Heavy machinery and specialist crews have begun demolishing homes at Goodna which were among the first settled through the joint Commonwealth and State government $741 million Resilient Homes Fund.
Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding said the six properties on Enid Street, Mill Street and Cox Crescent were among the first identified for buy-back as part of the largest resilience program of its kind to be delivered in Queensland.
“Part of a growing list of properties at high-risk of flooding now owned by council, these homes in Goodna will be the first to be carefully demolished over the coming weeks,” Mayor Harding said.
“Thirty properties have now gone under contract since the start of the voluntary buy-back program, including 21 homes in the Goodna area that have been settled.
“We now have some properties under contract that are expected to settle very soon in suburbs including North Booval, Basin Pocket and East Ipswich.”
Environment and Sustainability Committee Chairperson Councillor Russell Milligan said there were ongoing assessments for hundreds of damaged and flood impacted homes across Ipswich.
“The Queensland Reconstruction Authority has so far coordinated 164 valuation inspections in Ipswich, and 49 offers have been presented to homeowners,” Cr Milligan said.
“Once the property has been purchased by council and settlement finalised, all utility services to the property are removed and structures are demolished in due course, with the land re-zoned for non-occupied green space uses.”
The Queensland and Australian Governments developed the $741 million Resilient Homes Fund, which the Voluntary Home Buy Back program is a part of, to assist those who were affected by the 2021-2022 floods.
Under the Resilient Homes Fund, funding is available to assist eligible flood-affected homeowners to:
- Repair or retrofit homes
- Raise flood affected homes
- Apply to have their homes bought on a voluntary basis
To register your interest in the Resilient Homes Fund visit the QRA website.
Division 2 Councillor Paul Tully said council hopes to purchase more than 150 homes under the Voluntary Home Buy-Back Program for flood impacted homes in Ipswich.
“Many of these Ipswich properties have already been identified under the buy-back program, with 30 contracts to purchase properties currently executed,” Cr Tully said.
“Valuations are continuing across Ipswich in the suburbs of Basin Pocket, Bundamba, Churchill, East Ipswich, Goodna, Karalee, Moores Pocket, North Booval, North Ipswich, One Mile, Sadliers Crossing, Tivoli, West Ipswich and Wulkuraka.”
Councillors Russell Milligan, Nicole Jonic and Paul Tully with Ipswich Mayor Teresa Harding at the Street Enid Street demolition site.
Division 2 Councillor Nicole Jonic said council’s partnership with state and federal governments will prioritise the most at-risk flood areas for this important project, which runs until June 2024.
“Council will continue to support local homeowners as they navigate the program to ensure residents can move into a new home or make their home as flood resilient as possible,” Cr Jonic said.
“I encourage all residents who are yet to register for the Resilient Homes Fund to check the scheme’s website and register for the program which suits their needs as soon as possible.”
The Resilient Homes Fund is a jointly funded initiative delivered through Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). It was established in May 2022 following the catastrophic 2021-2022 rainfall and flooding events.
For more information about Resilient Homes Fund, visit www.qld.gov.au/resilienthomes
Councillors Russell Milligan, Paul Tully and Nicole Jonic, Mayor Teresa Harding, Federal Member for Oxley Milton Dick, Deputy Premier Steven Miles, Member for Bundamba Lance McCallum and Queensland Reconstruction Authority CEO Jimmy Scott at the Enid Street demolition site.