Damage bill set to hit $1bn with long clean-up ahead

As ‘mud army’ goes to work after catastrophic floods, fears supply and tradie shortages could hamper clean-up.

Gym owner Andrew Little and instructor Ashleigh Mehler throw out a ruined computer from their brand new gym in Jindalee. Pic Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

The damage bill from the catastrophic flooding in southeast Queensland is expected to reach $1bn, and there are concerns supply and tradie shortages could hamper the clean-up effort.

While some residents in flood-affected areas were able to return home on Tuesday to begin the clean-up operation, others returned for the first time on Wednesday as the swollen Brisbane River receded further.

The “mud army” made famous in 2011 mobilised again on Tuesday and Wednesday, with 8000 people officially registering with the council and thousands more unofficially chipping in.

In Jindalee, loyal customers returned to local businesses to help strip saturated shelves and furniture and start knocking out affected plaster walls.

Pharmacy owner Chris Bui said his business, which he has owned for 30 years, faced weeks of repairs before it could be up and running again. He was insured before the 2011 flood but, could no longer find an insurer willing to cover the flood zone and does not have insurance this time.

Pharmacy owner Chris Bui and his daughter Hillary with piles of debris from their ruined shop in Jindalee. Pic Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

“There’s nothing that is salvageable,” he said. It was lower than 2011, but it still destroyed everything.

“You’ve got to push on, really, you don’t get a choice.”

Nearby, twins Linh and Tran Quach, 32, looked on at the growing pile of plaster, shelving and equipment building up outside their dental practice, which opened only six weeks ago. Added to the pile were two brand new dental chairs worth $50,000 each.

“It was our dream practice,” Tran said. “It just teaches you to let go of everything, especially at night when the water’s coming.”

They hope to have the business up and running again within a few weeks.

Linh and Tran Quach with one of two brand new $50,000 dentist chairs destroyed by floodwater. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

“It’s still our dream but it’s going to take us a little bit longer,” Linh said.

Gym owners Andrew Little and Zane Pollard were initially unworried about the rainfall at the end of last week but by Saturday night they were told the Brisbane River could flood.

They removed what they could, but when they left around midnight, water was already coming through the door.

The pair called on their friends on Wednesday to help haul sodden mats and fitness equipment outside so it could be hosed down and assessed.

They too had been unable to find flood insurance.