that several engineers inspected the D'Aguilar Highway at the landslip site yesterday - as well as the old Bypass Road which has been suggested as an alternative route - however the Blackbutt Range remains closed to all traffic at present. Latest road closure information (updated 9:00am)

Pratt Joins Battle To Re-Open Range January 19, 2011 - Member for Nanango Dorothy Pratt has joined the battle to re-open the Blackbutt Range, telling Mains Road Minister Craig Wallace that it should be a greater priority than the Toowoomba Range, which at least is trafficable. In a letter sent to the Minister yesterday, Mrs Pratt said the Blackbutt Range closure was causing hardship to businesses in Moore, Benarkin, Blackbutt and Yarraman. "There is a severe impact on businesses in four small towns who rely heavily on passing traffic and who have indicated they cannot survive long without this continuous traffic flow ... Businesses in all these towns have stated passing traffic constitutes a minimum 50 per cent of their income," she said. "If these businesses fail communities will have no shopping facilities in at least three of these towns." Mrs Pratt also pointed out that the larger communities in the South Burnett rely heavily on transport on the D'Aguilar Highway to re-stock businesses, primary producers need to access abattoirs at Kilcoy and Dinmore and residents have referrals to specialist medical treatment in Brisbane. Download the full-text of Mrs Pratt's letter * * * The South Burnett Regional Council has advised that the section of road between the Wilsons Road intersection and the Broadcreek Road intersection (Muller's Corner) on Burrandowan Road is now closed. Heavy vehicles driving on the saturated pavement have been blamed for causing the damage. A load limit has also been placed on the open section of the Burrandowan Road. Local traffic wanting to access farms in the road closed section may do so if it is safe. * * * Weeds blamed for Goomeri flooding Latest road closure information (updated 3:00pm)

Mayor's Plea To Premier: Fix The Blackbutt Range January 18, 2011 - South Burnett Mayor David Carter has written to Queensland Premier Anna Bligh stressing the importance of reopening the Blackbutt Range to traffic. The D'Aguilar Highway across the Range is not in the South Burnett Regional Council area however Cr Carter said it was paramount to the South Burnett community to have it reopened as a matter of urgency. Council has also contacted senior Main Roads engineers and the Mayor of Somerset Regional Council. "We are lobbying all the relevant people to ensure they are aware that the closure of the range is affecting the South Burnett's ability to recover quickly from this disaster," Cr Carter said. Latest road closure information (updated 8:30am) UPDATE: The D'Aguilar Highway at Meandu Creek (between Kingaroy and Nanango) will be open to two lanes from about 3:30pm today. Traffic control will cease however the 60km/h zone will remain.

Cougar Energy Decision Delayed By Floods January 17, 2011 - The Department of Environment and Resource Management has postponed its decision on Cougar Energy's UCG pilot plant near Kingaroy to Friday, January 28, 2011. The delay has been caused by interruptions to the DERM's normal working arrangements caused by the Queensland floods. DERM told Cougar Energy today that the extension was required to allow it sufficient time to make a properly informed decision on Cougar's environmental reports. The administering authority received the final set of reports from Cougar on December 10, 2010.

Nanango Primary School Devastated By Flooding January 17, 2011 - Rumours that the Nanango State Primary School was devastated by the recent floods are true, a school spokesperson confirmed today. A torrent of water which passed through the school during the height of flooding along lower Drayton Street last week destroyed nearly all of the school's carpets and left the Prep School building in ruins. As well, the school library lost more than 90 per cent of its Junior Fiction collection and all their learning support resources; many outdoor and sports items in the school shed were destroyed as well. Only 11 of the school's rooms were unaffected by flooding, the spokesperson said, and volunteers have been labouring for the past few days to get the school back to basic operational status in time for the resumption of classes next Monday. The school is listed for flood repairs by Education Queensland and is likely to be fully restored in the next few months. ABOVE RIGHT: Nanango State School in happier days ... it will reopen next Monday for the start of Term 1 thanks to the efforts of volunteers but conditions are likely to be very basic until Education Queensland can arrange repairs

Yarraman, Wondai Water Supply Restored; Woolies Backs Salvos Flood Appeal January 17, 2011 - Toowoomba Regional Council advised Yarraman residents at 9:00am today that the town's water supply has been fully restored. Tight water restrictions that had applied since last Thursday can now be eased. A damaged water main caused the issue and the Council had initially expected repairs would take 24 hours. * * * Retailer Woolworths announced over the weekend that they'll match all donations made to the Salvation Army's Flood Appeal dollar for dollar for any donations made at Woolworths supermarkets, Big W or Dick Smith stores from now until Thurdsday, January 20. The appeal has already raised $1.5 million and the money will go directly to flood victims so that they can buy essentials they need. Donations over $2 are tax deductible and Woolworths' stores will issue receipts. * * * Update: The SBRC returned Wondai to normal Level 1 water restrictions this afternoon after workers fixed water pumping equipment problems that have plagued the town since last Tuesday. Murgon, however, will need to remain on restrictions until full water supply capacity is reached. * * * Update 2:30pm: Latest road closure information from South Burnett Regional Council

Flood & Tourism Slump Hits Hard January 17, 2011 - South Burnett tourism businesses such as The Peanut Van have been hit hard by the Queensland floods and the subsequent tourism slump. Last week all three of The Peanut Van's outlets were closed, its market days in Brisbane cancelled and mail orders delayed. Owner Rob Patch said heavy rain had also entered The Peanut Van's headquarters in Kingaroy, (right). He told SBBiz that the latest round of floods had followed a tourist slump over Christmas linked to earlier flooding in other parts of Queensland. "People don't realise how much it has affected local business," Rob said. "I have lived here 55 years and I have never seen anything like it." The Peanut Van re-opened its outlets in Kingaroy, Childers and at Aussie World on reduced hours on Friday and has launched a "flood sale" to help reduce stock built up because of the flooding. 1kg packs of flavoured peanuts have been reduced to $15.00; salt roasted peanuts have been reduced to $8.95/kg and 375g packs of flavoured peanuts are now 2 for $17.00 and 3 for $24.00. ABOVE LEFT: The Peanut Van has also donated cartons of peanuts as special "thank you" parcels for local SES crews and police and for delivery to local flood victims. Another load is being prepared for soldiers working in the Lockyer Valley and the flood survivors in this area.

Hardship Payments Available To South Burnett Residents January 17, 2011 - Residents affected by recent flooding in the South Burnett Regional Council area can now access assistance to help them recover from the effects of extreme weather the region has experienced. Community Services Minister Karen Struthers said yesterday the Personal Hardship Assistance Scheme had been activated in the South Burnett area. Support and referral services are available to individuals and families in the area who do not have the capacity to meet their immediate, unexpected basic costs for food, clothing, medical supplies or accommodation due to the extreme weather. People in the area may be available for payments of up to $170 for individuals or $850 for families if they are in genuine hardship. The needs of individuals and families will be assessed and they will be provided with the most appropriate support from a range of options including referrals to non-government organisations. "Applications for Essential Household Contents and Structural Assistance Grants are also available for individuals and families affected by the flooding in the South Burnett area," Ms Struthers said. "These grants are income and asset-tested." People who are experiencing personal hardship due to the flooding can contact the Department of Communities on 1800-173-349 for support. * * * Nanango residents have uploaded videos of local flooding last week to YouTube: Grey Street, Nanango Nanango State School playground Collection of photos of Nanango flooding

Public Meeting At Durong On Monday Night January 16, 2011 - A public meeting will be held at the Durong Hall at 6:30pm tomorrow night (ie Monday, January 17) so that Cr Cheryl Dalton and the South Burnett Regional Council can update local residents about repairing road damage in the Durong area. The SBRC would also like to hear any local concerns about important roads or bridges the Council may have missed. Because of widespread flood damage to phone lines in the area, all locals who'd like an update on the current situation are encouraged to attend. * * * South Burnett Mayor Cr David Carter told the Sunday Mail today that he expects the South Burnett's damage bill from the floods to exceed $55 million because of damage to roads, a sewage treatment plant and town water supplies. The Sunday Mail reported that up to 12 houses were inundated in Nanango, Blackbutt and Murgon and farms also suffered heavy stock losses.

Yarraman Water Main To Be Fixed Today January 14, 2011 - The problems with a damaged water main which are causing a critical water shortage in Yarraman should be resolved soon. A Toowoomba Regional Council spokesman told SBBiz employees had been working on the problem since yesterday and expected to have it fixed today. In the meantime, however, he urged Yarraman residents to continue conserving water. * * * South Burnett Regional Council has advise residents that the Wondai reservoir is approaching full capacity and Murgon will be full by Monday however residents are still being asked to conserve water. A review will be undertaken early next week with the possibility of water usage returning to normal.

Murgon Bridge & Highway Now Open January 14, 2011 - There's good news for Murgon residents this morning with the announcement by South Burnett Mayor David Carter that the Krebs Bridge will be re-opened later today. Cr Carter said the Bunya Highway between Wondai and Murgon at Krebs Bridge would open at approximately 10:00am. He also repeated that the D'Aguilar Highway between Kingaroy and Nanango is open. Both lanes are open but at a reduced speed of 40km/h at the damaged section. Cr Carter said the speed limit would be lifted to 60km/h when the repair was resealed. UPDATE 10:00am - Gympie Regional Council has confirmed that the Wide Bay Highway - all the way from the Bells Bridge turn-off to Murgon - is now open. Importantly, there are NO load limits on this road. Also, South Burnett Mayor David Carter has confirmed that Krebs Bridge at Murgon is now open with a reduced speed limit. UPDATE 1:30pm - Kingaroy-Cooyar Road has been closed due to a pavement failure at the Old Taabinga/Archookoora Road intersection. UPDATE 3:00pm - Proston-Boondooma Road is currently undergoing pavement repairs on the Stuart River Bridge approach, so access maybe limited or the road closed at times due to the remedial works. Cherbourg Road to Wondai is now trafficable. Latest road information from South Burnett Regional Council

Latest Road Closure Information January 13, 2011 - Here are the latest Road Updates from the South Burnett Regional Council (from council's Facebook page): Sandy Creek - Road closed. Bridge approaches to be repaired over the next couple of days. Proston/Boondooma Road (Carter's Corner) - Road closed. The Stuart and Boyne River bridges to be inspected today to determine amount of work required from Durong area. Kingaroy/Cooyar Bridge - Load restrictions. Level 3 Bridge inspections to be scheduled. Wondai/Cherbourg Road - Road closed. Not trafficable. Krebs Bridge - Closed. Water is 1.3m above bridge and falling slowly. Possibly 24 hours and then the bridge and road will be inspected before opening. Kilkivan to Bells Bridge - Road closed. Culvert failure. Bridge near Barambah Homestead on Burnett Highway - Closed. Road failure. Nanango/Bjelke-Petersen Dam - Road open via Burnett Highway/Murgon Barambah Road Wattle Camp area roads to be inspected today. UPDATE 2:30pm: Latest South Burnett road information UPDATE 4:00pm: Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace has announced that drivers can now get all the way from Brisbane to Gladstone. The Bruce Highway around Gympie has reopened to the south and through the heart of town, six days after floodwaters closed the national highway link. ABOVE RIGHT: A flood-damaged crossing on the Burrandowan/Burra Burri Road, past the Burrandowan racetrack. Photo courtesy: Carolyn Stone

Critical Water Supply in Wondai & Murgon January 13, 2011 - Wondai has just two days water supply left - and Murgon about five days - due to flood-related problems with water pumping equipment. South Burnett Regional Council said this afternoon the situation was stable in Wondai and praised residents for their support. In Murgon, usage has also decreased but it is still outstripping the amount of water able to be pumped. Council stressed there was no problem with the quality of the water and it was safe to drink. It has urged residents to save water while the issue is being addressed.

Kingaroy Shopping Update January 13, 2011 - To dispel rumours circulating about shortages in Kingaroy, this was the position in town at 1:30pm today: Aldi Supermarket - restricted hours until normal trading on Monday Foodworks Kingaroy - open Kingaroy Video and Convenience Store - open SupaIGA - open Woolworths - open At Woolworths, there were limited supplies of fresh meat and fruit available, but no toilet paper or bread. Fresh fruit and vegetables were available at Andersson's Fruit Market. Kingaroy Cakes, next door to the CWA Hall in Kingaroy Street, will be baking this evening and will have fresh bread available from 6:00am tomorrow. Accents Restaurant & Cafe - open from 5:00pm tonight Burning Beats - open Dominos - open Healthy Noodle - open KFC - closed Red Rooster - open Taste South Burnett - open 10:00am to 4:00pm, 7 days Subway - open McDonald's - open Utopia and Kingaroy Coffee Lounge are open. Glendon Street Cafe will be closing early at 4:00pm. Fuel was available at several outlets and newspapers were available. * * * Aldi Kingaroy has donated more than $5000 worth of products to go towards emergency food packs for people who cannot access other food supplies because of the floods. If you are isolated and are in need of food packs please contact Council on 1300-789-279. * * * Good news for Nanango residents! Foodworks Nanango in Fitzroy Street has (at 4:30pm today) bread, milk (limited to 2 litres per person), a limited range of fresh fruit and vegetables plus plenty of other stock.

Yarraman Water Supply Alert January 13, 2011 - Toowoomba Regional Council is alerting Yarraman residents to use as little water as possible. Damage to a water main has limited supply to the township and its residents. Existing storage levels are sufficient to meet needs for only one day. Residents should immediately observe extreme water conservation measures. This means using water only inside their homes and minimising its use as much as possible. Council teams are working to repair damage and are confident that full supply will be restored by tomorrow. Shorter showers, not leaving taps running when washing vegetables and turning off the tap while brushing your teeth help to minimise water use. Latest Road Closures: South Burnett council area (updated 9:00am). UPDATE 11:30am: The South Burnett Regional Council has just advised readers on Facebook that one lane of the D'Aguilar Highway between Kingaroy and Nanango is now open to traffic with extreme caution. Gympie council area Toowoomba area NB. As previously reported, the D'Aguilar Highway across the Blackbutt Range will be closed at least until Tuesday. ABOVE RIGHT: Ironpot Road, washed away near Bob & Paula Wynn's property "Stoneleigh" in the Ironpot area. Photo courtesy: Carolyn Stone