NEWS - Brisbane Floods Update

It’s more than a week on from the floods that devastated parts of Brisbane, when vast parts of the northern and western areas of the city where inundated, sweeping away debris, including boats still atop pontoons from riverside homes. However, the larger vessel and marine infrastructure and businesses situated on the eastern reaches of the river towards Moreton Bay report relatively little or no damage.

Superyacht Brisbane said its members were among those who heeded the warnings, taking pre-emptive measures to ensure the safety of boats, staff, equipment and premises. Battening down the hatches in preparation for the river flooding, it said, paid off with no reports of major damage, it said.

“The Royal Queensland Yacht Squadron provided a safe haven in its new marina at Manly Harbour (south of the Brisbane River in Moreton Bay) and was a perfect alternative shelter to vessels normally berthed in the River,” said Superyacht Brisbane. “BSE Maritime Solution’s dockyard at Colmslie remained high and dry throughout the flood crisis, and work on the boats docked on the 2500-tonne slipway continued with little interruption.”

Rivergate Marina and Shipyard general manager, Steve Fisher commented, “Although luck may have played part in the fact that the marina only suffered minor fender damage on the outer berths, there is no doubt that prior preparation and planning was pivotal in making sure that Rivergate’s customers and vessels were kept safe.”

Superyacht Brisbane said the city’s superyachting facilities located along the River remained open throughout the disaster with staff, fellow business owners and employees taking to the river to assist with diverting debris and saving what they could that swept past. This it said included an international vessel that broke loose from its moorings near the CBD at the Brisbane City Botanical Gardens. It was reunited with its Dutch owners who flew back from The Netherlands fearing it was all but lost.

Now, it’s “business as usual” as the Port of Brisbane can re-open following a prompt cleanup of hazardous debris by the Royal Australian Navy minesweepers clearing the river and Moreton Bay, making it safe for navigation.