Rowes Furniture Toowoomba hit hard by flooding for second time in month as CBD hit hard by rain

The Toowoomba CBD has been hammered by heavy rain over the past 48 hours, and it’s caused one of its most famous shops to be flooded for the second time in less than a month.

For staff at Rowes Furniture and Bedding, the store’s second flooding in less than a month had one positive aspect.

Rowes copped a drenching during the freak storm that his the city on January 11, leaving flooring and some furniture damaged.

Though the flooring had been ripped up, the new floors hadn’t been laid yet before the store was flooded with water from the swollen creek across the road on Friday.

“The carpet was supposed to go down tomorrow (Sunday) and the timber floors on Friday,” Rowes retail manager John Wright said.

“Some of the furniture was damaged.

“At this stage I can’t really tell what it would be worth, probably in the tens of thousands (of dollars).

“We just about had the floors done and ready but now we’re back to the start again.

“Never mind! These things are sent to test us,” he smiled philosophically.

Mr Wright said the floodwater had entered the store from the Russell St doors and the Keefe St doors at the rear of the store.

Meanwhile, across Russell St at the National Hotel, staff were busy mopping up the mud that was left after the pub was flooded on Friday.

“It was worse than last time,” explained bar manager Tessi Mackay-Quinn.

“When the storm hit the ice (hail) banked up against the doors but this time the water went right through the pub floor.

“We didn’t have sandbags but we do now.”

It is hoped the pub will be open for business again early in the week,” she said.

“We’re cleaning up today (Saturday) and it depends on the carpets but we hope to open again early next week.”

FRIDAY:

One of Toowoomba’s most famous retail stores has been inundated by floodwater for the second time in less than a month, as heavy downpours wreak havoc in the city centre.

Rowes Furniture Store retail manager John Wright said the showroom copped an even worse battering on Friday than what occurred during the January storm event.

“The showroom is completely flooded, only two sections weren’t wet — it was the same area as last time,” he said.

“We had about a foot and half of water through the showroom.

“Everyone is a bit deflated but tomorrow is another day.”

Rowes were hardly the only business to be hammered by rain, with Grand Central Shopping Centre closing its underground car parks as a precaution, while some shops were also shut.

Grand Central centre manager Claire Torkington said the flooding was being monitored by the company.

“We have a robust flood management process in place to safely manage events such as this, and should the situation escalate we are prepared to respond rapidly,” she said.

“At this stage, Grand Central remains open for trade, however in response to advice from emergency services, we have decided to close the basement car parks as a precaution.”

On Russell Street, the National Hotel experienced some flooding while Orphans and Widows and the Cossart Geo Saddlery were also affected.

Mothercraft Childcare centre advised parents to come pick up children early, although there is no report of an evacuation.

Several roads across the city’s CBD, including Margaret, Victoria, Russell, James and Ruthven Streets, were affected or closed due to rising floodwaters.

Originally published as Rowes Furniture Toowoomba hit hard by flooding for second time in month as CBD hit hard by rain