Sunshine Coast flooding: Bruce Hwy to reopened

The Bruce Highway has reopened with one lane reconnecting the Sunshine Coast and Brisbane following a flooding emergency with major travel delays to be expected.

Aisling Brennan and Matty Holdsworth

5 min read

February 28, 2022 - 2:11PM

Sunshine Coast

Don't miss out on the headlines from Sunshine Coast. Followed categories will be added to My News.

The Bruce Highway has reopened between the Sunshine Coast and north Brisbane in a limited capacity, Queensland’s Department of Transport and Main Roads confirmed.

A department spokesman said the highway had reopened about 12.30pm after the damages were assessed on Monday morning.

It comes after a 4.5km stretch of the highway was closed following major flooding to the King John Bridge at Caboolture.

Cars stopped on Sunshine Coast roads due to flooding.

Transport Minister Mark Bailey confirmed the Bruce Highway had reopened with reduced lanes and traffic control between Caboolture and the Caloundra exit.

Mr Bailey warned there would be lengthy delays to and from the Sunshine Coast.

“We’ll be down to one lane in each direction at many spots between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast so there will be extensive delays, and it will be a slow trip,” Mr Bailey said.

“I understand a lot of people have been isolated and need to get home, but my advice is to only travel between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast if absolutely necessary.

“Our crews have done an amazing job to re-open the road after this record-breaking rain event.

“We are still assessing the damage and doing repairs, so it may still be a few days until the road fully re-opens.”

Authorities have issued many emergency warnings for parts of South East Queensland over the weekend, including Noosa, Brisbane and the Gold Coast with many suburbs further south of the Sunshine Coast now copping the brunt of the intense rainfall.

Drivers are being urged to be careful on the roads with long delays are expected.

Cars stopped on Sunshine Coast roads due to flooding.

Further north at Gympie, all major bridges, including Inglewood on the Bruce Highway and Bells Bridge on the Wide Bay Highway, were cut late Saturday.

Electricity has been cut to more than 49,000 homes, with Brisbane, Ipswich, Gympie and Logan the worst affected.

About 1000 schools will be closed on Monday, trains have been cancelled and people have been urged to work from home and drive only if it is an emergency.

Emergency crews have been kept busy overnight with many call-outs to assist those trapped in floodwater, including one Glasshouse Mountain family who were rescued as water quickly gushed through their house.

Police were also called to Tanawha on Sunday afternoon after car crash left one woman dead.

Further north, a woman had to be rescued from her home in Gympie after the water went to window height.

10 EVACUATED FROM NOOSA LANDSLIDE

10 residents had to be evacuated following a major land slippage at Black Mountain. Picture: Noosa Council

Ten residents in Noosa were evacuated from their homes following a major landslip at Black Mountain on Sunday, Noosa mayor Clare Stewart reported.

In an live video update on social media, Ms Stewart and Noosa Police Station officer-in-charge Ben Carroll addressed residents on the next phase of the flooding disaster across the southeast.

Ms Stewart said 10 residents had to be evacuated from Black Mountain and were “safe and well” after the landslip with a geotech engineer tasked to assess it.

She said some residents in Noosa North Shore remained isolated.

“What we are seeing is unprecedented,” Ms Stewart said.

“As we go from response to recovery, we will assess damage by drones.

“We are in constant contact with north shore residents who may need food or medical supplies.”

Acting Inspector Carroll said Noosa police had taken on more than 1000 jobs over the past six days of the emergency flooding situation.

He said flooding remained an issue at Hilton Terrace and anticipated the thoroughfare to be closed for another 24 hours.

Insp Carroll said Kin Kin was accessible but the hinterland town remained cut off from mobile phone service.

Meanwhile, dozens of Queensland courts will be closed to the public on Monday, with only urgent domestic and family violence applications will go ahead.

The arrangements apply to courts at Beaudesert, Beenleigh, Brisbane, Caboolture, Caloundra, Cleveland, Coolangatta, Gatton, Gympie, Holland Park, Ipswich, Maroochydore, Maryborough, Murgon, Nambour, Noosa, Pine Rivers, Redcliffe, Richlands, Sandgate, Southport and Wynnum.

Coolum State School flooded on February 26. Picture: Kirra Green

LATEST FLOOD WARNING FOR MONDAY

The latest warning from the weather bureau states river levels are no further significant rainfall is expected over the catchment in the next few days but flood warnings remain.

The weather bureau’s latest forecast at 3pm Sunday states major flooding is possible at Tewantin and minor flooding is likely at Picnic Point on Monday morning on the high tide.

Very heavy rainfall has been recorded across the Noosa and Maroochy River catchments in the 24 hours to 9am Sunday, rainfall totals of 150-350 mm have been recorded.

Since 9am, a further 20-100 mm has been recorded in the Maroochy and Mooloolah catchments.

This rainfall has led to significant river level rises along the Maroochy, Noosa and Mooloolah Rivers and Coochin Creek catchments.

River levels remain elevated in the catchment area.

Ernest Ave and Hilton Tce, Tewantin, remains closed as residents prepare for more rain and heavy flooding to hit the Sunshine Coast. Holi and Freddie Broman. Picture: Patrick Woods.

Maroochy River

Renewed rises and minor flooding may occur along the Maroochy River during Monday morning on the high tide.

The Maroochy River at Dunethin Rock is currently at 1.96 metres (below minor) and steady. The Maroochy River at Dunethin Rock is likely to remain below the minor flood level (2.90m) during Monday.

The Maroochy River at Picnic Point is currently at 0.96 metres (below minor) and rising. The Maroochy River at Picnic Point is likely to exceed the minor flood level (1.30m)) during Monday morning on the high tide.

Noosa River

Major flooding may occur along the Noosa River.

The Noosa River at Tewantin is currently at 1.47 metres and steady, with moderate flooding. The Noosa River at Tewantin may peak near the major flood level (1.80m) Monday morning on the high tide.

Mooloolah River

Minor flooding is easing along the Mooloolah River.

The Mooloolah River at Palmview is currently 4.19 metres (below minor) and falling. The Mooloolah River at Palmview may remain below the minor flood level (4.50m) during Monday.

Coochin Creek

Minor flooding is easing along the Coochin Creek.

25+ Photos: Maroochydore residents brace for big clean up after flood

VIEW GALLERY

Senior meteorologist Harry Clark said while the heavy rainfall and thunderstorms will be “mostly towards Brisbane”, Coast residents should still expect to see continued showers across the region.

“Showers could redevelop, particularly on the southern Sunshine Coast, from Maroochydore south and through to the hinterland,” Mr Clark said.

“We couldn’t rule out locally heavy rainfall as well.

“Keep an eye on the radar particularly for heavy falls.”

The Coast recorded 50-100mm of rain in the 24 hours leading up to 9am on Sunday, while the hinterland had rainfall between 200-300mm.

Mr Clark said residents can expect to see rain ease on Monday but the weather system remains “generally unstable” which means conditions can change suddenly.

There will be some showers but finally we see those totals fall under 15mm,” he said.

The Coast looks like to have escaped the prospect of flood levels exceeding the 1992 record, with the Bureau of Meteorology forecasting river levels to not get as high as earlier expected.

Ernest Ave and Hilton Tce, Tewantin, remains closed as residents prepare for more rain and heavy flooding to hit the Sunshine Coast. Gary and Barbara Elliott. Picture: Patrick Woods.

AUTHORITIES ASK RESIDENTS TO STAY SAFE

The plea from Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to stay home came as the state’s southeast was battered by another day of relentless rain, extreme storm activity and flash flooding.

“No one expected this rain bomb to be sitting over the southeast of our state for such a long period of time,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

“Let me be very clear about this – this is like an unpredictable cyclone and it is the levels that we have never expected or could never have been forecast,” she said.

“We never expected this rain, this rain bomb is just unrelenting. It’s coming down in buckets – it’s not a waterfall, it’s like waves of water just coming down,” Ms Palaszczuk said.

Ms Palaszczuk agreed that an extreme weather event had been forecast, but said “we didn’t expect it to stay this long”.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services have responded to 6500 calls for help throughout the flood event across the south east.

Ernest Ave and Hilton Tce, Tewantin, remains closed as residents prepare for more rain and heavy flooding to hit the Sunshine Coast. Kai and Marley McAviney. Picture: Patrick Woods.