More than 30 homes in Logan severely impacted by flooding have been bought by the local council thanks to the state’s disaster-recovery body.
The Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) says all the contracts have settled, and all properties have either been demolished or removed.
Twenty-five other home-owners were recipients of grants that would enable them to raise their properties or make them flood-resistant.
These potentially life-saving purchases and grants are possible because of the QRA’s resilient homes fund, which was developed by the Queensland and Australian governments in response to the 2022 floods.
Under the fund, locals were invited to register to be considered for one of three program options: a resilient retrofit, home-raising or voluntary home buy-back.
Only properties that were the most severely impacts by flooding, and those at the greatest risk of future flooding, were eligible for the voluntary home buy-back scheme.
Eligible poperties were sold to Logan City Council, with prices based on each property’s pre-flooding value.
A QRA spokesperson said all eligible properties had already been identified and funding had been allocated.
In Logan, 32 homeowners accepted buy-back offers.
One property along Old Mill Road in Bannockburn, near the Albert River, was bought back and repurposed to extend Alexander Watt Park.
Many other buy-back properties will also be used to expand existing parks and to create new river access points and linkages.
All the blocks bought back by council are re-zoned to be “non-habitable” to ensure no other homeowner suffers the same devastating impact of flooding in that location again, according to the QRA spokesperson.
“Council continues to investigate alternative options for the remaining sites, including environmental offsets and natural areas,” the spokesperson said.
“A large number of the sites are located within biodiversity corridors and are flora and fauna habitat areas, including koala priority areas.
“This will be a featured consideration for any future plans for these sites.”
A local couple who took part in the program said it helped save them in their time of need.
Former Crestmead resident Barry Hawkins said it was an important initiative to get “properties that are flooding out of the market”.
The retrofit and home-raising programs have supporting 25 homeowners in Logan so far with grants of up to $50,000, and more than 1200 homeowners across Queensland.
The spokesperson said the QRA continued to work with registered homeowners to help them make informed choices on resilience works that best suit their circumstances.
Repairs often include replacing floor coverings to an approved water-resistant floor finish (vinyl, tiles, polished concrete), improving electrical works, replacing wall linings, doors and cabinetry, and filling cavities under staircases.
The home-raising program is only suitable for houses where it can be practically done, such as timber-framed and clad homes.
Single and double brick, or slab-on-ground homes are often not practical or cost effective to raise, according to the QRA.
