Parts of southeast Queensland were hit by far more rain than the Bureau of Meteorology had forecast. Rainfall in parts of Brisbane reached about 270mm within a few hours before noon on Thursday, after an earlier forecast of 15 to 50mm. Flash flooding closed Morayfield Shopping Centre and nine schools, and left thousands of homes without power. Emergency crews rescued several people from swift water, and the State Emergency Service has responded to almost 420 calls for help since Thursday. Severe thunderstorms are forecast to continue across the state through the weekend.
Severe storms flooded southeast Queensland, with almost 300 millimetres of rain falling in 24 hours in the Moreton Bay region. Parts of Morayfield were told to prepare to leave. An elderly driver was rescued after being trapped by floodwaters at Rocksberg, west of Caboolture, and narrowly avoided being swept away. At least 14 schools across Moreton Bay were closed. The State Emergency Service responded to 277 callouts in eight hours. Flood warnings remain current in parts of the region.
ABC reporter Will Murray and another man swam into fast-moving floodwater north of Brisbane to rescue a driver trapped in a sinking ute. Murray said the vehicle started to float and sink within seconds. He pulled the passenger-side door open as water rose toward the driver's shoulders. Record October rainfall has hit southeast Queensland, with Beerburrum recording 170mm in a day. Homeless camps in Moreton Bay have also been flooded.
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Moreton Bay Regional Council has told residents in Burpengary and Burpengary East to prepare to leave due to rising floodwaters. Heavy rain has caused flash flooding across southeast Queensland, with some areas receiving over 200mm in 12 hours. Police confirmed two overnight rescues by members of the public, and dozens of roads have closed. Morayfield State High School closed for normal classes. The Bureau of Meteorology says rain should ease during the afternoon and evening, but wet weather is expected to continue across the region.
More than 10,000 apartments across Brisbane and the Gold Coast have been postponed or placed on indefinite hold, according to PRD data worth an estimated $5.4 billion. Rising building costs and a shortage of builders are cited as key pressures on developers. PRD chief economist Diaswati Mardiasmo says the shortage is likely to keep apartment prices high. Property Council of Australia Queensland executive director Jess Caire said approving housing alone does not deliver homes. Charter Keck Kramer forecasts that labour and material shortages will worsen from the 2027-28 financial year.
