Knowledge gained by Bundaberg Regional Council staff in the wake of the 2013 flood event has been instrumental in providing strategies that will provide for a more disaster resilient Queensland.
Resilient Queensland 2018-21 – Delivering the Queensland Strategy for Disaster Resilience was launched at the Floodplain Management Australia national conference on the Gold Coast.
Minister for State Development, Cameron Dick, said Resilient Queensland 2018-21 was a blueprint for use across government, the community, not-for-profit sector, business and industry.
The Minister said that central to the creation of the new state-wide Strategy was the success of the pilot Burnett Catchment Flood Resilience Strategy, which was finalised in June.
Bundaberg Regional Council Disaster Management portfolio spokesman, Councillor Greg Barnes, said Council staff had contributed significantly to the development of the Burnett Catchment strategy.
“Council’s Manager of Design, Dwayne Honor along with Disaster Management Officers, Matt Dyer and Emma Anderson represented the interests of the Bundaberg Region through the pilot study which involved the collaboration of North and South Burnett Regional Councils, the Queensland Reconstruction Authority and Cherbourg Aboriginal Council.
“Dwayne Honor was also part of an expert panel at the Gold Coast national conference which discussed the new resilience measures.
“Dwayne’s significant experience in the wake of the 2013 flood and in particular his study of flood impacts on catchments across the region including the Burrum, Kolan and Burnett provided invaluable information to guide the Strategy.”
Cr Barnes said the receipt of a prestigious Churchill Fellowship in 2015 had allowed Dwayne to further his studies overseas with a focus on the impacts of extreme storm surge on coastal communities.
“This is one reason why Dwayne is currently heading up our Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategy (CHAS) and Shoreline Erosion Management Plan (SEMP).”
