Swift work and co-ordination between the Country Fire Authority and State Emergency Service allowed Carisbrook residents to prepare for floods on Monday.
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Carisbrook CFA captain Ian Boucher said water levels dropped 18 inches by lunch from the flood peak on Monday morning.
“We door-knocked everyone twice today and updated them with the information we had at hand,” he said.
“The last information we had (at 12.30pm) was that it was 1.2 metres at the spill.”
SES Maryborough volunteer Stephen Moyle said systems put in place after the 2011 floods allowed residents and emergency services to be better prepared.
“We had good co-ordination and good co-operation,” he said.
“There might not be a lot of resources but the local knowledge and volunteers we have got get the job done.
“That’s the biggest thing this community has got. Their strength, their community spirit and drive is second to none.”
Captain Boucher said the lack of overland flooding also prevented the town from any damage.
“We were a bit better informed and there was no overland flooding,” he said.
“Having learnt from the 2011 floods, we knew what the trigger points were and the systems we had in place worked well.
“It was a lot of initial work and set up. After that we were just monitoring the levels.”
An emergency relief centre was set up at Maryborough but closed at 1pm with no one requiring shelter.
A number of people did visit the relief centre to find out which roads were closed in the Maryborough and Carisbrook areas.
Two Carisbrook residents who had just moved to the area said the preparation and efforts from emergency services was impressive.
“The SES were fabulous. They alerted us early and sandbagged our house,” one woman said.
“We already had sandbags from the floods two weeks ago so it didn’t take long to prepare.
“The issue was that we are from the city and didn’t know about the reservoirs.”
The woman said the water levels on Monday morning were only six weeks lower that the September floods two weeks ago.
“It was a surprise to wake up this morning and see the garden flooded,” she said.
“Where it is usually a small creek has turned into a river. It really brings it home to you.”