General News
21 February, 2025
Flooding fears
MERINGA residents backing onto new residential developments west of the Bruce Highway at Gordonvale fear a flooding disaster if storm water is not channelled efficiently and adequately.
Already residents of the rural-residential area of Grey St have experienced moderate-to minor flooding three times in December and this month since earthworks started on the former Straguszi cane farm (Cutters Rise development).
Cairns Regional Council has also given preliminary approval for another housing project to CFV Pty Ltd on the former Pappalardo caneland next to Cutters Rise, adjacent to Stanley St.
Grey St residents, some of whom have lived in the street for nearly 40 years, say there has never been flooding until the cane fields were cleared and earthworks started on the Cutters Rise site.
Len and Janita Pavey said their back shed flooded and water covered their driveway and carport while a container on Myles Bryan’s property shifted half a metre by the force of the water. It didn’t move any further because it was stopped by a fence.
Mr Bryan said after Cyclone Jasper (before the Cutters Rise earthworks) there was 1800mm of rain and, while there was significant run-off, there was no flooding. He said previously the rain soaked naturally into the ground of the original cane paddocks and any run-off was slowed and controlled by the ground contours, limiting soil erosion.
“Another resident, Fran Moore, said the council believed that two easements with swale drains between Loftus St and Grey St would be able to handle stormwater from Cutters Rise through to Mackey Creek.
But, she said, residents wanted a channel built on the developers’ properties running alongside Loftus St through to Stanley St, with water funnelled through to the Draper St retention basin.
Mr Bryan called for the developers to do a full hydrographic assessment of flood modelling.
He said Cutters Rise project manager Paul Kelly had met three residents and told them he was not aware of the flooding issues and was looking at ways to fix the problem.
The CFV Pty Ltd Pappalardo project, which also includes mixed commercial uses, was given preliminary approval at the February 12 council meeting.
Council principal planner Ian Elliott-Smith told the meeting that, while it was given initial approval, it was also subject to further “downstream” development applications, including a detailed stormwater management plan (DSWMP).
“The DSWMP must demonstrate the local drainage characteristics of the site to determine the drainage impacts on upstream and downstream properties and the mitigation measures required to minimise such impacts,” the report said.
Mr Elliott-Smith said the developers of Cutters Rise had also met residents about the flooding problems.
More than 30 residents have submitted their objections to the Pappalardo project and their concerns include drainage, the change from low to medium density housing, lack of footpaths and lighting. They also want Loftus St retained as a barricade between their properties and the new subdivision and also as a water drainage easement, construction of a noise barrier and were worried aboutcrime associated with any proposed fast- food outlets.
Councillor Brett Moller, whose division one includes Meringa, inspected the area after the December 22 flooding and has met residents.
He told the February 12 meeting that the council must get the flood modelling “right” for this area.
“It is important as we see new development progress in the southern corridor between Gordonvale and Edmonton, with sugar cane farms that are being replaced with housing and commercial developments, that the flood modelling for stormwater run-off is accurate, and there are no upstream or downstream impacts,” Cr Moller told Cairns Local News.
“It is the responsibility of the developer’s engineers with Registered Professional Engineers of Queensland qualifications to ensure the storm water drainage plans for any subdivision residential or commercial works provide the engineering solutions that have no adverse impacts,” he said.
“Certainly, with the significant rain events earlier this month, along with king tides impacting drainage flows, on my site visits with residents, I was receiving numerous comments along the lines of ‘in the many years I have resided here, I have never experienced the flooding we are getting’.
“Along with the housing and commercial development that is occurring, we have also had the E2G Bruce Highway upgrade, and as the local councillor receiving community feedback, I have asked our council drainage engineers to look at the flood modelling to ensure that there are no adverse flooding consequences to properties east and west of the highway.
“This investigation and data collection will feed into an updated drainage management plan being prepared by our council’s infrastructure officers, that will look to provide engineering solutions to address any issues arising. I will keep the community updated in respect to such.”
Town planning consultant Kelly Reaston, acting for CFV Ltd, said most of the stormwater would be discharged towards the Bruce Highway via Stanley St and through the Draper Rd detention basin, although some would use the Loftus St easement.
“Detailed design will need to occur as this development progresses and stormwater impacts will be assessed and addressed at each stage,” she said.
Mr Kelly did not respond to a request to comment.
