Grantham, Floods Dr DOUGLAS (Gaven—Ind) (3.47 pm): In January 2011, 14 people lost their lives in the floods of Grantham and a further seven died elsewhere in the Lockyer Valley. Nearly every house on the flood plains of Grantham was severely structurally damaged and 29 houses were lost altogether. There was an amazing series of heroic rescues and the town was later moved to higher ground. A subsequent inquiry was held and its conclusion would appear to defy much of the available information known at the time. Only one day of the inquiry was devoted to the disaster at Grantham. On 10 January 2011 an eight-metre wall of water destroyed many lives forever. It is, however, the actions of too many members of the Queensland government that would bring great shame on the integrity of governance in this state with regard to what has occurred in the aftermath since the flood. If this flood had occurred during the night, 300 people could have lost their lives. There were two flood events in Grantham. One was at Lockyer Creek but another was a 300-metre-wide wall of water reaching heights of 4.5 metres, running east beside the railway line.  2906 Members’ Statements 28 Aug 2014 This second flow of water caused catastrophic damage and resulted from the collapse of a constructed dam wall of the Wagner Quarry above Grantham. I table the photos and the hydrology studies—all 12 of them—showing exactly where that water went and showing that wall being demolished after the flood. I table both of those. Table paper: Photo—aerial—post flood wall Wagner Quarry. Tabled paper: Queensland Reconstruction Authority—Town of Grantham—2011 flood maps It is very clear that the levee banks and dam wall built and operated by the Wagner Quarry on the Lockyer Creek had a significant role in causing both witnessed water obstruction to flow below and above Helidon to the main road as never seen before, rising a metre every couple of minutes. Additionally, when the wall overflowed and subsequently collapsed, that wall of water was released and flowed eastward at the rate of 60 to 70 kilometres per hour into Grantham, tracking along the railway line north of the Lockyer Creek, killing those people. Yet, like many other statements from witnesses, these details were not included at the flood inquiry. In the weeks that followed after the event, those obstacles eight kilometres to the east of Helidon were quietly removed. I have tabled the photos showing this. None of the dam walls or levees was council approved. They did not have to be approved, but they do have a responsibility to those following afterwards. I am going to table a statement as to what occurred by Tom Friend, who is the brother of the councillor. Tabled paper: Transcript, dated 12 December 2013, Alan Jones talking to resident of Grantham about 2011 floods. It is the greater tragedy that what occurred at the quarry was told after, and that is by Tom Friend. Subsequently at the inquiry Dr Jordan, the hydrologist from SKM, gave the explanation that the wall was an existing structure. That was not true, and I now have a letter directed to Steve Jones, the mayor of Lockyer, stating that the government will not investigate this. This must be reinvestigated! These people lost their lives; it is a tragedy. Tabled paper: Letter, dated 4 August 2014, from the Premier, Hon. Campbell Newman to Councillor Steve Jones AM, regarding 2011 flooding of the Lockyer Creek between Helidon and Grantham.
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 21:26:41 +0000
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