[ Regional spotlight 06 ] Gympie & the Mary Valley // Owners & builders
Reality Capture in Gympie and the Mary Valley: Flood-Affected Homes, Raising and Acreage Builds
Once the linings go in the skip, nobody can measure where the water reached. Here's how to record flood damage before strip-out, then plan a repair, raise or rebuild.Locations
In this guide6 sections · 4 min read
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Gympie knows floods. The Mary River runs through the middle of town, and in February 2022 it rose higher than it had since 1893, through homes, shops and sheds across the Mary Valley. For many owners, what came next was harder than the water: stripping out, arguing over what was damaged, deciding whether to repair, raise or rebuild.
This spotlight is for owners and builders in Gympie, the Mary Valley and the surrounding acreage. It covers recording flood damage before strip-out, planning a raise or rebuild, and capturing acreage homes and sheds. It's general information: follow the advice of emergency services, your insurer and licensed trades, and confirm approvals with a building certifier and Gympie Regional Council.
After the water
When the water drops, the pressure is to get the mud out and the wet materials into a skip as fast as possible. That's understandable, and often necessary for health and to stop mould. But once linings, joinery and floor coverings are gone, the evidence of how high the water reached, and what it damaged, goes with them.
Only go back in when it's safe. Leave the power off until a licensed electrician has checked everything the water reached, and wear protection: flood water and mud can be contaminated.
Record the damage before strip-out
A capture before strip-out records every room as the water left it: the water line on each wall, the joinery, the floors, the services. It's dated and to scale, so your insurer, builder and engineer all work from the same record, even after the house has been gutted. Set the depth below to see what a given water line reaches in a typical room.
Flood line // what the water reached
Set the water line. See what it reached.
Drag to the depth the water came above your floor. The room floods to that line, and the list shows what it reached and what to record before anything is stripped out.
Reached by the water0/ 0
- Floor coverings Above the waterThe floor finish, and the subfloor once it's lifted
- Skirtings, doors and jambs Above the waterDoor and trim sizes, so like-for-like replacements can be ordered
- Wall linings and insulation Above the waterHow high the water reached on every wall, before linings are cut out
- Kitchen and laundry joinery Above the waterThe layout and size of every cabinet, for the replacement order
- Hot water system Above the waterIts position and connections, if it has to be replaced
- Low power points Above the waterEvery outlet that went under; an electrician checks the wiring before power goes back on
- Switchboard Above the waterWhether the water reached it; it must be inspected before anything is switched on
- Ceiling Above the waterStaining or sagging, and what's in the roof space above
Safety firstOnly go back in when it's safe to. Leave the power off until a licensed electrician has checked anything the water reached, and wear protection: flood water and mud can be contaminated.
Book before strip-out starts. A dated, measured record of the water line and the damage gives your insurer, builder and engineer the same starting point. The depth you set is added to your request.
Repair, raise or rebuild
After a big flood, many owners look at raising the house above the water line, or rebuilding higher. Raising needs building approval and an engineer, and if the property is in a flood overlay, the council's flood rules shape how high the new floor needs to be. Check early with a building certifier and Gympie Regional Council.
Lifting a house moves the whole structure, so record its condition before the lift as well. Existing cracks are logged to scale, so there's no argument afterwards about what the raise caused. The existing floor levels and stump grid also give your designer and engineer a measured starting point.
Acreage, sheds and the Mary Valley
Beyond town, many properties are acreage: a house, a big shed or two, long driveways and sites a long way from services. A single visit can capture the house and the outbuildings together, with the access and site layout around them. Tell us what's on the property when you book, so the run allows enough time.
Booking a capture in Gympie
Gympie and the Mary Valley are on our Gympie Regional corridor, reached on weekly scheduled runs from Sunshine Coast HQ. After a flood, tell us when strip-out is due so we can plan the capture before it starts. Every capture is architectural-grade, not a survey: boundaries and levels to a survey datum are work for a registered surveyor.
Gympie capture: FAQs
Q.01Should I record flood damage before stripping out?
If you can do it safely, yes. Once linings, joinery and floors are removed, nobody can measure where the water reached. A dated, measured record keeps that evidence for your insurer, builder and engineer.
Q.02Is it safe to turn the power back on after a flood?
Not until a licensed electrician has checked everything the water reached, including power points and the switchboard.
Q.03Do I need approval to raise my house in Gympie?
Raising usually needs building approval and an engineer's design, and flood overlays can set how high the new floor must be. Check with a building certifier and Gympie Regional Council early.
Q.04Can you capture sheds and outbuildings on acreage?
Yes. Tell us what's on the property when you book, and we'll capture the house and outbuildings in the same visit.
Q.05How often do you come to Gympie?
Weekly, on scheduled runs from Sunshine Coast HQ. Book early to secure a place on the run you need.