Street transformed into ‘Resilience Rd’ for Queenslanders devastated by cyclone
A Central Queensland street is now one of the most disaster-proof in the country after a major insurer transformed the homes of five families in a free and first-of-its kind experiment.
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A Central Queensland street is now one of the most disaster-proof in the country, after a major insurer transformed the homes of five families in a free and first-of-its kind experiment.
Suncorp chose Rockhampton for its Resilience Rd project due to the recurrence of floods, bushfires and storms – including Cyclone Marcia in 2015, which inflicted over $400 million in insurance damage.
Ember guards and cyclone mesh screens are among a raft of upgrades that will better protect five properties on Bowen St, now co-named Resilience Rd.
Suncorp aimed to demonstrate how simple and affordable it could be to make homes safer- which reduces the fallout of disasters for residents and insurers.
Participating in the project was an easy choice for Kim Miller, whose roof “peeled back like a sardine can” during Cyclone Marcia.
Her young family was subsequently displaced for 10 months while she was pregnant.
“For some people, you have to suffer that pain to actually think about your home differently,” Ms Miller said.
“I think we really need to get that message across of changing your mindset and looking at your home through a different lens.
“Because you don’t want to be put out like we were if you suffer through a cyclone or natural disaster.
“We all need to be a bit more proactive.”
Simple changes that have helped disaster-proof the Millers’ home include increasing the batons in the car port and moving airconditioning units under the house.
Resilience Rd adopted the innovation of Suncorp’s One House prototype launched last year after the insurer found more homeowners prioritised bathroom or kitchen renovations over natural disaster resilience.
The prototype home, launched by Suncorp in conjunction with the CSIRO and James Cook University, was built to withstand floods, bushfires and cyclones.
Suncorp’s Bernadette Norrie said they applied the learning from One House to the real homes on Resilience Rd.
“Many homeowners aren’t aware of the modifications they can make to their home to help lessen the impact of extreme weather they will inevitably continue to face,” Ms Norrie said.
“We know that it’s not just about the physical impact to a home because being displaced from your home after a weather event can have long-lasting psychological impacts.”
The Thomas family would brace for flooding in their old Queenslander, built in the 1930s, every time heavy rain pelted Rockhampton.
Their recently completed upgrades have given them peace-of-mind.
Steve Thomas said he was grateful that the insurer chose his usually-quiet street which will feature in an advertising campaign to launch today.
“When we were filming, people would walk their dogs past and you do feel a bit special when they ask what we’re doing and what’s going on,” Mr Thomas said.
“With the weather really impacting on a lot of Queenslanders lives recently, it’s playing on people’s minds and I think this project has really helped in getting that message of resilience out there.
“When there’s storms now we don’t have to worry about rushing home or water coming under the door.”
The houses on Resilience Road had upgrades that ranged from $200 for a weather seal installation on an external door to $6000 to install Crimsafe screens to stop wind-driven projectiles.
RESILIENCE RD UPGRADES
* Upgrading garage doors to ensure they can withstand cyclones / strong winds / limit fire embers entering enclosed areas
* Upgrading gutter guards to ensure debris doesn’t build up causing internal leaking / also stops fuel building for fire embers to light
* Installing weather seals on doors to lessen / stop any water ingress during a storm
* Replacing smoke alarms to ensure they’re working properly in case of internal house fire
* Tree lopping to ensure branches aren’t hanging near houses posing a potential flying debris risk during a storm damaging your home or your neighbour’s home
* Installing outdoor storage to ensure outdoor furniture doesn’t fly away in a storm or cyclone
* Ensuring a garden shed can withstand cyclones and strong winds by installing a cyclone kit
* Relocating airconditioning units to be away from the elements so they can’t get damaged in a storm – this stops blackouts from happening should your electrical board short circuit
* Replacing Colorbond roof sheeting including cyclone washers, fixings and flashings to ensure roof and flashings remain intact / not damaged during strong winds/storms. Stops any water ingress through the roof – a common problem for a lot of homes
* Replacing carport roof battens to ensure they’re reinforced which strengthens the roof structure so that roof sheeting has more batten points to screw into
* Replacing wall lining with cement cladding to protect from water ingress in a storm
* Replacing doors with solid fire rated hard wood material (rather than hollow plywood) as this better protects against storm and fire
* Raising height of power points to ensure electrical safety in the case of a flood
* Installing louvres and Crimsafe screens to protect against flying debris in the event of a cyclone or storm and protects against flying embers and bushfire heat
* Installing a water tank for storage reserves so if a bushfire occurs, fire fighters can use this water to put out a fire
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