Queensland recovery progressing after record disaster season

Months on from some of the most ferocious weather the Sunshine State has ever experienced, positive signs of recovery are being seen throughout impacted communities.

This was confirmed after Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA) finalised its first follow-up Damage Assessment and Reconstruction Monitoring (DARM) operation throughout April and May.

DARM activities covered properties damaged by Tropical Cyclones Jasper and Kirrily, and the south-east Queensland Christmas-new year storms.

In total, QRA officers visited 3,086 Queensland homes and businesses impacted during the 2023-24 summer of disasters, from Cooktown to the Gold Coast. 

Around 27 percent of the properties assessed by QRA DARM officers are no longer showing signs of damage.

Of the 2,260 properties still damaged, 962 have minor damage, with moderate damage to 803 and severe damage to 478.

During assessments 17 properties were also identified as destroyed and irreparable.

But repairs are progressing, with works started on 774 of the 2,260 damaged properties .

As part of this latest DARM operation, assessments were carried out in Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Cook, Douglas, Gold Coast, Ipswich, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Mareeba, Moreton Bay, Scenic Rim, Townsville, Western Downs and Wujal Wujal.

QRA officers captured data on damage to individual properties and spoke to residents directly about the progress of their building repairs, insurance claims, and their financial and personal wellbeing.

This information and these conversations allow QRA to identify the Queenslanders doing it tough and where additional support in the community is needed.

Without getting out and doorknocking properties, these unique and personal insights simply couldn't be obtained.