Frecklington wants flood warning gauges on Boonara-Nangur Ck

More than a year after raging flood waters west of Gympie carried 14-year old Krystal Cain to her death, a call has gone out for a better system to warn farmers and landowners in its path.

More than a year after raging flood waters at Booubyjan, west of Gympie, carried 14-year old Krystal Cain to her death, a call has gone out for flood warning gauges to be installed along the Boonara-Nangur Creek.

More than a year after raging flood waters at Booubyjan, west of Gympie, carried 14-year old Krystal Cain to her death, a call has gone out for flood warning gauges to be installed along the Boonara-Nangur Creek.

It was at the Boonara-Nangur Creek that Krystal and her father Lenny made the fatal mistake of trying to get through water over the Burnett Highway on January 8, 2022, as they tried to make their way to Agnew Water.

Their car was swept into the creek, and after swimming to safety and clinging to trees for hours, Krystal disappeared into the darkness. Emergency services searched a 10km area for a fortnight before announcing the search would be scaled back.

Now Nanango MP Deb Frecklington has made a plea for flood warning gauges to be built along the flood prone Boonara-Nangur Creek system.

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It was announced at the recent federal budget that there would be funding over the next 10 years for flood warning infrastructure across the country.

Mrs Frecklington said she has written to the Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt, seeking a commitment for two flood warning gauges in the upper sections of the Boonara.

Deb Frecklington says flood warning gauges are needed in the upper reaches of the Boonara Creek, like at the McIntosh Bridge at Tansey.

“Since the devastating floods of early 2022, I have been calling for flood warning gauges to be built on the Boonara-Nangur creek system to help downstream landholders monitor when a flood is imminent along their catchment,” she said.

“Landholders along the Boonara Creek have suffered four major floods since 2011, with two of these events in 2022. They have lost horses, cattle, sheep and equipment, but with better warning, it would give them time to move stock to higher ground, move irrigation equipment and place flood warning signs on the Burnett Highway.

Krystal Cain was swept away by flood waters on Friday night, January 7, 2022, near Gympie, Queensland. Krystal is pictured here with her aunt Trina on Christmas Day, 2021. Picture: GoFundMe

“Tragically, a 14-year-old girl lost her life in the Booubyjan area last January, and several more people travelling on the Burnett Highway (which runs adjacent to the Boonara Creek in several locations) were caught in life-threatening circumstances by this dangerous and fast-flowing creek.

“There is an urgent need for flood warning gauges on the Boonara Creek and my letter to the Federal Minister seeks a commitment for two flood warning gauges in the upper sections of the Boonara.

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“The flood warning gauges would make a real difference to the people who live along this creek system giving them assurance they could be alerted earlier to the threat of flood if and when it next occurs,” Mrs Frecklington said.

Originally published as Frecklington wants flood warning gauges on Boonara-Nangur Ck