Our Pantry is open twice a week and provides food assistance to people living in our local community who are feeling financial stress. This year is a  tough year for many and we are finding more people than ever before in need of support. The emotional pressure of financial hardship can push people to breaking point.

We are asking the local community to make a difference by donating non-perishable food items to our Pantry.

All donations make a real difference, big or small, and go directly to people in need. To donate contact us on  3510 2700 or drop donations directly to our office at 180 Jubilee Tce, Bardon.

Ideas for donations:

Pantry staples with a current use by date are welcome including cereal, tea, coffee, pasta, pasta sauce, rice, tinned fruit, tinned tomatoes and other vegetables, noodles, muesli bars, tinned meat including ham, tuna and salmon.

Other non-perishable food items are also most appreciated.

If you can help out please contact Colleen.

Paddington Meals On Wheels
P.O. BOX 498
Paddington. 4064. Q.
Cnr Central Ave/Herbert St Paddington
 
phone 3369 6750
fax     3369 2396
email paddingtonmow@hotmail.com

Make no mistake, Brisbane is experiencing its greatest natural crisis in over a hundred years. Unlike the flood in 1974, the existence of the Wivenhoe Dam has helped absorb the vast majority of the floodwaters. If not for Wivenhoe we would have faced flooding the likes of which we cannot comprehend.

As I write this the flood is peaking at around 4.2 meters. At 4am this morning, the peak measured 4.46 metres. Although it was less than the 1974 flood, almost 12,000 residential properties and 2,500 commercial properties were flooded. The damage bill is enormous and tomorrow Brisbane will begin the massive clean-up operation and we need your support.

The Brisbane suburbs worst impacted by the flooding include: Brisbane City, St Lucia, West End, Rocklea, Graceville, Chelmer, Oxley, Fairfield, Toowong, South Brisbane, New Farm, Yeronga, Milton, Sherwood, Jindalee, Tennyson, Auchenflower, Sinnamon Park, Archerfield, Windsor, Taringa, Westlake, Fig Tree Pocket, Indooroopilly, Newstead, Sumner, Bulimba, Corinda, Coopers Plains, Albion, Norman Park, Paddington, Kenmore, East Brisbane, Coorparoo, Bellbowrie, Yeerongpilly, Riverhills, Woolloongabba, Seventeen Mile Rocks, Hawthorne, Darra, Moorooka, Bowen Hills, Pinkenba, Middle Park, Balmoral, Kangaroo Point, Mount Ommaney, Hamilton, Acacia Ridge, Highgate Hill, Willawong, Anstead, Jamboree Heights, Fortitude Valley, Salisbury, Hemmant, Greenslopes, Wacol, Chapel Hill, Herston, Brookfield, Pinjarra Hills, Karana Downs, Durack and Pullenvale.

Today I announced a detailed plan to tackle the massive clean-up operation. Brisbane will be divided into five areas with the initial priority on opening major roads and cleaning up debris left by retreating floodwaters. That way we can ensure safe access to your property.

There is still a considerable amount of water coming down the Brisbane River so beware. The first properties that flooded are likely to be the last properties from which flood waters will recede.

My message to people who abandoned their homes is not to be in any hurry to return to them. We first need to open transport routes to enable access. Also be careful with electricity. You should have a qualified electrician to clear your home of danger before you seek to use electrical equipment.

We desperately need anyone who owns a bobcat, dump truck, front-end loader, water tanker or other heavy equipment to give us a hand with the clean-up. Please don’t bother to offer if you are seeking payment. We are after genuine volunteers who want to help and we will promptly respond to advise you where you should take your equipment.

For those that can offer their services please email lordmayor@brisbane.qld.gov.au or contact Council on 07 3403 8888.

Other volunteers should email their services or phone Volunteering Queensland on 07 3002 7600. You can also register online at www.volunteeringqld.org.au

My advice is you should first help those closest to where you live; neighbours, family, friends and people in the same suburb. If you are in a suburb that has not been affected by floodwaters, or you have no one to help, please contact us and we will tell you where to report to for assistance.

Buses
A limited number of bus services will be available tomorrow running about every 30 minutes in and out of the city. Do not use these services if you are not coming into the CBD for work or to help with the clean-up. These services are being put on to ensure key staff essential for services and flood response have travel options, with all other residents encouraged not to travel into the CBD.

Ferry services will not be operating until further notice due to debris in the river.

For further information on public transport and affected services, please visit the TransLink website at www.translink.com.au or phone 13 12 30.

Waste services
Waste services will resume for a minority of the city tomorrow, with other parts of the city to follow next week. The delays are due to the impact of floodwaters on depots and homes. If you have had your rubbish collections missed, your collection will resume as usual next week. Council’s waste transfer stations will be open to the public for free tipping until 9pm.

Water
We have been advised by Queensland Urban Utilities that water in the greater Brisbane area is perfectly safe to drink. However sewage treatment plants are now discharging directly into our creeks and rivers, so people should stay out of floodwaters due to potential health risks. I repeat, do not let your children play in floodwater. It is unhealthy and contaminated with chemicals and sewerage. Please do not go through floodwaters to get to your property. It is better to let the water recede and then make the journey.

Electricity
Power cuts have meant that many traffic lights are out. Some of Council’s traffic cameras are also not functioning so traffic warnings will be limited. Please be careful on the roads as water may appear in areas you do not suspect.

Sandbags
So far Brisbane City Council has given out over 300,000 sandbags. We have another 65,000 bags available if they are required at our various depots.

Campbell Newman

LORD MAYOR

Contacts and information sources

Energex: 13 19 62
State Emergency Services (SES): 13 25 00
Translink: 13 12 30
Flood information hotline: 1300 993 191
For life-threatening emergencies: 000

Phone Council on 3403 8888 to report issues outside your property boundary such as flooding, downed trees, potholes, stormwater drain blockages or debris blocking roadways.

Due to high demand, Brisbane City Council is currently displaying a low bandwidth version of their website. www.brisbane.qld.gov.au