With 65% of Brisbane’s average annual rainfall coming down in just five days over the past week (and more heavy rain in the forecast), thousands of South East Queenslanders are in need of support.
Whether your home or vehicle's been flooded or water damaged, you can’t access your property, or you’re without power or water, here are some resources to access if you’ve been affected by the Queensland floods.
For Financial Support
The government has activated the Disaster Recovery Payment, which offers $1000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child who lives in the Brisbane, Fraser Coast, Gold Coast, Gympie, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Moreton Bay, Noosa, North Burnett, Redland, Scenic Rim, Somerset, South Burnett, Southern Downs, Sunshine Coast and Toowoomba government areas.
You can claim via MyGov or by calling Services Australia on 180 22 66, and it’s backdated, so you don’t need to start the process immediately while you're still dealing with the aftermath of the damage. On top of the one-off payment, you can also access Emergency Hardship Assistance, Essential Services Hardship Assistance, Essential Household Contents grants, Structural Assistance grants and Essential Services Safety and Reconnection grants—you can read more about eligibility and claiming those here.
Keep an eye on the Queensland Self Recovery App or give the hotline a call on 1800 173 349 for ongoing information on grants and help with applying.
For Housing Or Donations
In the case that you urgently need somewhere to go due to your home being damaged or inaccessible, Brisbane City Council is operating evacuation centres in Chermside and Chandler, while the City of Gold Coast has centres in Ormeau and Burleigh Heads.
Flatmates.com also has a Disaster Relief Emergency Accommodation platform for finding short-term crisis accommodation. Check out your local community Facebook pages or groups or local councillor’s office, too, as some are coordinating offers of accommodation.
In the longer term, you can contact your local Housing Service Centre for assistance with finding somewhere to stay, or look into the government's mortgage relief and bond loans, or rental grants.
If you’re in need of specific items like clothing, bedding or appliances that you might have lost or been damaged, Givit works to connect specific requests with potential individual and corporate givers, so you can receive the things you actually need.
For Mental Health Support
If your home and/or business has been impacted, you might also be under a heavy emotional load. Some useful mental health resources include Lifeline, Beyond Blue (which both offer 24/7 support) and Headspace.
For some, the effects of this disaster won’t be over in a couple of weeks, or even months, so it’s important to be prepared for the toll the ongoing stress of recovery can take—keep 1300 MH CALL (1300 642 255) in mind, as they can point you in the right direction to seeking professional help.
Image credit: Emily Major (Unsplash)