Flashback to floods that hit Gympie 10 years ago

Ten years ago, the Gympie region was subjected to back-to-back floods, which started a debate that would last for years on whether or not to build a multi-million dollar flood levee near Albert Park. Twin floods struck again in 2022.

Gympie had two significant floods within weeks of each other in early 2013 - the first in late January and the second in late February.

It was devastating. Multiple businesses copped a double inundation, the Bruce Hwy was cut to the south both times, and a controversial plan was hatched to build a $34million levee near Albert Park to protect the CBD.

Then LNP state local government and resilience minister David Crisafulli visited the city after the second 2013 flood and said Gympie was high priority for state funding to mitigate flood damage.

“I don‘t want Gympie’s story to be The Little Town That Keeps Flooding,” he said.

Gympie 2013 flood from the air

Gympie suffered twin floods again in 2022 - again, it was one in January and then a huge flood in February, which will take the region years to bounce back from.

Best shots from the 2013 flood:

A table of Mary River flood heights in Gympie up until February 2013

One of the two Gympie floods of 2013.

Photo taken from the 2013 February Gympie flood.

2013 aerial flood picture a view of road damage at Widgee. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Gympie Flood 2013 February Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Gympie Flood 2013 February Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Monkland Street - Gympie Flood 2013 February Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

A boat heads out to start the early morning clean up at the peak of the flood Gympie flood January 2013 Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

One Mile was an ocean of water, ten pin bowling in the right corner of the picture was saved but the BMX track, football and cricket fields and their clubhouses went under. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

The new Mary Valley Link Rd cuts through the middle of the backed up Mary River. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

This image shows just how high a levee would have to be built to stop water entering Mary St. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Kidd Bridge entry from the Southside 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Albert Park on the left is inundated by a mass of water. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Looking south east with the new Gympe sewage treament plant in the foreground. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Looking down the river, Bruce Hwy businesses are under in the foreground with the Nestle coffee factory on the right. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

With the flood at its peak, Mary St is in the foreground looking west over Memorial and Albert Parks to the Mary River. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

The Mary River looking north with Centro Shopping Centre on the right. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Gympie Football under water. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

DEVILS HOME: Jack Stokes oval has gone under. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

The Cooloola Kart CLub cricket. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Woolooga from the air yesterday. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Kidd Bridge looking east 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Kidd Bridge entry from the Southside 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Monster river the Mary River at its peak of 19.95m. Kidd Bridge is under water in the foreground looking south east. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Looking south east with albert Park flooded. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Looking south east witht he Bruce Highway on the left at Kentucky Fried Chicken. 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Looking south east with sewage treament plant in the foreground. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Bells Bridge 2013 aerial flood pictures of Gympie. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

SAD: A van sits in Widgee Creek after it was washed away in flood waters during the 2013 floods. Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Gympie Flood 2013 February Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Gympie was hit with dual floods in early 2013.

Blill Clark Coolee owner of Woolooga pub cleaning out after the flood in February 2013 . Photo Renee Pilcher / The Gympie Times

Queensland Member for Gympie, David Gibson during a condolence address for flood victims on the first sitting day of the Queensland Parliament for the year at Parliament House in Brisbane, Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt) NO ARCHIVING

Brisbane Rd business owner Jason Rees and flood devastation from January 2013Photo Lee Gailer / Gympie Times

Brisbane Rd business owner Jason Rees and flood devastation from January 2013Photo Lee Gailer / Gympie Times

BCM 30.1.2013 QLD regional flood tour with Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney and David Crisafulli. Mr Crisafulli reads the Courier Mail while on the plane to Gympie. Pic Jono Searle

Waynes World clean-up after flood February 2013. Photo Renee Pilcher / The Gympie Times

Mary street G&K footwear cleanup after flood February 2013 Photo Renee Pilcher / The Gympie Times

Floods January 2013 Ian, Maureen and son Bryce Sharkey at their Lower Wonga house destroyed by flood waters. Photo Renee Pilcher / The Gympie Times

Floods January 2013 Maureen Sharkey at their Lower Wonga house destroyed by raging flood waters.Photo Renee Pilcher / The Gympie Times

Gympie Flood 2013 February Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times

Gympie Flood 2013 February Photo Craig Warhurst / The Gympie Times