South East Queensland is criss-crossed by rivers. It’s also close to sea level in some areas, which means parts of SEQ are classified as flood hazard zones.
That hasn’t stopped any of us from living here! It’s a fantastic locale with great access to world-class cities, beaches and a stunning hinterland.
If you want to enjoy the lifestyle but you’re concerned about the possibility of a flood, it’s a good idea to do your research. The right home builders can reduce the risk of building in potential flood zones, so you can enjoy your new home without worrying.
In this article, we’ll look at the regulations surrounding building in flood hazard areas in South East Queensland, and how you can check the hazard level in your area.
Can You Build in a Flood Hazard Area?
The Queensland Government generally allows residential construction in flood hazard areas. Most local councils recommend some level of “flood resilient design” when building a new home in an area that’s affected by flooding.
Homes that are built in a flood hazard area must also comply with the Queensland Development Code MP 3.5.
Constructing homes to MP 3.5 requires specialist experience. When done correctly, these homes can withstand floods and be returned to habitable condition with minimal work and expense.
Most home builders don’t have the ability to construct homes in a flood hazard area. Make sure you check with your builder if you are considering purchasing land or building a home in a suburb that’s affected by flooding.
What is Flood Resilient Design?
Flood resilient design makes it easier to prepare for, withstand and clean up after a flood event. It’s a design philosophy that’s recommended in many parts of South East Queensland.
The good news is that flood resilient design is very effective in protecting your home against the risk of flooding!
Some examples of flood resilient design include:
- Using construction materials that are easy to clean or replace after a flood (e.g. vinyl flooring and weatherboard cladding).
- Installing flooring that is non-absorbent and easy to clean (e.g. polished concrete).
- Raising the height of electrical outlets and wiring to be above the nominal flood level.
- Positioning windows and doors to allow flood water to flow through the house without causing structural damage.
- In two-storey homes, installing wide staircases and overhead voids to allow furniture and other large items to be moved out of harm’s way.
The goal is to reduce the likelihood of structural damage and allow you to easily clean, repair and move back into your home after a flood event. That reduces long-term property costs (such as insurance) and makes it easier to recover from flooding.
How to Check if Your Property is in a Flood Hazard Area
Thinking about buying land or building a new home? The first thing you should do is check whether the property is affected by flooding. Here are some flood mapping resources for South East Queensland.
You can find additional information about building a home in Brisbane’s flood hazard areas here.
Gold Coast City Council publishes maps showing flood hazard areas:
- Flood Risk maps for the Gold Coast – This map shows the worst-case scenario for the depth of flood water on the Gold Coast.
- Flood Scenarios maps for the Gold Coast – These maps show the likelihood of flooding in a particular area, which plays an important role in insuring your home.
Make sure you check both maps when assessing the flood hazard for a particular property.
Note: that the Flood Risk map shows the worst-case scenario. The map is based on computer modelling of a 1-in-100-year flood. Most properties in flood hazard areas are unlikely to experience flooding this severe.
The Sunshine Coast Council publishes flood maps through the MyMaps tool. Large parts of the Sunshine Coast are crisscrossed by rivers and close to sea level, making flood resilient design especially important.
The Council allows building in flood areas as long as your home complies with Queensland Development Code MP 3.5. You can find out more about how to use the Sunshine Coast flood maps here.
The Logan Flood Portal shows risk levels based on computer modelling. You can also use these maps to see historical flood data and find out how your property fared in previous flood events.
The Logan Planning Scheme is set to be updated in 2025. It will contain new standards and recommendations for building in flood-prone areas to reduce the impact of severe weather events.
The Ipswich City Historical Flood Maps show the water levels during the 1974, 2011 and 2022 flood events.
The regulations for building in flood affected areas can be found in the Ipswich Planning Scheme. The Planning Scheme is currently being reviewed, with the upcoming version providing better direction on how to flood-proof new construction.
The Lockyer Valley Flood Information Portal shows the flood depth and hazard level across the region. These zones are based on historical data and computer modelling.
Detailed information about building in flood affected areas can be found in the Lockyer Valley Planning Scheme.
You can find flood information for Toowoomba and the Darling Downs region in the Council’s Flood Risk Portal. The portal shows computer modelling of how floods and overland flows affect the local area.
Toowoomba’s Regional Planning Scheme allows homes to be built in flood risk areas as long as the finished floor level is at least as high as the flood planning level.
Things to Consider When Building in a Flood Zone
1. Your Choice of Builder
Most builders are not equipped to build a home in a flood hazard area.
Building in these areas requires additional design, engineering and construction work. It’s also crucial that this work is carried out to a high standard to make sure your home is safe from flooding.
For this reason, you need to research and choose your builder carefully.
McCarthy Homes is one of the few builders in SEQ that’s prepared to tackle projects in flood hazard areas.
We have extensive experience in designing homes to withstand flood conditions. As part of this process, we assess your property, its risk of flood, and ways we can manage that risk. This includes:
- Ensuring the house won’t float in deep flood waters
- Considering where to place the floor level and whether the house can be raised above the Designated Flood Level (DFL)
- Choosing water resistant and/or waterproof construction materials
- Ensuring flood water is able to move through the property without damaging your home
- Providing access for moving belongings and furniture to the second storey prior to flood events
There are many tactics a builder can use to build a home that’s resistant to flooding. Make sure your builder is aware of the flood hazard on your property and that they are capable of accommodating these additional considerations.
2. The Flood Level and Risk to Your Property
Flood hazard is measured in two ways: the depth of flood waters and the likelihood of a flood occurring on a particular property. You need to know both if you want to build on a property in a flood area.
The flood level and risk has an impact on engineering, construction and materials selection. For example, a property that experiences 30cm of flood water has different requirements to a property that experiences 1 metre of flood water.
3. Flood Resilient Design
Flooding is a natural event that affects large parts of South East Queensland. Modern construction materials and flood resilient design make it possible to build in these areas without worrying about how flooding will affect your home.
Ask your builder how they’re incorporating flood resilient design into your new home.
The Queensland Government has published a guide to flood resilient construction that includes many effective techniques.
4. The Effect on Home Insurance
Building in a flood hazard area can have an impact on the cost of home insurance. Prices vary, but it’s worth speaking to your insurer for a quote before making an offer on a block of land.
A new home that incorporates flood resilient design can reduce your insurance premiums. In one study by the Queensland Government, the use of flood resilient design was able to reduce insurance premiums by 40% per annum.
Can I Build My Home Above the Flood Level?
It’s possible to construct a home so that its floor level is above the Designated Flood Level in an area. This is typically less effective at reducing the impact of a flood when compared to flood resilient design.
While this is a common tactic for flood-proofing a home, it only provides protection to a certain water level. If the water rises above this point, it can still damage your home and belongings.
Depending on the DFL in your area, we may recommend raising the floor level and incorporating resilient design elements.
McCarthy Homes is Licensed to Build in Flood Hazard Areas on the Gold Coast
Some of the most popular areas of SEQ are affected by flooding. The risk is low, but it’s important to build with flood resilience in mind.
If you’re building a new home in Brisbane, the Gold Coast or the Sunshine Coast and you’re concerned about flooding, talk to the team at McCarthy Homes!
McCarthy Homes is a custom home builder that works all over the Brisbane region. We are one of the few builders in the region that is experienced at incorporating flood resilient design into our homes.
Our solutions are unique to your property. We consider the risk and flood level, and decide how we can protect against flood waters while still delivering a home that’s everything you’re dreaming of.
Contact us to learn more, or speak with our team about building in flood hazard areas on the Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast or in Brisbane.
