LATE last night, after a levee protecting Maryborough’s business district failed, Fr Lucius Edomobi prayed as he witnessed floodwater rising on the grounds of the city’s heritage-listed St Mary’s Church.
Muddy, foul-smelling muck washed through the church garage adjacent to the main street, Adelaide Street, and crept higher up the hill towards the parish office and presbytery.
“I prayed. I was saying to God, ‘God please don’t allow this. Don’t allow this water to get to the office because the loss will be a trauma’,” St Mary’s parish priest Fr Edomobi said.
A few steps higher, iconic St Mary’s Church has stood as a beacon to the Fraser Coast Region of Queensland since 1872.
Emergency officials had given assurances that a rapidly-constructed levee in Maryborough’s CBD and stretching through the grounds of St Mary’s, would stand firm against floodwaters predicted to rise above a major flood level of 10.5 metres.
However an underground stormwater valve failed just before 2pm on Sunday, allowing a massive water surge up through the drains and into the streets.
An urgent evacuation order was issued and a dozen pumps were deployed but could not stem the flow.
The floodwater water peaked just before midnight, two steps below the St Mary’s parish office containing valuable document, records and equipment.
One step higher, keeping vigil in the presbytery, Fr Edomobi heard the water pumps from the main street stop and there was an eerie silence.
“God really heard my prayer, it was just like a miracle,” he said.
As the flood emergency unfolded, Fr Edomobi said parishioners had encouraged him to leave the church and stay the night in a motel, but he had decided to stay instead.
“I haven’t experienced a flood before. I wanted to see what happens,” he said.
Originally from Nigeria, Fr Edomobi was appointed to Maryborough six months ago after serving as associate pastor at Living Waters Parish in Caboolture.
He’s delighted to have joined the Maryborough community.
“It’s a lovely, lovely environment here. Lovely church, especially the church,” he said.
The Bureau of Meteorology has cancelled a severe thunderstorms warning for Queensland’s Capricornia, Wide Bay and Burnett districts.
However further north, Cyclone Tiffany is delivering destructive wind gusts of up to 130kph are it approaches the coast.
Heavy rain and larges waves are expected to hit Cape York Peninsula.
People between Cape Tribulation and Cooktown are advised to secure boats and other property.
