Wet conditions force some event cancellations
egg and bacon breakfast, kids’ activities, backyard sports and native animals.
The Babinda and District Community Association’s Australia Day event has been moved to Munro St.
Activities will be held from 7am until 11am.
The potential of a 250mm rain dump has also forced the cancellation of Port Douglas’ official Australia Day celebration. Douglas Shire Council said its hand was forced with predicted flooding and heavy rainfall making it difficult for people to commute to the services at the Port Douglas Community Hall tomorrow.
“Flash flooding will make it difficult for attendees from outlying areas to make it to the ceremony and poses an un- necessary risk to these people,” a council spokesman said.
Australia Day nominees are being notified of the cancellation and a suitable date is being organised in the coming weeks. Council confirmed the citizenship ceremony will be held on Thursday, February 21 at the Port Douglas Community Hall.
Kuranda Scenic Railway has also cancelled its Australia Day services due to the heavy rain. A spokeswoman said customers booked to travel on Saturday’s services would be offered refunds or the chance to re-book for another time.
They are still hosting an Australia Day barbecue at the station today from 9am-10am for anyone still wanting to attend. A NEW emergency action plan created after flash flooding tore through Redlynch Valley last year has received final regulatory approvals.
An exhaustive independent review of how Cairns Regional Council infrastructure held up in the torrential flooding of March 2018 resulted in a series of recommendations – mostly administrative – that were implemented in the revised emergency action plan.
The $100,000 audit found the heightened spillway level at Copperlode Dam was not responsible for flooding at Redlynch Valley, when floodwaters surged through northern and western parts of the city, causing millions of dollars in damage and guests at the inundated Big 4 Crystal Cascades caravan park to fear for their lives.
However, it recommended improvements to the internal communication protocols, and greater involvement by the Local Disaster Management Group in times of EAP activation. The council has issued a statement saying the amended scheme now had the green light from state authorities.
“The final step in completing the new EAP was to receive regulatory approval by the Department of Natural Resources,” it said.
The council is also deploying new technologies to improve its early warning system in the unlikely event of an emergency such as dam failure, severe flooding or fire.
“Outdoor warning stations, consisting of speakers mounted to a series of towers, will be positioned throughout the Redlynch Valley from Crystal Cascades to Brinsmead. Please refer to the location map to view approximate locations for each station,” the council’s website states.