7000 Bundy homes identified high risk in climate report

A climate change report ranks Bundaberg as one of the most at-risk local government areas in the country.

SWAMPED: Jeff Lennox's home and business were swamped by half a metre of water during the floods. Photo Vanessa Marsh / NewsMail

The Bundaberg region has been named as one of the most at-risk local government areas in the Climate Change Risk to Australia's Built Environment report.

For the year 2020, Bundaberg was ranked as the 8th most at-risk LGA for the number of high-risk properties in the nation.

A high-risk property is defined by the report as a property which has an insurance premium as a percentage of the replacement cost of the property worth more than one per cent.

The report, released by Cross Dependency Initiative, takes into account the number and value of properties at risk, as well as the annual cost of potential damage assuming all hazards are insured.

For 2020 just over 7000, or 11.25 per cent, of Bundaberg properties are considered to be high-risk properties.

By the year 2100 it is projected by the report that over 7700 properties, or 12.33 per cent, will be classified as high-risk.

The ranking of 8th most at-risk government area in the nation in terms of number of high-risk properties also places Bundaberg as fifth in Queensland for the same reason.

Bundaberg joins Moreton Bay, Mackay, Gold Coast, Fraser Coast and Sunshine Coast as the riskiest local governments in the state.

The 36,000 to 57,000 residences at risk in Queensland have an estimated value between $10.5 and $16 billion dollars.

Despite fluctuations in other areas, Bundaberg was ranked as the ninth-most costly government area in the state by the report in terms of annual cost of damage assuming all hazards are insured.

The report ranks Bundaberg as ninth again in 2100.

In an opinion piece to the NewsMail, mayor Jack Dempsey said residents should be concerned, but not alarmed.

"Bundaberg region residents know too well the extreme variations in weather from flood to drought," Cr Dempsey wrote.

"It's a national issue, not confined to the Bundaberg region."