Additional locations have been added to Council’s flood camera network to help residents prepare for potential flooding.
The new sites are:
- Yorkeys Creek – at Dunne Road / Yorkeys Knob Road intersection
- Redden Creek – at Machans Beach Road
- Barr Creek – at Oleander Street, Holloways Beach
The waterways routinely flood during periods of intense or extended rainfall reducing access for local residents.
Chair of the Local Disaster Management Group Cr Terry James said the flood camera network provided Council with critical, real-time information during a weather emergency.
“Council has been adding to the flood camera network over the past seven years, to give us key intelligence that we can use, for instance, if evacuations are necessary.
“But as people in these areas know, you don’t need to live near a waterway to be directly impacted by flash flooding. Low-lying roads can quickly become inundated with water when creek levels rise quickly, making it difficult for people to get home or to work.
“The flood cameras are therefore a great tool for residents to stay informed about road conditions and plan their route accordingly.
“People should never drive, ride or walk through flood waters. The fast-moving water can quickly wash people and cars off roads into fast-flowing creeks and rivers filled with debris, which can be life threatening.
“The road surface can also be very badly damaged, but being hidden by water, it’s impossible to know the underlying risks.”
This additional flood warning infrastructure is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.
The “flood cams” are part of the Flooded Roads Early Warning System (FREWS) project jointly funded by Council and The Department of Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience.
Flood cameras can be viewed here on or via the map on the Cairns Disaster Dashboard.
