Bundaberg reflects on 2013 floods at commemorative morning tea

The Bundaberg community has taken the day to reflect and commemorate the effort of emergency services and volunteers who were instrumental in saving lives during the tragedy, with some fearful little has been done to prevent future devastation.

For many the memories of the devastating floods were close by.

It has been a decade since catastrophic floods ripped through the state and devastating Bundaberg, damaging 3000 homes and 600 businesses and leaving 7000 people stranded.

Emergency service volunteers on Friday morning reflected on eleventh-hour rescues and devastating heartbreak at a commemorative morning tea at the Bundaberg Botanical Gardens.

Leader of the Opposition David Crisafulli shared his own memories, from chopper rescues to mass evacuations.

“I can remember talking to an SES volunteer, talking about the damage, and I asked him how his own home was going,” Mr Crisafulli said.

Gallery: Remembering the catastrophic 2013 Bundaberg floods

“He mentioned he hadn’t been back to his home yet, he didn’t know the extent of the damage, and there he was helping someone else.”

Several emergency volunteers from Bundaberg and the Burnett shared similar sentiments, as newspaper clippings from the floods brought back fresh memories of a painful time.

Community members reflected on the struggles that have arisen since the floods, from inability to get insurance for homes and businesses to the continued inaction on flood mitigation.

For many the memories of the devastating floods were close by.

Mr Crisafulli said the Bundaberg community should be able to insure their homes, and it was up to the state government to work with insurance providers on lowering premiums through flood mitigation measures.

“There’s a need for infrastructure to lower premiums, and there’s a need for infrastructure to avoid heartache,” he said.

Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett spoke on the work the Bundaberg community did to help each other and those struggling the most during the catastrophic flooding.

“People came from everywhere to clear the mud, wash clothes, make sandwiches, look after pets, and rebuild homes,” he said

“The power of water is immense, but the power of people is even stronger.”

Mr Bennett said while there had been several projects completed following the floods to ensure safety and longevity of the Bundaberg community, state government promises needed to be kept.

“Ten years on and we’re yet to see any movement on flood mitigation projects,” he said.

“It should not take a decade to floodproof Bundaberg. We deserve better.”