Ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred’s parting bucketing has flooded at least one home in the heart of a Sunshine Coast town.
Water began running into Japhia and Lacey McGuire’s home on McGilchrist Road, Eudlo, about 5am on Monday.
“We woke up about 3am and saw quite a lot of water in the backyard and as the morning has gone on, the water has gone in,” Japhia said.
“We moved fridges and stuff up higher and into the higher rooms.
“We’ve had water through the whole house, some parts only a couple of centimetres but others up to about 10cm.”
Japhia said Eudlo Creek at the rear of their property was usually 30-40m away from their home.
“The creek is usually about 5-10m wide and it’s just enveloped the whole yard,” she said.
The McGuires bought the single-level house three years ago and have never seen signs of flooding high enough to reach the house.
“We’ve had some little flooding and stuff but the neighbours said that this is the biggest flood that they’ve seen in the 30 years they’ve been here,” Japhia said.
“On our side of the road, we’ve not had flooding through there. It’s taken a bit much to get it to flood.”
Japhia said much of the house was tiled, which she hoped would make it easier to clean once the water receded, but some rooms had carpet, which she expected would have to be replaced.
The house is insured and she was philosophical about the flooding, which had cut several roads in the town.
“At the end of the day, we’re not hurt. No one seems injured,” she said.
Unable to do any more at home, she and Lacey went into town in the morning to take up the Eudlo General Store’s offer of a free coffee and bacon and egg roll for soggy locals.
“I think one thing about Eudlo is that the people are amazing. We had people come up and down the street asking if we need any help. It’s an amazing community,” she said.
Eudlo General Store’s Jason Coolin and his son and daughter put on the free coffee and bacon and egg rolls to boost spirits after having had previous experience with floods.
The family had the Gunshop Cafe in West End, Brisbane, during the 2011 floods.
They drove into Eudlo from Mooloolaba to open at 7am, stopped at floodwater and walked 1km to open the doors.
Flinders, 16, cooked the 60 bacon and egg rolls while Ella, 18, handled the coffees.
“They wanted to do it,” Jason said.
The water reached the top step of the store but, miraculously, did not rise any further.
“Another couple of centimetres and that would have been it,” Jason said.
Recognising that many people had been through an anxious few hours as water rose in the dark after 267mm fell within 24 hours, he did not ask for money but some paid anyway.
“People just threw money in the till,” he said.
He said all the talk among locals had been about the flooding and rescues in the area, including that of a woman who drove into floodwater under the railway bridge during the night and was rescued from trees by a swiftwater team.
The fate of the dog travelling with her remains unknown.
