SOME 400 cubic metres of material have been collected from Fraser Coast beaches in the wake of severe flooding in the region.
The Fraser Coast Regional Council said its staff and contractors had been steadily cleaning beaches from the mouth of the Mary River northwards towards Burrum Heads.
NOW READ: Beach clean-ups underway
Heavy rain earlier this month saw the Mary River engulf parts of the Maryborough CBD and surrounding areas.
While crews were quick to jump into action to re-open affected parts of the Heritage City and perform emergency repairs to important roadways, the impact of the floods were also felt along the coastline.
Flood debris washed up on several Hervey Bay beaches with machinery brought in to speed up recovery efforts.
Council said in a statement issued to Good News Fraser Coast that the seas around Hervey Bay and the Sandy Strait were starting to clear following Ex-tropical Cyclone Seth.
ALSO READ: Tonnes of rubbish removed from Fraser Coast
However, beachgoers were still urged to be cautious.
“While the water is clearing and should improve as the big summer tides move through, swimmers should always be cautious of flotsam and jetsam, especially in the aftermath of a flood event,” the statement read.
Meanwhile, residents are also being urged not to enter parks that are still closed following the deluge.
ALSO READ: Have your say: What single-use plastics should be cancelled next?
Division 4 Councillor Daniel Sanderson said, while crews were working as quickly as they could, clean-up efforts were being hampered by wet ground and regular showers.
““Council staff are waiting for the ground to dry sufficiently to complete pathway cleaning and replacing softfall around playgrounds,” Cr Sanderson said.
“The ground has to be dry enough to ensure our trucks and vehicles do not cause more damage to the turf,” he continued.
“Unfortunately, people are removing warning tape, chains and locks to access the facilities. As a result, we have had to redirect staff from the clean-up effort to check on closed areas.
ALSO READ: Fraser Coast recycling efforts take strain off landfill
“Overall though, there has been surprisingly limited damage within the parks network given the size of the flood.”
Cr Sanderson said Council mowing teams and contractors were doing their best to maintain services and stay on top of grass growth in challenging conditions.
“Unfortunately, the wet ground and showers are having an effect with some areas simply too wet to mow,” he said.
ALSO READ: New recycling plant to save Fraser Coast millions
“We ask for the community’s patience and understanding while our Council staff work hard on the flood recovery while also trying to maintain their usual services in our parks and playgrounds.”
Hashtags: #goodnewsfrasercoast | #frasercoastnews | #frasercoast | #frasercoastbusinessdirectory
Keywords: Good News Fraser Coast | Fraser Coast News | Hervey Bay news | Maryborough news | Fraser Coast Business Directory