Sunshine Coast flooding: Cars lost near Nambour Plaza shopping centre as carpark floods

The Sunshine Coast community has proven again it has an enormous heart after kicking in thousands to help a young mum fleeing abuse who lost her car in flash flooding this month. SEE HOW MUCH WAS RAISED

The Sunshine Coast community has proven once again it has an enormous heart after kicking in thousands to help a young mum fleeing abuse who lost her car in flash flooding this month.

The woman, who can’t be identified due to safety concerns, was devastated after returning from work to see her Toyota Yaris in water near Nambour Plaza on December 1.

The mum in her 30s, suffered prolonged physical and sexual abuse before contacting DV Connect to find refuge on the Coast.

A friend said the woman was ridiculed by her former partner for not being able to speak or understand English ‘properly’.

After a deluge on the Coast, the woman’s car along with four others, was engulfed by waters from Petrie Creek.

While announcements were made over the PA at the shopping centre she believed they were only referring to the centre’s underground carpark.

The car, which she had only recently bought for about $6000, was not insured.

It is a write-off after being submerged to the roof.

A fundraiser was launched to help the woman have her car replaced. The woman needs the car to transport her young child, go to work and attend to appointments.

A modest target of $6000 was set and this week it was reached, after a final donation of $1500.

The organiser of the appeal said she was ‘truly overwhelmed by the community support shown’.

“The saying goes that it takes a village to raise a child but I think it also takes a community to help a mother get back on her feet. I cannot thank you all enough!”

The woman has no family in Australia.

One of the cars parked nearest Petrie Creek in the carpark near Nambour Plaza. Photo: Mark Furler

Seven cars were initially caught in the water with two being retrieved leaving five others in the muddy water.

Cars parked near Nambour Plaza shopping centre were swallowed by rising flood waters from Petrie Creek.

The owner of the Yaris, who had only recently moved to Australia to start a new life, did not have insurance on the car, which she had only recently purchased.

The engine of the Toyota Yaris parked near Nambour Plaza was submerged, and covered in mud. The car was not insured. Photo: Mark Furler

Locals comforted the young woman as Jason Dougherty, from Clayton’s Towing, told her that given that her car had been submerged by water, it would be a write-off.

Cars submerged by floodwaters near Nambour Plaza on the Sunshine Coast. Photo: Mark Furler

The car was parked on the higher side of the carpark but water rose to the dashboard, while the engine was covered in muddy silt.

Other cars were parked on the lower side of the carpark were fully submerged with one only showing the roof as the waters receded.

Flash flooding after heavy rain on the Sunshine Coast saw Petrie Creek burst its banks, leaving cars in a carpark near Nambour Plaza submerged. Photo: Mark Furler

The carpark, along with the underground carpark at Nambour Plaza itself, is well known for flooding during extreme weather events but some of the signage warning of the risk was obscured by a tree’s leaves.

One of the signs warning people that the Nambour carpark is prone to flooding is obscured by leaves.

Many commenting on social media blamed the drivers for not taking enough care, while some said the local shopping centre and the council should have done more to warn motorists, and also closed the carpark earlier.

But other long time locals said the speed at which the water rose even surprised them.

“I’m a forever local, and this flood level even surprised me yesterday,’’ Rebecca Smith wrote.

“We have new people working in our office who park there and even I said there’s no way it’ll flood that quickly … then BOOM by lunchtime it was under.

“Yes we have heavy rain but I have NEVER seen it come up that quickly. I was down there taking videos for a half-hour or so and couldn’t believe the rising level and the cars going under so swiftly.

“ It was too late when the Plaza came down then made the PA announcement.

“It was also too late when the SES arrived. Those signs are ridiculous.

“ They either need to be massive and more prominent – or the car park needs to be completely closed off if severe weather is coming. Even before the creek starts rising.

“We have so many new people to our lovely town that simply don’t know.

“Insured or not – I feel for those who have had to deal with this after a long day at work and may have still had to pick up their kids. And like I said, the speed of this one blew me away.”

Another suggested that store owners nearby could ask the council for road closed signs so they can put them out as a good Samaritan.

“We lived near a creek notorious for flooding and whenever there was reasonable rain the school bus company would call us to see if they could get through.”

Nambour has had more than 120mm of rain in the past seven days up until 9am Wednesday, according to official records, with torrential rain pouring down on Wednesday morning and afternoon.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast flooding: Cars lost near Nambour Plaza shopping centre as carpark floods