A major review has been ordered into how Queensland emergency services responded to Tropical Cyclone Debbie, as Rockhampton started to clean-up on Sunday.
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The Fitzroy River continued to recede, with floodwaters registered at 7.85 metres high in the afternoon after reaching 8.9 metres on Friday morning.
Emergency Services Minister Mark Ryan said the review was to ensure the state government had learnt lessons from Tropical Cyclone Debbie.
"Queensland is at the forefront of disaster management in Australia, and through reviews such as this, I want to heighten the strength and effectiveness of our arrangements even further," he said in a statement.
The review will focus on the direct impact of the cyclone, rapid on-set weather conditions after Debbie crossed the coast and the slow-onset flooding in Rockhampton.
In addition to input from emergency response agencies and councils, a telephone survey of 900 residents will gauge public opinion in three key districts.
Mr Ryan said he had asked for any findings to be considered and put into action before the next season of severe weather.
Clean up teams across Rockhampton are helping residents get their homes back in order, as floodwaters recede. #7News https://t.co/7jsjNKrwY9??? 7 News Sydney (@7NewsSydney) April 9, 2017
Concessional loans have also been offered to beef producers around Rockhampton to help rebuild after the floods damaged roads, bridges, pumps, pipes, fences and troughs.
Queensland Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne said the area was "significantly affected" and some graziers had never seen water so high as the floods dumped by the category four system.
Under the "Category B" assistance package, concessional loans of up to $250,000 and freight subsidies of up to $5,000 were made available.
Similar assistance was made available to Whitsunday, Mackay, Central Highlands, Gladstone, Gold Coast, Isaac, Logan, Lockyer Valley and the Scenic Rim Regional Council areas.
One lesson that had already been learned from Tropical Cyclone Debbie, was the need for a permanent levee in Rockhampton.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk committed to funding the project and threw down the challenge to the federal government to follow suit on Friday.
Ms Palaszczuk admitted it would be more cost-effective in the long-term to build levees, but said funding was needed in the short-term.
The premier met with Rockhampton mayor Margaret Strelow to discuss the flood response as well as the levee.
"We know the last two floods, in 2011 and 2013, the reconstruction cost that all three levels of government pay is $40 million, and estimated cost to private property was another $40 million," Cr Strelow said.
"Well here we go again, add $20 million to each of those, and that levee would pay for itself."
With AAP
