Samford locals tell tales of survival and destruction in the face of rising floodwaters
An elderly man has detailed the terrifying hours spent sitting on a ute bonnet in floodwaters at Samford, which was cut from access this morning, as residents and business owners face lengthy clean-ups.
North
Don't miss out on the headlines from North. Followed categories will be added to My News.
An elderly man has detailed the terrifying ordeal of sitting on a ute bonnet for hours to avoid rising floodwaters this morning as Samford, northwest of Brisbane, was faced with inundation.
After being woken up by several loud bangs, Samford resident Dennis Hanelt opened the door of his van to see floodwaters surging through the Westwood Drive property, which backs onto the South Pine River.
“I woke up to see what was going on and the whole place was flooded,” Mr Hanelt said.
“I got out of the van, but then I couldn’t get up to the house here because there was that much water there. It was too dangerous, so I ended up just sitting on the ute and waiting for the water to recede.”
The 69-year-old said all he could do was wait it out.
“There was no where else to f — king go,” he said.
“If it’s dangerous to move you stay where you are, otherwise you end up bloody drowning yourself.
“A hell of a lot of water came through.”
Roads to Samford were closed this morning due to flooding at several locations, with road closure signs blocking the way at many spots including Samford Rd at Ferny Grove and Eatons Crossing Rd at Samford.
It comes as residents and business owners across the idyllic Moreton Bay town assess the damage caused by rising waters overnight.
Samford local Robert Ryerson said it didn’t take long for his Church St home to become submerged in floodwaters.
“It was raining like crazy, we had 12 inches of water on the bottom of the driveway and well within 45 minutes, it was as high as the veranda,” Mr Ryerson said.
“I was walking in chest-high water at about four o’clock this morning, which I was not real happy about.
“It washed out everything under the house, it was quite devastating, it’s unbelievable.”
He lives at the home, next to Samford Creek, with his wife Sandra who said they were woken after midnight by torrential rain which kept on for hours, with the water peaking at high tide about 3.30am.
Ms Ryerson, whose home was also flooded in 2021, said it was close to the worst she had seen in her 20 years at the property.
“We had to tie the boat and the caravan down at one point because we thought they float away, then we’d have to get them out,” she said.
“The two cars had water up to the seats but we could drive them out from under the house.”
Neighbours were on site this morning helping move and clean mud off their possessions kept under the house.”
Luckily the water did not rise above the floorboards of their highset home.
Along Samford Village’s Main Street, Little Tree Bake & Brew coffee shop owner Van Grasso had cleared away the mud and creek debris from his venue by late morning and was already on the phone to Moreton City Council to demand answers.
Mr Grasso, who was flooded in 2022 and has owned the coffee shop for five years, said he was told a council hydrologist blamed the flooding on 300mm of rain in one morning.
But he said such severe flooding had not happened before a council owned footbridge further down Samford Creek.
“The water couldn’t get away. It was swirling around in a big whirlpool and gouged out the bank opposite us,” he said.
“That never happened in 2022.
“I believe the foot bridge at the bowls club has blocked the flow.”
Onlookers at the bowls club said it also flooded in 2022 but not as badly.
All the greens were still under centimetres of water early this afternoon and the clubhouse was wrecked inside with mud coating the floor.
A Moreton Council spokeswoman said the Samford area recorded rainfall totals of more around 340mm in 12 hours, greater than the 250mm rainfall recorded during the February 2022 weather event.
“Some of the heaviest rain fell over just a number of hours which has caused creek levels to rise and flash flooding to occur in some areas,’’ she said.
“The flood gauge in the Samford area indicates this rainfall event had a 0.05 per cent Annual Exceedance Probability (AEP) likelihood, making this an unprecedented rain event.’’
One Samford resident, who had only just finished renovations, said they were now living with relatives as the property was contaminated with sewage from their septic system.
He said water rose to 1m inside the house with televisions, cupboards and tables up-ended after floating on the water.
The house was already smelling with mud everywhere but two cars were saved.
“We have got insurance but who would want to buy it now,” he said.
He said he had complained to council only a month before about vegetation blocking a nearby creek leading into Samford Creek and a drain on a neighbouring property he believed was too small.
Mr Grasso prised local councillor Darren Grimwade, whom he spoke to this morning, but said council had to do something.
Revealed: All the Qld projects in Albo’s latest $260m cash splash
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s pre-election spending spree continues in Queensland on Wednesday, as he unveils a $260m funding boost for a spate of infrastructure projects.
The surprise side hustles earning more than teachers and nurses
Gig workers are raking in pay packets 50 per cent higher than teachers or nurses, who say their wages have fallen. Check our PAY TABLE