Twelve months on from the devastating February floods, the Logan community’s flood defences have been fortified by a mobile sandbagging machine.
A consortium of community bank branches in Beenleigh, Brown Plains, Loganholme and Springwood identified the need.
They then forged an alliance with Rotary Club of Beenleigh, buying t he machine through Bendigo Bank’s charitable arm, the Community Enterprise Foundation.
The machine speeds up the sand bagging process and alleviates an otherwise strenuous task for volunteers.
The machine can be easily transported which proves helpful if disaster strikes in surrounding regions, and will be donated to the region’s SES.
Logan City councillor Karen Murphy highlighted the importance of being prepared for possible future disasters.
“12 months on from the floods in Logan it’s important we prepare and strengthen the community for future events, and the mobile sand bagging machine will enable the community to quickly deploy volunteers to form our first line of defence,” she said.
“We are grateful our local Community Bank and the Foundation have identified this important unmet need and come on board to provide this vital funding.”
Chair of the local community bank Jason Luckhardt said the project has been made possible thanks to the community coming together.
“This project has been made possible by the community collaborating and working constructively together,” Mr Luckhardt said.
Rotary Club of Beenleigh president Janee Hong said the impact of the donation would continue the progress that has been made 12 months on from the flooding across the district.
The machine cost $37,000.
Local company JPH Equipment supplied the sandbagging machine and the company’s sales manager, Peter Hansen said he was pleasantly surprised to learn the local Community Bank network had agreed to arrange funding for the machine.
“I’m blown away by the generosity of the local Community Banks and know the new machine will make a real difference during the next flood event,” Mr Hansen said.
