General News
31 July, 2024
Council needs community help for funding appeal
FRIDGES, washing machines, farm gates and water tanks are among the items littering rivers following the flooding that devastated the Douglas Shire in December.
The river bed from Silky Oaks to the mouth of the Mossman River is also significantly higher than before Tropical Cyclone Jasper while the sediment is slowly moving downstream from Mossman Gorge.
Douglas Shire Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said there were fears the rubbish could end up on the Great Barrier Reef and the build-up of sediment could have consequences for the town of Mossman in the upcoming wet season.
“The flooding that followed TC Jasper has already had a significant impact on our pristine river system and to learn fridges, washing machines and other flood debris is being found lodged in riverbanks and tangled in trees is heartbreaking,” she said.
“The high sediment levels are also concerning on several levels. Anichs Bridge has flooded almost 30 times since the cyclone, impacting trade for businesses and leaving the community at risk in case of emergency.”
The council will be applying for funding under the $20 million Clean-up Program jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.
“(The) council will be applying for funding to get this urgent clean-up process underway,” Cr Scomazzon said.
The council asked the community to fill out a survey to help secure the grant.
Cr Scomazzon said the responses would, not only highlight the extent of the problem in the rivers, but demonstrated community support for the clean-up.
The survey closed on Friday last week.
