Ipswich appears to have averted a 2011-style disaster, with the Bremer River peaking below the feared forecast of 15 metres.
The river peaked at 13.9 metres at 9:30pm Monday, before falling to 13.3 metres at 3am.
Local councillor Paul Tully said he was “cautiously optimistic” that the Brisbane River through Goodna had avoided a predicted peak of 9 metres.
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| The Brisbane River keeps its distance from the Ipswich Motorway at Goodna. Pic: Peter Doherty, Channel Seven |
“Residents here will be overjoyed this morning,” said an emotional Cr Tully, who lost his own home in the floods two years ago.
He has visited Enid Street, where residents spent yesterday moving what they could to higher ground, and says the Woogaroo Creek is still at least four metres below the road level.
“We’re talking about a street that had water over the roofs two years ago, and there isn't even any water on the street," he said.
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| People remove belonging from homes ahead of a predicted flood in Enid Street at Goodna. Photo: Harrison Saragossi |
Recovery and clean-up operations around southeast Queensland are set to get even stickier today, with forecast top temperatures in the 30s.
“Ex-tropical cyclone Oswald hasn’t quite finished with us yet,” said Jonty Hall from the Bureau of Meteorology.
The core of the system has moved into New South Wales, putting the southeast on its northern side and in the line of westerly winds.
“Westerlies tend to hold out sea breezes, and with the sun coming out today, it’s going to get quite warm.”
Brisbane is expected to get a top of 33 degrees.
BOM hydrologist Jeff Carey said the Brisbane River would peak just before midday.
“This morning’s high tide is expected to be the most severe of the next three high tides,” he said.
“We’re looking at around 2.6 metres at the city gauge.”
Thousands of homes risk inundation through the day.
The Brisbane City Council has also warned residents in riverside or foreshore locations that a storm surge of 1.16 metres is expected above the higher-than-normal high tide around 11:15am.
Mr Carey said the Albert River at Beenleigh was believed to have peaked at minor flood level of 6 metres overnight, which would be confirmed once observations were taken at the manual stations.
The Logan River at Waterford was expected to reach 8 metres this afternoon, and 5 metres was forecast for Eagleby tonight.
Translink is advising of major delays across the public transport network, with CityCats and ferries still offline, and train services severely disrupted. Ticketing equipment has also been affected at some stations due to flooding and power outages.
Energex reports around 162,000 homes and businesses are still without power in the southeast.
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