Council expresses gratitude to staff after weekend storms
Published on 21 November 2025
Scenic Rim Regional Council has thanked its staff for their tireless efforts during last weekend’s weather occurrences, which brought damaging winds, heavy rainfall, localised flash flooding and multiple road closures across the region.
Cr Jennifer Sanders said Council staff worked around the clock to keep the community safe and informed.
“From the first warnings on Friday afternoon through to the lingering flooding on Sunday, our teams were outstanding,” Cr Sanders said.
“We had people working day and night, indoors and out, doing everything from monitoring flood cameras to closing roads before drivers got into trouble.
"Their commitment meant our community had the information and support it needed during a fast-moving, unpredictable event.”
A humid and unstable air mass triggered intense storms across South East Queensland from Friday through Sunday, with the Scenic Rim among the hardest-hit areas.
Kooralbyn recorded 136 millimetres of rain on Saturday and was isolated for up to four hours with the road completely under water. The Kooralbyn International School (TKIS) closed due to flooding impact. Boonah recorded about 80 millimetres of rain in under an hour, Teviot Brook rose rapidly, and Churchbank Weir went under, leading to dangerous conditions on several low-lying crossings. Swiftwater crews rescued two people from vehicles near Beaudesert, while more than 10,000 homes across SEQ, including the Scenic Rim, experienced power outages.
Council Director of Infrastructure Services, James Ruprai, said the region’s disaster management and operational teams played a critical role in minimising risk and keeping essential services functioning.
“Our staff know this region incredibly well, which benefitted in Council's real-time response” Mr Ruprai said.
“They understand which crossings go under first, which catchments respond fastest and which neighbourhoods need extra attention.
"That local knowledge, combined with constant monitoring and real-time coordination, is what kept people safe over the weekend.”
Indoor teams maintained the Disaster Dashboard, interpreted BOM warnings, issued timely public updates, and coordinated closely with emergency services. Outdoor crews responded to fallen trees and debris, assessed damage, managed traffic controls, closed flooded roads and supported SES operations.
This work continued throughout the weekend, and well outside normal business hours.
Cr Sanders said the community often sees the outcomes of this work without realising the scale of effort behind it.
“People don’t always notice the crews keeping roads clear, the staff pushing out accurate updates at midnight, or the teams quietly coordinating behind the scenes,” she said.
“But their work is the difference between a rough weekend and a dangerous one.”
Council will continue monitoring conditions, with more rain forecast for the coming weekend.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the dedication shown by every staff member involved,” Mr Ruprai said, he added "it is a salient reminder to all of us in the Scenic Rim to place the safety of ourselves, our family and friends first, and to never drive or travel through flood waters".