Bauple man Steve Bottcher identified as Tiaro floods victim

A father, who was swept away as his partner and daughter clung to branches in the Mary River, has been identified as a loved local farmer.

Tributes are flowing for 52-year-old Bauple man Steve Bottcher, whose body was found after he disappeared in floodwaters at Tiaro on Monday night.

It’s believed Mr Bottcher was doing a mercy run to deliver food to neighbours on Monday night, after locals were cut off by floodwaters for almost five days, when the boat he was travelling in with his partner and daughter flipped.

His partner, a 43-year-old woman and her eight-year-old stepdaughter were also in the boat when it tipped, but survived by clinging onto foliage and calling for help.

A house is seen surrounded by flood waters from the Mary River in the town of Tiaro, where Mr Bottcher worked at an excavator company and was sadly found after he was swept away by flood waters. (AAP Image/Darren England)

Police were called to the scene at 5.30am on Tuesday morning and the pair were finally rescued.

Sadly, Mr Bottcher’s body was found by a swift water rescue team at 11am on Tuesday, approximately 200 metres from where he went missing.

A message from Mr Bottcher’s family about his untimely death was shared on facebook group Beautiful Bauple, where tributes flowed for the Tiaro Excavations worker.

“Rest easy Steve, you’ll be sorely missed,” Anne Knox wrote.

Jules Sulley said Steve was “such a nice guy”.

“So sad to hear this sad news our love and wishes to you all,” she wrote.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesperson told the Gympie Times the 43-year-old woman and the eight-year-old girl did not report significant injuries after they were rescued.

A report will be prepared for the Coroner.