Rocky Point growers battle floodwaters, fire ands and frustration

The Rocky Point district in South East Queensland was left reeling after Tropical Cyclone Alfred unleashed a deluge of more than 500mm of rain, drowning crops, cutting roads, and plunging the region into darkness.

While the immediate storm impact was significant, it’s the lingering floodwaters that have caused the most devastation.

CANEGROWERS Board member Michelle Fischer said floodwaters failed to drain effectively, resulting in widespread crop loss.

“Early estimates indicate that around 60% of the soybean crop for our district has been destroyed,” Michelle said.

“The cane sat in the water for too long because the water couldn’t get away.”

CANEGROWERS Rocky Point Chair Greg Zipf said some parts of the district were impacted more heavily than in the 2022 floods, because of the high rainfall over such a short period.

“In the northeastern part of the district, where my farms are located, the water breached the levee bank, designed to keep the saltwater out. The floodwater had nowhere to go because the floodgates were insufficient to handle the volume of water – therefore, the water breached the levee bank heading back to the Logan River,” Greg said.

“The floodwaters have a direct relationship to the increased amount of urban development in the area over the years and the changes to our environment from that surrounding infrastructure.”

Growers still recovering from last year’s long season have been heavily impacted. Young cane suffered the most as waterlogged plants were covered in silt deposits, leading to extensive damage and loss, CANEGROWERS Rocky Point director Tony Huth said.

“It’s frustrating to see plants perish simply because the water couldn’t drain quickly enough,” Tony said.

“Most of the region faced power outages lasting up to six days, while road access was cut off for five days.”

Frustration is mounting among growers who feel overlooked in the Council’s priorities, as attention seems to be heavily directed toward the tourism sector while agricultural initiatives receive less support. The outdated floodgate system, designed before decades of urban encroachment, failed to manage the storm’s torrents. Growers say the floodgates are no longer fit for purpose yet calls for significant upgrades have gone unanswered.

“Council has implemented minor, lower-cost measures, but the big-ticket fixes remain untouched,” Tony said.

“The floodgate system is outdated, and without decisive action, we’ll continue to face devastation.”

Adding to the frustration, Energex faced criticism for insufficient tree maintenance near powerlines. Many outages may have been prevented had proactive measures been taken before the cyclone hit.

As if the flooding wasn’t enough, the region’s ongoing battle against invasive fire ants worsened. The floods provided a perfect opportunity for the pests to spread, with colonies forming floating “rafts” to survive and migrate beyond containment zones. Biosecurity risks are now heightened, further complicating recovery efforts.

While the true financial toll remains uncertain, many blocks of crops are beyond saving. Despondency is settling in among growers, with lingering questions about the district’s future. Despite the setbacks, there is hope that pressure on the Council and coordinated recovery efforts will bring long-overdue improvements.

The Rocky Point community is resilient, but they are now facing a critical turning point, calling for action to prevent future devastation and ensure their voices are heard.