Brisbane Mayor warns 2011-style floods could hit city again at any time

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has warned that a 2011-style flood could happen at any time, urging residents to be prepared for rising waters.

Brisbane Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has warned that a 2011-style flood could happen at any time and urged residents to be prepared for rising waters amid a La Nina summer.

It comes as remnants of a tropical cyclone cause flooding in Queensland’s north.

Speaking out the front of a New Farm apartment block which has adopted a series of flood-preventative measures, Cr Schrinner said council had adopted every recommendation made to them following the 2011 floods.

But he warned the Brisbane River could flood at any time.

“Next week marks the 10-year anniversary of the 2011 floods,” Cr Schrinner said.

“It is a week that none of us that were around at the time will forget,” he said.

“It showed what Brisbane was really about, what community was all about.

“I have no doubt if it wasn’t for the 2011 flood, we wouldn’t have handled COVID so well as a community.”

Residents patrol through flooded Heussler Terrace, Milton, in 2011. .Picture-Patrick Hamilton

Cr Schrinner said 50,000 sandbags were being kept in reserve in case of a similar flood event, and said council was watching the situation in North Queensland.

“We know that can quickly come down here in southeast Queensland,” he said.

“We are ready, council is ready.”

Brisbane SES Local controller Lowry Boyd, who led efforts to save lives and livelihoods as the 2011 floods unfolded, said the 10-year anniversary would be a difficult time for many volunteers.

“It was a very stressful time, it’s a time that I really believe will happen again,” Mr Boyd said.

“It’s just a matter of time,” he said.

“We are in a La Nina season now and that means we can expect some heavy wet-weather event that can impact the city.”

Membership of the Brisbane SES had doubled since 2011.

Oxlade Drive resident Peter Ferguson (pictured) said his New Farm heritage apartment building Glenfalloch was well-prepared with a network of pumps in the basement, and showed off a flood gate that could be installed at the building’s driveway with the Lord Mayor.