A MULTI-storey Bundaberg hotel near a sinkhole that claimed a marine business on the Burnett River has been found to be structurally safe.
A Bundaberg council engineer together with a Consulting Structural Engineer have inspected the footings of the Burnett Riverside Hotel.
"Following the inspection the structural engineer has spoken with the building's design engineers in Brisbane," a council statement said.
"The building is founded on piles driven to sufficient depth to cater for any likely bank collapse or erosion and thus the building remains structurally safe."
A council spokesman said the Quay Street area on the south side of the river remained open to the public.
EARLIER, Bundaberg authorities were deciding whether to evacuate more businesses from the southern bank of the Burnett River after a sink hole claimed a marine business.
Concern is mounting for a multi-storey hotel on the Burnett River, which is the area where subsidence has occurred.
Mayor Mal Forman has warned more businesses in the area around Quay Street could fall away.
DAMAGE: Part of the Midtown Marina at Bundaberg washed away after the river bank collapsed due to heavy rain. Picture: Jan Douglas
After sustaining heavy damage during the floods last month, workers at the Midtown Marina watched in horror as 20m section of the store was washed away about 7am Tuesday.
Owner Jan Douglas said she had "a sinking feeling" after the rain last night, and she came into work early to check on the building.
“Council had been monitoring a subsidence which made a big sunken hole along the bank, working its way under the building. I knew something had to give at some point,” she said.
She was standing at the top of the hill at looking down at the building when she heard loud creaking and watched as part of the building toppled into the water.
Mrs Douglas said they had only just rebuilt the marina after the last flood two years ago, when the river rose up to the top storey during the peak last month.
“We lost the complete marina last floods and spent every cent we had on it and it’s like the last two years have been for nothing.”
General manager of the Burnett Riverside Motel, Nick Heenan-Jalil, said the property was a “spitting” distance from the sinkhole but he was confident the fully-booked hotel would not be affected.
“The marina business (that washed away) was built on reclaimed land. We are on hard bedrock,” said Mr Heenan-Jalil.
SINKING FEELING: A sunken hole along the bank of the Burnett River has taken part of Midtown Marina away. Picture: Jan Douglas
In addition, he said the surrounding land was held in place by eight large telephone poles rammed to bedrock as well as wooden beams along the bank of the river which were not moving.
A council structural engineer was being sent to inspect the motel property.
“There has not been any movement on the bank,” said Mr Heenan-Jalil.
“We’ve been watching it on a two-hourly basis and we also had the police inspector and the deputy inspector have a look.
“I think we’re very safe. We’re all still at work and I’ve not stopped any functions, I’m not event thinking about cancelling anything yet.”
The hotel has 44 rooms and is currently accommodating an estimated 100 people.
A number of cars were caught in flash flooding on the Gold Coast hinterland overnight.
Workers camping in the Gold Coast hinterland have told of rescuing two drivers, whose vehicles were swamped by floodwaters at Guanaba overnight.
DAMAGE: A part of the Midtown Marina at Bundaberg after the river bank collapsed due to heavy rain. Picture: Jan Douglas
The workers noticed headlights on the causeway and found the two drivers on the roofs of their cars.
"We walked out and said 'are you alright' and next minute you know I'm waist deep in water dragging someone back,'' one of the workers told ABC radio.
His colleague said they had a rope and were being hit by debris in the water as they went to the aid of the drivers.
Another motorist was caught in floodwaters at nearby Wongawallan overnight, but the driver was able to make it to safety unassisted, the Department of Community Safety told AAP.
Meanwhile, about 250 campers on Fraser Island have been told to leave or relocate to safer camp grounds.
A flood watch remains for the Mary River at Gympie, with the river expected to hit about 10m.
In the 24 hours to 5am (AEST) on Tuesday, the SES had received 134 requests for help in the southeast, mostly for help with tarping roofs.
The rain threat has now eased - but here comes the wind.
DARK CLOUDS: Deb Small from Surfers Paradise watching the bad weather approaching at Narrowneck.
Powerful gusts to about 100km/h are expected to develop on Tuesday along the coast between Sandy Cape and the NSW border, along with a passage of squally showers.
A wind gust of 87km/hr was recorded at Double Island Point at 4am.
Total rainfall across the Sunshine Coast measured almost 200mm in the last 24 hours and is expected to continue throughout the week.
Kenmore Hills was the hardest hit, recording more than 65mm of rainfall overnight causing minor flooding across Boscombe Road near Brookfield Primary School.
The road will remain closed off until flood water subsides.
The highest rainfall across Queensland recorded since Monday 9am through to Tuesday 6am:
Mount Bilewilam 188mm
Double Island Point 151mm
Talara 147.8mm
Tewantin 100.4mm
Maryborough 96.2mm
Nambour 91.4mm
Gympie 78.2mm
Maroochydore 73.4mm
Kenmore Hills 65mm
Hervey Bay 54.2mm
The Bureau has issued a severe weather warning for damaging winds and dangerous seas between three and four metres as a low pressure system moves through.
The low is expected to track slowly south to southeast and deepen as it passes the Fraser Coast on Tuesday.
Dangerous surf conditions, which may lead to beach erosion, are expected to develop along the already storm-ravaged coast between Sandy Cape and the New South Wales border, including northern parts of Moreton Bay.
Locations that may be affected by the wild conditions include Fraser Island, the Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay and islands, and the Gold Coast.
The Bureau said the widespread rainfall experienced across southeast Queensland yesterday had now eased.
However, bands of heavy showers were expected to continue about coastal and adjacent inland areas.
Last night, disaster management groups were on standby to help residents if a predicted overnight deluge swamped the region.
Sunshine Coast disaster chief Alan "Fox" Rogers said the Bureau of Meteorology had advised there would be heavy falls of between 100mm and 200mm of rain.
Mr Rogers said anything over 150mm would be a concern and would lead to localised flooding and more road closures.
Rain closed roads on the Sunshine Coast yesterday, with Cooloolabin Dam catching 80mm in seven hours to 4pm, West Woombye 60mm and Baroon Pocket Dam 65mm.
The rain is forecast to ease late today but showers will continue for the week.
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Weather bureau forecaster Rick Threlfall said a low had developed about 220km offshore and heavy rain would fall mainly on the coastal strip.
Dangerous surf will pound the coast for most of the week, as Environment Department wave measuring buoys record seas to 4m.
The rough weather comes as Valuer-General Neil Bray determines the impact of this year's floods on land valuations.
Mr Bray is reviewing statutory land valuations to reassess all properties that were flooded for the first time this year and it is expected new flood lines will be drawn.
Local Government Association of Queensland chief executive Greg Hallam said this did not necessarily mean rates on flooded properties would be reduced.
"In many cases people in these areas are already on the minimum general rate so it doesn't necessarily follow they will get a reduction," he said.
Statutory land valuations are under way in 27 of the state's 58 local government areas, including Brisbane.
It features satellite flood mapping but will not include some of the areas hit hardest last month, like Bundaberg and the Burnett. Valuations would be set for those areas next year to allow time for inspections.
Valuations will be sent out in March in the Banana, Cairns, Cassowary Coast, Central Highlands, Cloncurry, Fraser Coast, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Gympie, Hinchinbrook, Ipswich, Isaac, Lockyer Valley, Logan, Mackay, Maranoa, Moreton Bay, Mount Isa, Redland, Rockhampton, Scenic Rim, Somerset, Sunshine Coast, Townsville, Western Downs and Whitsunday areas.
Permanent damage such as land loss should be reported to the valuer.
- additional reporting by Peter Hall, Brian Williams and AAP
