After years of covering other disasters it was finally my turn to be one of the victims. I was one of the casualties of the floods that struck Brisbane city the week of January 10-14. My house was evacuated, the bottom storey was destroyed and we’ve had a mammoth effort to clean and start rebuilding the property.
I was so busy it was difficult to document much of what was going on. However I’ve managed to pull out 40 photographs that detail the water buildup, the evacuation, full scale flood in my area, cleanup and volunteer effort. I did not have time to travel around the city or go anywhere beyond my few blocks as we were in full on crisis. And so this gallery is really a look at what was happening around a few streets in Auchenflower over the flood week and the days since.
Please refer to my blogs on Asian Correspondent for more details on the events.
The street first begins to flood, January 11, 2011.
An early casualty. Lunch time, January 11, 2011.
Even ducks won’t go in the water. January 11, 2011.
The street by mid morning January 11, 2011.
Police close the road midday January 11, 2011.
By Wednesday January 12, 2011 floodwater is right into the garden.
Community spirit takes hold as friends, family and neighbours rally to evacuate houses, Wednesday January 12, 2011.
A group rescues a mattress as fence posts are torn down between properties to provide an escape route. Wednesday January 12, 2011.
The empty house, mid morning Wednesday January 12, 2011.
A resident closes the house as floodwaters come up the stairs. Wednesday January 12, 2011.
The last view we have of Milton Road, normally a busy intersection, as we leave the house and make for higher ground.
Milton Road becomes the domain of boaters. Thursday January 13, 2011.
The street sign is almost submerged. Thursday, January 13, 2011.
A kayak is the only ways of accessing the street.
Homes in the street disappearing into murky brown water.
The house normally isn't sitting in a swimming pool.
Surf life savers on Coronation Drive - whatever next. Thursday January 13, 2011.
High tide mark on the house at 4.67m. Friday January 14th, 2011.
The devastation in the kitchen and lounge when the floodwaters go down, Friday January 14, 2011.
The house looks like someone has thrown furniture around randomly. Friday January 14, 2011.
Volunteers help smash out a damaged wall. Friday January 14, 2011.
Council workers come to clean the streets, Saturday 15th January 2011.
Fish found in the garden, Friday January 14, 2011.
Volunteers sweeping mud off streets, Saturday 15th January 2011.
Piles of rubble outside homes in Auchenflower, Saturday January 15, 2011.
Council bulldozers remove rubbish from the streets, Saturday January 14, 2011.
A council worker joins an impromptu streetside afternoon tea, Saturday January 15, 2011.
Kids from New South Wales who helped out all day muddied and wearied in the afternoon.
Cleaning up at the end of a long day, Saturday January 15, 2010.
Brisbane's volunteer army, Saturday January 15, 2011.
A woman from the Gold Coast who drove up to Brisbane with a First Aid kit to treat those with infected cuts. Saturday January 15, 2011.
There was an endless supply of food and drinks from friends and the community, Sunday January 16, 2011.
The NSW Fire Brigade gets to work on a public building, Sunday January 16, 2011.
Belongings are brought back to the habitable areas upstairs, Sunday January 16, 2011.
Painting begins on flood affected wood. Week of January 17-21, 2011.
The garden gets a workover, Saturday January 22, 2011.
Friends continue to bring food supplies. "Helping Hands" run by Adam East was a prime mover in getting food to evacuated flood victims during the crisis. Saturday January 22, 2011.
Peta and friends come around to give hungry volunteers some food on January 22, 2011.
Radio personalities Hamish and Andy send their car around to cheer volunteer workers, Saturday 22 January, 2011.
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