Building flood resilience at Brisbane Markets

BML is expanding on its robust flood mitigation strategy at Brisbane Markets.

A crucial component of the strategy is the implementation of an updated early warning system and increased access to the site before and after a flooding event.

Works are underway for new flood monitoring systems at the lowest areas in the Northern Industrial and South Gate precincts of the Brisbane Markets which will provide accurate Australian Height Datum (AHD) flood water levels. The flood monitoring system will take into account tidal information plus predictive data on peak flood levels based on current rainfall, and information on when the Markets will become accessible to vehicles.

A feasibility assessment on raising the Curzon Street roadway and bridge to 7 m AHD is nearing completion, with the application seeking Brisbane City Council approval for this project being developed for lodgement.

This important project will achieve a later exit from the Markets and earlier return following a flood event, noting that currently Curzon Street floods at 5.456 m AHD at its lowest point.

BML Chair, Anthony Kelly, said that Brisbane Markets is a major economic hub and every moment without trade after a flood event has flow on effects to the state’s economy including retail, logistics and growing regions.

“By increasing the height of the Curzon Street entrance, we can increase the time the site remains accessible during flood events and reduce the time taken to regain access as flood waters recede.

“These works build upon the work done after the 2011 flood and cement BML’s focus on site resilience, with $6.93 million in flood mitigation projects to be progressively rolled out over the coming years.”

One of the key learnings from the 2022 flood event is that infrastructure and services recovery is contingent on lead times for components comprising tenancy distribution boards, main building boards and dock levellers.

“Supply chain impacts can delay the arrival and increase the cost of the critical parts and spares needed to reestablish markets services,” said BML Managing Director and CEO, Andrew Young.

“This is especially the case when a natural disaster impacts the majority of the eastern seaboard of Australia.”

To reduce the impact of future delays, considerable work has been undertaken by BML to purchase, sort and pack a repository of the critical spares required to facilitate immediate repairs to electrical, sewer and dock leveller infrastructure. These critical spares are stored above peak flood levels and are reserved for natural disaster recovery works only.

“The stockpiling of critical spares will help our Tenants get up and running as fast as possible after a natural disaster, by progressing restoration works without extended lead times and at a reasonable price point,” said Mr Young.

A staged program of works is underway to elevate critical electrical infrastructure including main building boards and sewer pump station control panels above 9.5 m AHD to dramatically reduce the potential for flood water ingress and damage.

A project to replace Brisbane Markets’ fire detection and alarm system, including fire indicator panels across this site, is underway with all technical design specifications for a new sitewide system now complete and tender documents distributed.

The new fire indicator panels will all be installed above peak flood levels and mimic panels installed for monitoring by BML and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services. The mimic panels are removeable in the event of a flood and are readily replaceable if damaged by a flood. However, the main dry fire system will be protected from any future flood event, which will prevent any outage of detection and alarm services.

New access stairs and an elevated platform at Building I were installed in February, elevating the building’s main distribution board above flood level. Similar works are almost completed at Building Z with further stages of this flood mitigation project being progressed over the next 18 months. This complements BML’s earlier flood mitigation works that occurred following the 2011 flood event.