Although clean-up efforts continue, Brisbane River has reopened to boating enthusiasts following the floods in the Australian state of Queensland, with a warning to watch out for debris.
State Transport Minister Mark Bailey says strict conditions will be in place, following extensive safety inspections.
“Maritime Safety Queensland have done a phenomenal job in working with several agencies to clean up the river after the floods,” Bailey said on Saturday.
“Today, I’m pleased to announce the full Brisbane River is open to recreational boaties during daylight hours only.
“Everyone on board must wear a lifejacket as we continue to monitor unusual currents and debris,” he said.
While progress has been made with clearing the river, conditions shouldn’t be considered normal, Bailey said.
Authorities and contractors are continuing with clean-up operations and boaties should keep clear as they pass work areas at slow speed.
Activities which pose high risk of injury from debris, such as water-skiing, are to be avoided for now.
Crews had last week managed to remove some 2,000 tonnes of debris from the river.
Queenslanders were urged to avoid “disaster tourism” and stay off the waterway in the wake of floods, which were triggered by the state’s wettest February in 130 years.
At one stage, more than 150 objects needed to be dragged from the bottom of the river that were impeding shipping channels.
The recent floods that impacted Queensland the northern New South Wales is expected to cost insurers around $750 million.
Meanwhile, the Bureau of Meteorology has warned of further flooding risk in NSW’s Northern Rivers and Hunter regions, while flood warnings have been issued for parts of southern Queensland.
Sydney is also looking at another week of rain after heavy storms hit parts of the city late this week.
