Saturday, November 9, 2024

Fraser Coast flood home buyback begins

The voluntary buy-back of flood impacted homes is not only giving Fraser Coast families a safer future but is also set to benefit local business and future building projects, says Fraser Coast Regional Council.

The demolition of Maryborough homes bought back under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program is now underway in the region.

The program is a jointly-funded initiative delivered through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), as part of the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund.

Eleven contracts of sale have settled on the Fraser Coast under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program, allowing families to move on with their lives, out of high-risk flood zones.

Fraser Coast Mayor, George Seymour says the houses will be recycled,

“The houses will also be dismantled so the materials can be reused,” the Mayor said.

“There is significant interest from homeowners who are renovating Queenslanders to obtain materials that are no longer produced.”

The removal of the properties is involving local business, D and M Hose Asbestos and Demolition Specialists, which has been awarded the contract to demolish homes and rehabilitate the land to parkland.

D and M Hose manager, Tricia Morrison said there was not much that couldn’t be recycled from the homes.

“The shapes and thicknesses of materials such as weatherboards, cornice and skirting boards are unique, so they are highly sought after by people renovating old Queenslanders,” she said.

“The roofing iron can be re-used or sold for scrap, while rusty iron is sought-after by people building bars for their decks and patios.

“Even the concrete in steps or slabs under the houses and sheds can be recycled. It is crushed to recover the reinforcing steel, which is sold for scrap, while the crushed concrete is used as road base.”

Federal Minister for Emergency Management, Murray Watt said the Australian and Queensland Governments were proud to collaborate on the Resilient Homes Fund.

“We understand that it’s never an easy decision to leave your community, so we are also supporting home-raising and renovations, betterment projects, mitigation funding and economy recovery programs in disaster prone regions across Queensland,” he said.

“I’m very pleased with the progress of the program, and we will continue to work hard to ensure more people are protected.”

The 2021-22 floods across Southeast Queensland which damaged almost 7,000 homes, was one of the state’s most devastating disasters, said Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, Steven Miles.

“More than 340 offers have now been accepted and more than 150 contracts have settled under the buy-back program, removing the risk of future flooding for these homeowners and their families,” he said.

“The demolition of homes under this program represents a significant milestone for those who were impacted by last year’s flood event.

“On the Fraser Coast 11 homeowners have accepted offers for buy-back.

“These properties will be demolished and the land re-zoned to an appropriate, non-occupied use such as green space.”

The program ensures that families are given a choice to move to safer ground if their home is considered to be under threat of future flooding, said Queensland Senator, Anthony Chisholm.

“Queenslanders cop more than their fair share of floods and storms, and the Albanese and Palaszczuk Governments want to make sure that we’re as prepared as possible for the natural disasters that might strike in the future,” he said.

More than 6,000 homeowners have now registered for the Resilient Homes Fund, which remains open for Queensland homeowners affected by the floods of 2021-22.

Through the Resilient Homes Fund, Queenslanders whose homes were damaged by flooding in 2021-22 can register to be considered for Resilient Retrofit, Home Raising or Voluntary Home Buy-Back.

The Department of Energy and Public Works is managing the delivery of the retrofitting and house-raising components of the Resilient Homes Fund, while the Queensland Reconstruction Authority is managing the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program together with local government.

For more on the Resilient Homes Fund visit www.qld.gov.au/resilienthomes.

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