Fraser Coast homes demolished following voluntary buy-back

The voluntary buy-back of flood impacted homes is not only giving Fraser Coast families a safer future but is also set to benefit local business and future building projects.

The demolition of Maryborough homes bought back under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program has started.

The program is a jointly funded initiative delivered through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA), as part of the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund.

Eleven contracts of sale have settled on the Fraser Coast under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program, allowing families to move on with their lives, out of high-risk flood zones.

The removal of the properties is involving local businesses like D and M Hose Asbestos and Demolition Specialists, which has been awarded the contract to demolish homes and rehabilitate the land to parkland.

“The Australian and Queensland Governments are proud to collaborate on the Resilient Homes Fund, and it’s really great to see people taking the opportunity to leave high-risk flood zones and move on with their lives,” Federal Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt said.

“We understand that it’s never an easy decision to leave your community, so we are also supporting home-raising and renovations, betterment projects, mitigation funding and economy recovery programs in disaster prone regions across Queensland.

“I’m very pleased with the progress of the program, and we will continue to work hard to ensure more people are protected.”

The 2021-22 floods across Southeast Queensland which damaged almost 7,000 homes, was one of the state’s most devastating disasters, Deputy Premier and Minister responsible for the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Steven Miles said.

“More than 340 offers have now been accepted and more than 150 contracts have settled under the buy-back program, removing the risk of future flooding for these homeowners and their families.

“The demolition of homes under this program represents a significant milestone for those who were impacted by last year’s flood event.

“On the Fraser Coast 11 homeowners have accepted offers for buy-back.

“These properties will be demolished and the land re-zoned to an appropriate, non-occupied use such as green space.”

The program ensures that families are given a choice to move to safer ground if their home is considered to be under threat of future flooding, Queensland Senator, Anthony Chisholm said.

“Queenslanders cop more than their fair share of floods and storms, and the Albanese and Palaszczuk Governments want to make sure that we’re as prepared as possible for the natural disasters that might strike in the future.”

The houses will be recycled, Fraser Coast Mayor Cr George Seymour said.

“The houses will also be dismantled so the materials can be reused. There is significant interest from homeowners who are renovating Queenslanders to obtain materials that are no longer produced.”

There is not much that cannot be recycled, D and M Hose manager Tricia Morrison said.

“The shapes and thicknesses of materials such as weatherboards, cornice and skirting boards are unique, so they are highly sought after by people renovating old Queenslanders.

“The roofing iron can be re-used or sold for scrap, while rusty iron is sought-after by people building bars for their decks and patios.

“Even the concrete in steps or slabs under the houses and sheds can be recycled. It is crushed to recover the reinforcing steel, which is sold for scrap, while the crushed concrete is used as road base.”

More than 6,000 homeowners have now registered for the Resilient Homes Fund, which remains open for Queensland homeowners affected by the floods of 2021-22.

Through the Resilient Homes Fund, Queenslanders whose homes were damaged by flooding in 2021-22 can register to be considered for Resilient Retrofit, Home Raising or Voluntary Home Buy-Back.

The Department of Energy and Public Works is managing the delivery of the retrofitting and house-raising components of the Resilient Homes Fund, while the Queensland Reconstruction Authority is managing the Voluntary Home Buy-Back program together with local government.

For more on the Resilient Homes Fund visit www.qld.gov.au/resilienthomes