By JONATHON HOWARD
APPLETHORPE residents have expressed shock and dismay at recent flood mapping changes announced by the Southern Downs Regional Council, which has placed several unsuspecting properties in the flood path.
The flood mapping changes have prompted residents to call a public meeting for 18 September at the Applethorpe State School, from 6pm.
Residents, councillors and State Member for Southern Downs, Lawrence Springborg, have been extended an invitation.
The most burning questions, according to one resident, included: How will this affect our insurance? How will this affect me if I want to sell my property? Has this affected the valuation of my property?
The Free Times put these and several other questions to Southern Downs Regional Council Director of Engineering, Peter See, who provided the following responses.
“Council understands the concerns of Applethorpe residents about flood mapping,” he said.
“There may be some confusion around flood mapping as there are two sources for the mapping.
“The council has paid for flood mapping of some catchments of the SDRC area, informed by historical and local data, to provide an accurate mapping resource. The other source of flood mapping is the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) mapping.
“This mapping has been taken from topography and soil maps and is more broad scale than the council mapping. Under State Government legislation, Council must include QRA mapping into its planning scheme. Applethorpe is included in the QRA mapping.”
Mr See said council had raised concerns about QRA mapping with Member for Southern Downs Lawrence Springborg last week during council’s 28 August monthly general meeting.
Councillors talked about areas being “caught in the flood mapping” and concerns of some residents.
“Mr Springborg agreed and said he would talk with Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience Minister, David Crisafulli, about processes associated with the maps,” Mr See said.
“There have been no new land valuations since the mapping. Insurance companies would need to give advice about the effect on insurance premiums.
“Anyone wanting to build in a flood-mapped area will need to provide a planning application to council.”
