Caravan lost, clean up begins after Mary River breaks its banks in Maryborough

One of Maryborough’s main bridges remained closed Sunday afternoon as the clean-up began in the wake of the flood, and one woman told how she and her husband lost their ‘home’ in the rapidly rising waters. GALLERY OF PHOTOS

Just weeks after large parts of Hervey Bay were inundated by flash flooding in the midst of ex-tropical cyclone Alfred, a new weather event has caused minor flooding in Maryborough, leaving parts of Queens Park under water and causing the closure of two of the city’s main bridges.

The heavy rain over the weekend caused extensive road damage to parts of the Bruce Highway, the Maryborough-Hervey Bay Rd and Tahiti Rd at Tiaro.

Repair work was being carried out on Tahiti Rd on Sunday.

Flooding cut the Bruce Highway at Tiaro, but the main thoroughfare reopened about 6pm Saturday.

Flood damage to Tahiti Rd at Tiaro.

In Maryborough the Lamington Bridge remained closed until late on Sunday, while the Granville Bridge reopened on Sunday morning after flooding in Lower Kent St caused it to close.

The Burrum River Bridge remained closed and would reopen when water levels dropped and council crews could do a safety inspection.

Maryborough Landfill was open, along with Bauple Transfer Station, while Boonooroo Transfer Station was closed due to access issues.

Flooding across the Fraser Coast

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The trains at the Downer factory were moved to higher ground ahead of the flooding in Lower Kent St on Saturday,

With the Mary River peaking at 5.8m in Maryborough, students from Maryborough State High School gave up their weekend to be part of a team to evacuate sheds for the Wide Bay Rowing Club as the floodwaters rose.

Sarah Subritzky shared her story on a Hervey Bay community Facebook page.

Mrs Subritzky said she and her husband had been staying at the caravan park at Maryborough Marina and had lost everything when the river flooded.

Aerial photos of the flooding in Maryborough.

“My husband works away in Rolleston, about eight hours away,” she wrote.

“By the time we arranged for someone to help tow the caravan it was to late – the floodwaters had already risen so quickly.

“By the time my husband made it home, the caravan was likely floating down the river (or close to it!).”

Mrs Subritzky said she had been monitoring the Bureau of Meteorology but at that stage there had been no indication of anything other than mild flooding.

She said she and her husband were now looking for short-term accommodation while they sorted out insurance.

It comes just weeks after record flash flooding left hundreds of homes and businesses damaged in Hervey Bay and residents across the Wide Bay endured a nervous night.

On March 9, residents in Hervey Bay woke to a wall of water rushing through low-lying homes after up to 500mm fell in some parts of the city.