News

ABCS News Reporter Kellie Riordan writes:

Just after 5pm on the day of the Lockyer Valley floods, Kym Charlton sent an urgent message from the Queensland Police Service Twitter and Facebook accounts:

"All residents living near the Lockyer Creek near Gatton and towns downstream are asked to evacuate their homes until further notice. A significant rise in the creek could inundate houses. All in low lying areas or near the creek are urged to move as soon as possible to higher ground."

Less than an hour later the message sent out via their Twitter stream (@QPSMedia) was even more urgent:

"Anyone living near Lockyer creek should IMMEDIATELY evacuate to higher ground. #thebigwet #qldfloods" (18.11pm).

Read the rest of Kellie's article

Qldfloods.org is founded and maintained by Australian volunteers to provide information and connect those who have been affected by the 2011 floods in Queensland. A key component of our work connects flood victims with those offering temporary accommodation in the surrounding regions of QLD. Like many, we are overwhelmed with the response from the Australian Community and would like to recognise our partner organisations that are making valuable contributions not only to our cause, but their own.

Volunteering Qld

Register to provide manpower for the cleanup efforts

Disaster Relief Goods and Services Registry

Run by the Fitzroy Oxfam Group, this site allows you to advertise goods and services which you would like to donate to families who have been effected by the floods. Those in need can respond to items which are needed directly which saves charity and not for profit organisations having to organise warehouse and sorting functions.

Flood Aid

If you need help or want to help flood aid is trying to match you up. Have a look at offers of help by suburb or region or add your own availability to the list

Disaster Help

Here is one for all the foodies out there. If you want to put your talents to good use, register here to provide a home cooked meal for someone who is not able to at the moment. If your kitchen is just not working at the moment you might be able to find a feed here too.

The following excerpt is from an email sent by Microsoft IT Pro Evangelist Jeff Alexander

I wanted to take a moment to say that our thoughts are with our friends in Queensland. Like most people, I have been watching in shock as the flood events unfolded in Brisbane and the surrounding areas. I travel to Brisbane on a regular basis and it’s like a second home to me.
There are many people affected by this tragedy and we know that small business can feel the brunt of tragedies such as this. Microsoft is providing assistance to government infrastructure, temporary software licensing, online services access and facilitating donations. To directly help small businesses, we are offering Windows Azure Disaster Recovery Storage to those affected by the floods. Check out the blog post for more details on this offer.

Corporate Australia is starting to make considered and generous responses to the QLD Floods crisis. We have already reported on Cotton On and Amway's generous donations along with Sly Underwears undie donation.

Now the larger corporate entities are starting to band together in a business task force, chaired by Federal Treasurer Wayne Swan. Queensland Treasurer Andrew Fraser and trucking Magnate Lindsay Fox are among the group.

Prime Minister Julie Gillard decided to create the group.

"The purpose of bringing leading corporate identities together... is to further leverage corporate support for the recovery and rebuilding in Queensland," she said.
"Already corporate Australia has been tremendously generous. But given the scale of this disaster we need to do more."

Read more about this story from the Daily Telegraph, The Australian, Smart Company and the Herald Sun.