Locals able to get in and out of Springbrook after floods wash away road and bring landslides

RELIEVED Springbrook residents regained access to the outside world with fast-tracked restoration of a collapsed road yesterday - but it’s locals only, thanks.

Before and After at Pine Creek Rd. Picture: Gold Coast Bulletin

RELIEVED Springbrook residents regained access to the outside world yesterday with fast-tracked restoration of a collapsed road - but it’s locals only, thanks.

Mudgeeraba State MP Ros Bates is warning it is for residents and emergency access at this stage with national parks in the area remaining closed to the public.

A section of Pine Creek Road was stunningly washed away early on Friday leaving a huge gap in the bitumen, impassable to traffic. Residents, stuck without power, were left stranded as the other access into Springbrook, the Gold Coast Springbrook Road via Mudgeeraba, was lined with multiple slips.

Shannen Hillman appeared on the front page of Friday’s GC Bulletin. She returns to inspect the repairs . Picture Mike Batterham

The damage came as 900mm of rain drenched the Hinterland township.

But within 36 hours, Pine Creek Road was reopened thanks to 18-hour work shifts with one lane available to emergency traffic only by Saturday night and to residents by yesterday morning.

Springbrook’s Shannen Hillman, who featured on the Bulletin’s front page on Saturday marvelling at the crater in the road, said she and fellow residents were grateful to have Pine Creek Road restored by the State Government’s RoadTek and for support from the town’s volunteer fire service.

Shannen Hillman at Springbrook . Picture Mike Batterham

“We were a bit panicked at one point because we didn’t think it would be so long — we thought we might be cut off just overnight.

“All Springbrook people are so thankful for the workers who built the bridge back in such a short time and for the fire crew and SES for being such helpful people.”

Ms Hillman, 23, said she would now be able to return to work at Robina today though was preparing for a half-hour longer drive to get there.

Springbrook community stalwart Ray Cavanough, handling logistics including pushing for the road reopening, said once it was restored for residents “we had a lot of happy people”.

Flood damage in the Hinterland. Picture Glenn Hampson

Mr Cavanough, chair of the volunteer rural fire brigade, said firies fed 130 last night and again this morning whilst anyone who couldn’t get out yesterday to restock their fridges benefited from a Nerang community food hamper.

Energex hoped to have power restored to up to half the town by over night.

Ms Bates said telecommunications had been restored for most Springbrook homes and while seven landslips remained on the Gold Coast Springbrook Road it was not believed anyone in the area was stranded any longer.

Springbrook locals stuck on the mountain after landslides took out Gold Coast Springbrook Rd and a wash out took out Pine Creek Rd. Picture Glenn Hampson

The Nerang-Murwillumbah Road remained closed from Pine Creek Road to the NSW border last night, with access only to locals.

“Springbrook residents were ready like they always are — but they don’t usually have both roads out so that was unusual,” she said.

She praised Mr Cavanough for “jumping up and down” to get Pine Creek Road restored.

She understood one resident with a chronic lung condition who required electricity for a pump to breathe managed to find one of the few houses in the area with power.

Shannen Hillman can now get on and off the mountain. Picture Mike Batterham

Meanwhile, Police and SES volunteers resumed their search yesterday for a man aged in his 60s who went missing in Lamington National Park on Wednesday afternoon.

The man was supposed to return to his sightseeing group at 2pm but failed to arrive at the designated spot.

Park rangers lost contact with the man around 7pm that night and have not been able to get in contact since.

The severe weather and road closures leading into the National Park had prevented volunteers and police from searching for him on Thursday and Friday and a renewed search on Saturday also failed to find the man.

He has still not been found.

Police remain concerned for the man’s welfare due to his lack of supplies, while the parks in the area remain closed.