A clean sweep
IT WAS all hands on deck in both public and private sectors across Gympie region yesterday.
Council Works Committee chairman Larry Friske said road crews were hard at work, especially in the worst hit south-east.
Bacon Rd at Cedar Pocket suffered serious damage, but thousands of lesser repair jobs were keeping everyone busy, he said.
"We only just opened Bells Bridge just before 4pm," Mr Friske said.
"And we haven't opened Traveston Crossing yet," he said, as the latest Mary River flood peak moved downstream.
Even roads that emerged in good condition could be expected to deteriorate over the next few weeks, as vehicles began to impact still saturated gravel foundations.
In the private sector, lower lying Gympie CBD businesses were moving back in, despite not having been flooded.
"The water was probably a metre away from the back of the shed, but we moved out to take the safer option," said Ken Humphries, of Madill's Budget Rent-a-Car.
Paul Atkinson of the Telstra Shop blasted inaccurate and infrequently updated information. Some services apparently had read the wrong river level gauge, with consequently exaggerated flood forecasts.
Jeffco Containers' Neil Mitchell praised the accuracy of "minor flood" forecasts by flood committee veteran Garry Davison.
"We'll be back in business tomorrow," said Bridgestone Service Centre's Rex Lohse.
