The pictures that we are seeing on TV are unbelievable. There is obviously going to be huge damage to infrastructure in the affected areas, and we know in Christchurch how disruptive that is long after that superficial damage has been repaired. We can only hope that there is no further loss of life.

If luck comes into it, here's hoping you get it in bucket-loads.

Rob.

Brisbane Update - 19,700 homes expected to go under plus 3,500 commercial properties expected to go under.
Port of Brisbane is closed.
Brisbane Airport remains open.

It is the most surreal feeling here at present with blue skies but knowing that the river is steadily rising and is very soon going to cause devastating damage.

Anzac 'mateship' during disasters appears to extend to the animals who help each other out. Here's an extremely bizarre image from the floods of a frog getting a piggy-back from a deadly brown snake.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/...to-flee-floods

To all in Queensland - stay safe - and may the rain stop sooner.

You poor Queenslanders. You have not had a good start to the year.
I too have been shocked and saddened at the destruction and deaths following the flooding of Toowoomba, and now Brisbane. And angry at those #$%* animals who think that they have the right to loot from businesses and houses that have suffered damge.
I have just heard the forecast in Queensland is sounding a little more positive. I hope so.
My heart goes out to you all. May you stay safe and not suffer too much damage. Take care, all.

Dot

Thinking of you stormbird ( and my other friends and colleagues in Brisbane ) with fingers crossed .

Such a beaut city of which I am very fond .

Stay safe.

Just for anyone who is thinking of cancelling their holiday in Queensland, please note that unless your trip takes place in places south of Rockhampton- don't cancel! None of the resorts there are in any danger, nor will you get in the way of rescue and/or reconstruction efforts. And the people of those towns will thank you for bringing much needed business to their towns.

If you did want to give money here is one way you can do it:

http://telethon.smartservice.qld.gov.au/

This is a website set up by the Queensland Government so I would think it's pretty safe. If you go back to http:// www.qld.gov.au/floods (which is the starting page for the link I gave above) there are also options to pay via bank transfer and other methods. I believe you can also go to a website set up by the ABC:

http://www.abc.net.au/emergency/flood/

where there are links to donation websites including the Australian Red Cross, and basic information on the flood situation.

Lavandula

Watching all the coverage of the people in Queensland being rescued from their rooftops is horribly reminiscent of what happened here in the States to New Orleans. My heart goes out to all of those affected by the flooding in Queensland and I pray that the devistation ends soon.

A quick report from Toowoomba. The cleanup is well under way, there are more volunteers than we can possibly use...great public spirit. The body recovery is still happening , the local hospital morgue has a lot of bodies in it that haven't been announced due to identification process. One body was found 15 kilometers from where they diappeared. Sad sad times.

BUT, we will overcome and the place will be as beautiful as it used to be, put it on your next itinerary and come and enjoy some Queensland hospitality.

here is a website for the combined Rotary clubs here and bank account details if you want to financially help out.
We should have it up and running by monday.
www.rotaryfloodappealsq.org.au
cheers,
Mark

Hi Mark,
Toowoomba's a wonderful city and it's great to hear you're on the way, cleaning out the mud & picking up the pieces. As your Premier said, Queenslanders are the ones who get knocked down & get up again.

My Sister in Law, Niece, Nephew & their families live in Toowoomba and they're out & about helping with the clean-up, too. Thankfully, they were all high & dry.

We feel frustrated that we can't physically hop in & help you;
Shocked and saddened at what has happened;
Proud beyond words of the courage & spirit all of you have shown. And will need in the weeks & months to come.

We might not be there in person, but you're not on your own - we'll do everything we can to help from our end.

stormbird, I have been wondering how you have managed during the flooding.

marko, thank you for your update. It is good to hear the Queensland spirit has not been washed away. Good luck to you all - as with bokhara2, we will not be there in person, as we are not be able to cross the Tasman at this time to help, but we will be beside you, helping you in spirit.

Kia Kaha, Queenslanders.

Make a donation at a Woolworths checkout and they'll match it. Good way to max the bang from your buck.

There are some interesting photos of before and during the floods at this site. if you hover your mouse over the pictures you can scroll between the preflood and flood pictures.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/infograph...eforeafter.htm

Hi Marko - my DH had heard about the body count in Toowoomba morgue and I wasn't sure whether it was true as I was unclear as to why we were not told of the count. I would have thought that it was okay to announce how many had been found regardless of whether they had been identified.

I think people are going to be very, very shocked when they finally here how many are there in the morgue in Toowoomba.

I agree that the Woolworths donation is the way to go. It's easy as it is just added onto your shopping total and they issue a separate receipt of the donation if you are going to claim it. Now that they are matching it dollar for dollar it will really add up.

I was completely overwhelmed by the whole business but extremely thankful that we were unaffected physically. We did shut our office for a couple of days as our head office was in the city and so we had no email server etc and really no-one was around to do business with.

Of course, as often happens in these situations, the fine print is starting to show itself with all the insurance claims. Gosh how do you start again? That's tough.

All we can do is move forward however slow the progress.

Woolworths' doubling donations made to the Salvo's Appeal through their stores is an excellent effort.

I was 6th or 7th in a line at my local store yesterday and every single person ahead of me asked to have something added to their bill for the Qld floods.

Several local businesses and a couple of other groups on the Northern Beaches have set up drop-off points for goods to go up, too. I'm delighted about this because I'm sure a lot of other people will also have stuff they want to send but weren't sure how to get it up there.

I've made up a few care packages - sarong,shampoo & conditioner, hair brush, razor, soap, moisturiser, towel, ... you know, all that bathroom stuff we take for granted. Plastic bags, rubber gloves, string, chux; Rid, sunscreen, band aids, tee tree oil, scissors, tweezers, travel pack tissues, wipes, torch. Put sarongs in as they're such wonderfully versatile things. Can be anything from a top, skirt or dress to a towel, wrap, sling or carry bag. I'll put a bag of Minties in each one too. "It's moments like these...."

Oh and some PK gum or whatever is the strongest I can find.
(It's as good as Eucalyptus for masking stench, and you don't have to keep dabbing it under your nose.)


It's incredible the things we have unused in our cupboards that we won't even miss. But we would if we didn't even have a cupboard to look in.

Bokhara2, what a wonderful idea, and what a lovely person you must be.

Stormbird, I am pleased to hear you are okay. I realised when I read your post that we probably don't think as much about the people who witnessed the tragedy as those who got caught up in it. Many of them too need assistance such as Victim Support offers.

Just heard from my little sister who normally lives in Brisbane but is working on a contract in Sydney until June. She rented out her house, and stored all her belongings in a secure storage facility. Fortunately her house is fine. Sadly, the facility was a victim of the flood with about one and a half metres of water going through. She is so scared all her belongings are ruined, and at 56 feels she will not be able to start over. Like many Queenslanders she did not have flood insurance. I feel helpless because at this point I can't get there to support her. I imagine there are many others in that situation, too.
However, she is alive, and her house is still standing and unharmed, unlike many, many others. We have a lot to be thankful for.

More before and after pictures here. http://www.abc.net.au/news/infograph...foreafter2.htm

Dotty, sorry to hear about your sister. Can she get up to Brisbane to sort things out?

I had nearly all my possessions caught in transit in the '74 floods. They should have been delivered to my parents place two weeks before hand. Fortunately it wasn't much as it could all fit into a box designed for transporting windshields. I got over the loss of the 'irreplaceable things' and gave the fragmented antique writing box to a wood worker who was so pleased to take on the task of repair and donate it to a historical museum in my parent's village.

Hi, Alan,
Thank you. You would have an idea of how she is feeling, from the sound of your message.
Thank you for the photo links. It really is sobering to see the extreme destruction. As I said previously, at least my sister has her home and her life.

Fortunately my sis is able to return to Brisbane tomorrow. Friends are meeting her, and helping to start the horrible task. A friend has been in to have a quick look at her container and thinks there may be some items that are salvageable. We will see.
I have bitten the bullet and am flying in first thing Friday morning and leaving Monday evening. No matter how great your friends are, there is nothing like family in a time of crisis. Hopefully we will have everything sorted through in that time, and have a list of what has been ruined.

Good luck dotty.