Help Queensland rowing clubs recover: 2022 floods
Donation protected
Exceptionally heavy rainfall on the East Coast of Australia has flooded the river city of Brisbane, and with it, its many rowing clubs.
The average February rainfall for Brisbane is 159 mm, but it has received over 735 mm in less than four days. And with a catchment area of over 7,000 km2, such spectacular rainfall can have only one result.
As the river came up, frantic text messages from the clubs and schools summoned volunteers to move boats and equipment to higher ground before the arrival of the flood waters. Lines of boats on nearby roads and carparks attest to the fact the calls were successful.
There was not one club or school shed on the Brisbane River that was not submerged, but thankfully, due to these early preparations, minimal boat losses were incurred. Some clubs and schools have been so minimally impacted that they have already been able to clean out there sheds, and are waiting for the water to be safe enough to row again.
Other clubs and schools have not been so lucky. While most have not had any significant boat losses, many have lost ergos, spin bikes, and gym equipment, as well as furniture from athlete and coach common areas and offices. The worst hit facilities have had to spend the weekend gutting their sheds, pulling out ruined kitchens and bathrooms, and removing walls of crumbling gyprock. For these clubs, it will be a long and expensive process to get back to “normal”. One of the biggest challenges currently is that their athletes are trying to prepare to compete at the Australian Rowing Championships in a matter of weeks.
As mentioned previously, we have seen such an outpouring of support, not just from the rowing community, but from the wider community as well. Donations of cleaning equipment, food and water for volunteers, and offers of safe storage of equipment have been plentiful, and Brisbane’s rowing clubs and schools could not have survived the past fortnight without these contributions.
We have, though, reached the point in recovery where community help cannot do much more than it has. Those clubs and schools still in the process of cleaning and rebuilding need professional assistance. We would love to see just how far support from the rowing community will spread, and how many across the country are able to help those in need.
Rowing SA extends our support to the Queensland rowing community who are once again facing huge loss and a massive clean-up.
The funds raised will be issued to clubs and schools in most need to clean and replace incidentals/equipment that have been destroyed in the floods. Rowing Qld will work alongside Rowing SA to assist with the allocation of funds.
Rowing SA
The average February rainfall for Brisbane is 159 mm, but it has received over 735 mm in less than four days. And with a catchment area of over 7,000 km2, such spectacular rainfall can have only one result.
As the river came up, frantic text messages from the clubs and schools summoned volunteers to move boats and equipment to higher ground before the arrival of the flood waters. Lines of boats on nearby roads and carparks attest to the fact the calls were successful.
There was not one club or school shed on the Brisbane River that was not submerged, but thankfully, due to these early preparations, minimal boat losses were incurred. Some clubs and schools have been so minimally impacted that they have already been able to clean out there sheds, and are waiting for the water to be safe enough to row again.
Other clubs and schools have not been so lucky. While most have not had any significant boat losses, many have lost ergos, spin bikes, and gym equipment, as well as furniture from athlete and coach common areas and offices. The worst hit facilities have had to spend the weekend gutting their sheds, pulling out ruined kitchens and bathrooms, and removing walls of crumbling gyprock. For these clubs, it will be a long and expensive process to get back to “normal”. One of the biggest challenges currently is that their athletes are trying to prepare to compete at the Australian Rowing Championships in a matter of weeks.
As mentioned previously, we have seen such an outpouring of support, not just from the rowing community, but from the wider community as well. Donations of cleaning equipment, food and water for volunteers, and offers of safe storage of equipment have been plentiful, and Brisbane’s rowing clubs and schools could not have survived the past fortnight without these contributions.
We have, though, reached the point in recovery where community help cannot do much more than it has. Those clubs and schools still in the process of cleaning and rebuilding need professional assistance. We would love to see just how far support from the rowing community will spread, and how many across the country are able to help those in need.
Rowing SA extends our support to the Queensland rowing community who are once again facing huge loss and a massive clean-up.
The funds raised will be issued to clubs and schools in most need to clean and replace incidentals/equipment that have been destroyed in the floods. Rowing Qld will work alongside Rowing SA to assist with the allocation of funds.
Rowing SA
Organizer
Andrew Swift
Organizer
West Lakes Shore SA
