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In the space of just 72 hours in January 2011, floodwaters turned Brisbane from a bustling city into a disaster zone. Thirty-three people lost their lives, 28,000 homes were damaged, and the economic impact reached $2.38 billion in insurance claims alone.
But many flood victims had no idea they lived in flood-prone areas.
If you think your home is safe from flooding, Brisbane's devastating experience offers us three critical lessons to take note of before the next wet season arrives.
What went wrong in 2011
Brisbane's floods weren't a single event; they were a string of disasters that combined to wreak havoc across South-East Queensland. Toowoomba and the Lockyer Valley experienced deadly flash flooding, with 23 people losing their lives in what has been described as a ‘deadly inland tsunami’, while Brisbane faced riverine flooding with the Brisbane River peaking at 4.46 metres.
The damage was immense:
33 lives lost across the South-East Queensland flood zone
5900 people evacuated from 3600 homes
28,000 homes across Queensland needed rebuilding
3572 businesses were inundated
19,000 kilometres of roads damaged.
What made the damage worse was how unprepared many residents were. The sudden nature of the flash flooding gave some communities less than 30 minutes to respond, and thousands of families found themselves trapped with no emergency plan, no supplies, and no understanding of their flood risk.
Lesson 1: Know your flood risk before the rain starts
The problem in 2011
Many flood victims lived in areas they believed were safe from flooding.
Residents and businesses in areas like Auchenflower, St Lucia, Fairfield, Graceville, Chelmer, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane’s CBD, and West End – in streets that had not typically been associated with high flooding risk levels at that stage – found themselves sandbagging frantically or evacuating in the middle of the night.
And areas that were associated with some flood risk – like Milton, Brighton, Windsor, Deagon, Oxley, Ipswich, Goodna, Gailes, Rocklea, and Karalee were engulfed in floodwaters at levels that had not been experienced since 1974.
The financial toll was steep. Many Queenslanders discovered too late that ‘flood’ and ‘storm damage’ are defined differently in insurance policies, and 44% of households that were affected by the 2011 floods got no pay-out to help them repair or rebuild.
What this means for you
Brisbane's experience shows that flood risk isn't just about living near obvious waterways. Urban flooding can occur from:
Creek lines that only fill during major rain events
Stormwater systems overwhelmed by heavy rainfall
Overland flow paths that channel water between properties.
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Lesson 2: Have multiple warning sources to keep you informed
The problem in 2011
People missed critical information when communication systems collapsed under pressure.
Emergency hotlines crashed when call volumes spiked. Power outages cut radio and television access for thousands of residents. Mobile networks failed in flood-affected areas just when people needed them most. Social media was less developed than today, and official emergency communication was fragmented.
Many people received evacuation orders too late to leave safely, or they missed them entirely.
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Lesson 3: Help your community to keep everyone safer
The problem in 2011
Isolated residents couldn't reach help, and emergency services were overwhelmed by demand.
Some of the most tragic losses occurred when people were cut off from help or tried to rescue others without proper support. Emergency services were stretched beyond capacity, and some communities lacked the local networks that could have provided early warning or assistance.
The recovery was equally challenging. Despite the mobilisation of Brisbane’s ‘Mud Army’ with residents helping each other to clean up their homes and businesses, many residents still struggled, especially those with no financial support. Six years after the 2011 floods, 26% of flood survivors were still experiencing health effects including depression, insomnia, arthritis, asthma, and chronic stress.
What this means for you
Community connections can save lives during floods and speed up recovery afterwards. Brisbane's 2011 experience showed that neighbourhoods with strong social networks fared much better than those in more isolated areas.
Now:
During floods:
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Queensland's flood future
Brisbane's 2011 floods weren't a once-off event. Climate change is bringing more intense rainfall and unpredictable weather patterns across Queensland. The Brisbane River has flooded before – in 1893, 1974, 2011, and in 2022 – and it will flood again.
But here's what we've learned: prepared communities recover faster, and fewer lives are lost. Since 2011, Brisbane City Council has invested millions in better flood warnings, improved drainage, and community education. Other Queensland have done the same.
Every flood teaches us something new about staying safe. Brisbane's hard-won lessons can help keep us safer and prepare more effectively.
Your next steps
Don't wait for flood warnings to start preparing. Here's what you can do this week:
Check your flood risk on the Brisbane City Council website (or your local council website) before you need to know.
Review your insurance: Ensure you have appropriate flood coverage and understand exactly what's included
Prepare your emergency kit: Start with water (4 litres per person per day) and work through the essentials
Connect with your community: Introduce yourself to neighbours and learn about local emergency volunteer opportunities.
The next major flood in your area might be years away, or it might be next summer.
Head to a Get Ready Queensland event near you to find out how you can prepare.
Get Ready Queensland Week is just around the corner, running from 6–12 October 2025. Now’s the perfect time to start building your household’s resilience to severe weather! Visit the Get Ready Queensland Week page to find events happening near you.
All statistics courtesy of Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.
Get out amongst your community to find out more
Get Ready Queensland week is from October 6th – 12th, 2025 and there is no time like right now to work on our resilience to severe weather. Head to the Get Ready Queensland Week page to find an event near you. Talk to emergency services and your local council about how your household can best prepare.
Our strength as Queenslanders has always been that we look after each other. When you prepare your family, you're not just protecting your own household – you're making your whole community more resilient