Netball president Colleen Miller calls for indoor sports stadium in wake of Gympie flood

One of Gympie’s sports leaders is urging construction of a new indoor stadium as it faces a half million dollar repair bill from the February floods, while another business has revealed it must close for good.

A new temporary home, a staggering repair bill and the loss of another popular CBD business are among the latest developments as the fallout from the devastating February flood continues.

Calls for a multipurpose sports facility to be built in Gympie have resumed amid revelations it will cost $500,000 to bring Gympie’s netball courts back to life at Hyne Street.

Netball president Colleen Miller said the floodwaters had caused significant damage to the courts, with subsiding land opening up cracks in the surface and turning them into a “trip hazard”.

The courts were submerged under more than 2m of floodwater.

“They’ve been deemed unplayable,” Mrs Miller said.

Gympie netball was pursuing a full rebuild of the courts, a project that will cost $500,000.

The club is waiting to learn if the club’s office building needs to be demolished as well.

Gympie netball president Colleen Miller said rebuilding the courts will cost about $500,000.

Mrs Miller said rebuilding the courts rather than just resurfacing them would make them more flood proof and allow them to be used “for the next five to 10 years”.

“We’re confident we’ll get the funding,” she said.

She said planning needed to start in relation to opening a multipurpose sports facility, as about “90 per cent of (Gympie’s) sports fields have gone underwater”.

“The discussion and planning needs to start immediately.”

The club will play its 2022 season at the Victory College and Gympie State High School courts, though fewer courts means the games will have to be played longer into the night.

While Gympie netball has been able to salvage its 2022 season, another group has called it a day.

The owners of The Happy Yak near Smithfield St have shut the eatery for good following the floods. The shop was damaged by the floodwaters.

Popular Smithfield St cafe The Happy Yak has become the latest casualty of the February flood disaster, with its owners pulling the plug on the business after seven years.

Kylie and Phil Elliott announced the Yak’s closure on Facebook on Wednesday night.

“Due to the extensive damage and loss caused by the flood we are not in a position to bring back the Yak,” the post said.

“On behalf of Phill, Kylie, our family and staff, we would like to thank you all for your loyalty, love and laughs over the past seven years.

“We had an absolute blast and couldn‘t have done it without all your support.”

The Elliotts declined to make any further comment beyond the post.

Meanwhile, Bank of Queensland has established a temporary home at Drakes supermarket complex between Reef and Barter Sts.

The bank has taken to social media to celebrate the news it was “fully functional” once more.

After suffering catastrophic damage in the flood waters in Mary Street, the branch set up a makeshift operation in its own car park before moving to the shopping centre on March 21, but without cash facilities.

Originally published as Netball president Colleen Miller calls for indoor sports stadium in wake of Gympie flood