More funding secured for generator-powered Kamerunga Villas in Cairns

An eleventh-hour deal has been struck for Kamerunga Villas, which have been running on diesel generators since the ex-TC Jasper flood in December.

An eleventh-hour deal has been struck for Kamerunga Villas, which have been running on government-funded diesel generators since the ex-TC Jasper flood in December.

The state and federal governments have poured in almost $1m to keep the lights on at about 60 units at the complex over the past six months, after floodwaters ruined the villas’ underground power cables.

Unexpected advice that the funding was due to expire on June 28 as well as ongoing frustrations over the body corporate’s management of recovery efforts left many residents fearing sudden homelessness.

However Barron River MP Craig Crawford said he had managed to secure an ongoing commitment to keep the generators running, with an expectation repairs to the power network would be finished by the end of this year.

Kerri Mason, Kerrie Dowd, Pat Wilcocks and George Pawlowski with one of the eight generators that have been supplying power to the flood damaged Kamerunga Villas. Picture: Emily Barker

“But no one really knows what the wet season looks like coming up … so the extension takes it into (March) 2025 to allow some extra time,” he said.

“We shouldn’t be facing another deadline, stressing about whether it’s going to happen or not.”

Resident George Pawlowski said the news was a “massive relief” for everyone living at Kamerunga Villas.

“The stress, anxiety, depression and financial hardship has been difficult for many to handle,” he said.

Mr Crawford said funding would continue under the same arrangement, with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and the commonwealth’s Disaster Ready Fund bearing the costs while the Cairns Regional Council was responsible for managing it on the ground.

Water damaged property within the Kamerunga Villas estate. Picture: Supplied

He said the emergency funding was costing taxpayers about $150k to $160k per month.

“That’s the cost of fuelling, personnel to manage it and obviously the hire (of generators),” Mr Crawford said.

“It’s a lot of money but I do think that it’s worthwhile in that we’re keeping a lot of people away from needing emergency accommodation.

“I’m very keen to keep people in their houses rather than putting them into apartments at full rates.”

Residents have not been hit with any power bills during this time but could face a hefty bill when the body corporate finalises works to fix the underground power network.

Before the bailout package was first struck in January it was revealed the body corporate committee had insufficient cash in a sinking fund to cover the repair of the damaged cable network.

While some residents say they’ve been “failed” in the aftermath of the flood, Mr Crawford said he was confident repairs would soon be under way.

“They’ve handed over very detailed plans … that’s given confidence to government to know we won’t need to extend this (funding) again,” he said.

Originally published as More funding secured for generator-powered Kamerunga Villas in Cairns