Warwick damages bill after March floods now estimated at $2m - $5m

With emergency repairs to finally fix and reopen Condamine River Road after months of closure, SDRC has revealed the new multimillion-dollar estimated cost following the devastating March floods.

Residents in Warwick and the wider Southern Downs can expect a multimillion-dollar repair bill in the wake of the devastating March flood event, with construction expected to stretch out for another two years.

Southern Downs Regional Council announced on Monday that “emergent” works would begin this week along Condamine River Road, which had been closed in the several months following the major flooding.

An SDRC spokeswoman said additional rainfall made it impossible for council officers to inspect the road before late May, with damage at “differing levels of severity” recorded down the entire track.

“ (SDRC) logged damages and is in the process of affecting emergent repairs before the end of June, which involves making the crossings safe and usable for motorists and also attending to the rest of the gravel road over (about) two weeks,” the spokeswoman said.

“(The) council had to follow a specific process to record evidence of the damage and submit a claim for the cost of repairs before any works could start.

“The (Condamine River Road) works are fully funded under the relevant government agency’s guidelines to make the road safe ... a more accurate idea of cost will be forthcoming when works are complete.”

Warwick residents such as Narelle Couper were awe-struck by the overflowing Condamine River when it peaked at 6.66m in March, inundating the surrounding parks and sportsgrounds. Picture: Jessica Paul

The spokeswoman added that while data on the region-wide impact was still being collected, preliminary estimates set the total damages between $2 million and $5 million.

The road in Cambanoora Gorge near Killarney was just one of at least 300 identified as flood-damaged to some extent by the council.

According to a report tabled at an SDRC ordinary meeting in April, the extensive impact of the March event only compounded the damages caused by flooding in February, 2020.

SDRC director of infrastructure services Seren McKenzie said at the time the additional loss would push back the completion of 2020 flood repairs to March next year, with it unlikely the roads damaged in this year’s floods would be repaired before 2023.

The Condamine River Road works will be pushed through within the council’s 90-day emergency repairs window, with construction expected to be complete within six days.

The Warwick flood event occurred after more than 150mm rain fell in Warwick in just two days, with the Condamine River peaking at 6.66m.

SDRC was left with a repair bill in excess of $100 million after the devastating 2011 floods.