Nambour flooding: The Pump House and Snap Fitness hit by deluge
A Sunshine Coast business which was selling equipment to fight Qld’s massive floods has become the victim of it while another has dodged a bullet with more than $250k of new equipment spared. VIDEO, PHOTOS
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A Sunshine Coast business which was selling equipment to fight Qld’s massive floods has become the victim of it.
Irrigation and pumping supplier The Pump House in Nambour, which is right next to Petrie Creek, lost more than $500,000 in stock and equipment as about a metre of water came raging through on Monday morning.
It came after the Coast was hit by history-making rain including more than 450mm in Diamond Valley and more than 350mm in Nambour, Woombye, Palmwoods and Eudlo.
“There was a lot of water. Never seen anything like it,’’ Adam Richards, the retail manager for The Pump House in Nambour, said.
Locals said the flooding was the worst they had seen in Nambour since the flood of 1983, where local car dealer Ray Grace had to be rescued from the roof of the dealership.
“We’ve had hoses sitting at the front here through the doors,’’ sales representative Ben Chadwick said.
“We’ve lost absolutely everything out the back.’’
“It’s mayhem …. Just destruction. Basically mud all the way through.’’
They have spent the day hosing it out. “There’s still mud everywhere.’’
Mr Chadwick was philosophical about the prospect of more rain.
“If we get it, we get it and start again tomorrow.’’
Ironically, last week they had been selling out of pumps to Brisbane in the lead-up to TC Alfred’s arrival, including big ‘firefighters’ to push water away.
Down the road further, Nambour’s biggest gym Snap Fitness dodged a bullet – by about ‘an inch’.
Owner Nick Bowie initially feared the worst.
“As I was coming past Cricks (car dealership) I knew we were in trouble.
His worst fears were realised when he was sent photos of two cars ‘parked on the pole’ near Ray White’s office right next to the gym.
They had only recently bought new cardio equipment worth about $250,000.
They had no flood insurance because it was too expensive.
“That was very close to being a very bad situation.’’
“About an inch more of water would have done quite a bit of damage.”
“We got lucky.’’
They had about 5cm of water through the building with the equipment spared.
Mr Bowie said already a lot of the gym’s 1400 members have reached out to give a hand.
“Over the next week or so we will get rid of all the water, dry the place out and get back to business,’’ Mr Bowie said.
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Originally published as Nambour flooding: The Pump House and Snap Fitness hit by deluge
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