Opinion: How Bundaberg should be preparing for the ‘perfect storm’

“Should the East Bundaberg Flood Levee be constructed as designed, that secondary catchment would be locked in behind the EBFL and the biggest pumps in the world would not be viable.”

Deatils of the proposed East Bundaberg Flood Levee.

A prudent elected Government at all levels must always strive to provide the Community with their “best hopes to stay safe” and not promote fear through inaction, an example being the death and destruction from weather-based disasters.

Although we are all aware that Planet Earth’s weather patterns are becoming more severe in so many ways, the reasons seem to be, yet not confirmed by a complete consensus of Science.

Many credible theories with expert research abound and our own common sense tells that ‘something detrimental to its inhabitants is happening to our Planet,’ and our collective response and resilience may be tested to the limit.

This Bundaberg has a rich history of resilience that we can draw upon and one glaring example of particularly relevance must surely be the response to WW1 which caused extreme hardship to the families of our fighting men and women by keeping the home fires burning.

Their moral strength and resilience were legendary as they worked and waited in hope for the return of their loved ones from that vicious war.

This vibrant Regional Community is almost surrounded by a major flood plain, fed by an enormous inland catchment of 33,210.0 km² and therefore, in severe rain events causing extreme flooding, the river will always win due to the expectation of increasing power from Mother Nature.

There are many and varied reasons that we find ourselves in this potentially dangerous situation and includes urban development, weirs, and barrages over nearly 100 years and, of course, climate change.

However, nothing can compare with the lack of valid flood mitigation following many decades of development of this Region.

Now is not the time for complacency and the most effective solution should be determined by consultation with all stakeholders acting in co operation with each other.

My only observation in relation to the proposed East Bundaberg Flood Levee or any derivative or variation of it, I ask that you consider one of the key designs that is essential for the scientific recommendations for the construction of the EBFL.

Riverine floods are usually the result of an actual or the aftermath of a cyclone that inundates the catchment of a major coastal river.

In most Bundaberg’s floods, the assumption that the river will peak at the CBD within 5–8 days from the rain event is usually correct and it is also usual that the peak will affect the city in fine and hot conditions with little or no rain to disrupt the recovery process.

I apologise for preaching to the converted, but the scene is now set for the potential for an enormous disaster.

Consider if a rain event inundates the north west, near west and south west of the Burnett catchment as was the case in 2013 resulting in 3 waves from the 3 western zones, and within 7 days that peak arrives at the Bundaberg reach and a cyclone of any proportion strikes this coast from the Coral Sea during this period, it would create a flood of Biblical proportion.

The combination of such a perfect storm would inundate the catchment from The Hummock to the junction where the Burnett and Elliott catchments meet, and most of any serious floodwater will end up in Bundaberg Creek.

Should the East Bundaberg Flood Levee be constructed as designed, that secondary catchment would be locked in behind the EBFL and the biggest pumps in the world would not be viable because the full level of the riverine flood would still be roaring at full flow.

The last time this occurred in Nth. Queensland, more than 300 lives were lost!

In April 2021, a similar ‘perfect storm’ of 2 cyclones colliding was offshore in WA and caused little damage.

We are constantly reminded that climate change will cause ocean inundation, more and more severe rain events and cyclones and the weight of scientific evidence cannot be ignored.

Mother Nature is more powerful than ever.

One cannot multiply knowledge by dividing it!

These observations are not designed to create fear but simply to encourage the Bundaberg Region’s Community to ask the hard questions of all levels of Government so that a common sense based scientific review of this critical matter of flood mitigation can be considered by all stakeholders because every member of this Regional Community deserves to be empowered with their “best hopes to stay safe.”

Paul Tramacchi, Bundaberg North.