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Story of the floods through the Brisbane Flood sculpture

Leo Shanahan

by Leo Shanahan

13 Jan 03:10pm

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Filed under: Art, Brisbane Floods, Lightweight, Queensland Floods, Sculpture

17 comments

In the tonnes of coverage on the Brisbane floods, nobody seems to have filmed or photographed this rather ironic sculpture. The “Flood” sculpture, by artist Richard Tipping, is on the river’s edge at the Brisbane Powerhouse in New Farm. Perhaps because it’s already underwater? Do you know?

Update: 3:10 PM

Well thanks to social media now we do know. The Flood sculpture now neatly marks the flood water line on the Brisbane River.

Flood sculpture by artist Richard Tipping. Photo: From Flckr by Espen Klem. No flood

Going

Yesterday, thanks to @lexiphanic on Twit Pic

Gone.

Today, thanks to Michael Pham and Richard Tipping

Most commented

17 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • Rosie says:

      01:34pm | 13/01/11

      Greg Lexiphanic took this photo this morning. I think its base represents the 1974 flood level (which we haven’t reached yet)? http://twitpic.com/3ph9ba

      Reply

    • Bree says:

      01:35pm | 13/01/11

      Yes… I have seen many photos of this in it’s early stages of going underwater on Facebook!

      Reply

    • Tegan says:

      01:36pm | 13/01/11

      I went there yesterday at 12pmish… and again at 6.30ish.. and both times it was not underwater. In fact there was still a fair bit to go before it went underwater.

      Reply

    • Robyne says:

      01:48pm | 13/01/11

      According to the abc the water has just covered the base so it now really is the level of the flood!

      Reply

    • Willy says:

      04:29pm | 13/01/11

      Isn’t this embarrassing?

      You know your city has averaged a major flood every 40 years since federation, and you even build a ‘monument’ to it - yet take no precautions with buildings etc etc and then marvel at the ‘irony’ of this photo?

      Reply

    • Sahrah says:

      06:07pm | 13/01/11

      Does the building of the Wivenhoe Dam count as taking precautions? I don’t think the sculpture is embarrasing. It is a monument to a significant event in Brisbane history. I wonder if they will follow up with another sculpture representing this event.

    • Ben says:

      09:52pm | 20/01/11

      It’s an awesome sculpture!

    • B says:

      03:48pm | 31/01/11

      I live in East Brisbane on a hill. Streets nearby flooded and as I looked down the street I could see each house perched on stilts with the first low set house being some 10m from the water. East Brisbane, though, houses predominantly higher income earning residents. Goodna and Rocklea, lower income earning areas were worse affected - perhaps because residents in 1974 and today do not have the economic luxury of things like stilts or proper insurance.

    • Sven says:

      06:20pm | 13/01/11

      Look. People are very complex and the monuments they build are built for complex reasons - unconciously including the kind of morbid facination that attracts people take pretty pictures of sites of destruction, or slow down the highways by gawking at car accidents - probably the same people who are secretly disappointed that the current flood failed to beat the old 1974 record. Yes people - you know who you are!!

      Reply

    • jamie says:

      10:37pm | 13/01/11

      That would be me. But my disappointment lasted about a split second thanks to the fact that because it hasn’t hit the ‘74 level, my home (along with thousand of others) has been spared. Does that mean I’m glad it flooded? the sheer thought of the amount of water required to do what is being done makes it amazing to comprehend, but just because I’m amazed by it doesn’t mean I wish it happened. Disasters are still disasters.

    • Sven says:

      06:31pm | 13/01/11

      I did suggest suspending Brisbane 10 meters from the ground using 900 trillion mighty hot air balloons, but nobody listens to me…

      Reply

    • Boo says:

      07:29am | 04/02/11

      lol, in hindsight Sven we should have listened to you ; )

    • shu says:

      07:33pm | 13/01/11

      i know beaudesert rd rocklea flood very badly. dose any one know how is going now. thanks sue

      Reply

    • David says:

      08:32am | 14/01/11

      Sorry News, but it’s in the ABC gallery…

      Reply

    • Tickled Pink says:

      03:39pm | 01/02/11

      Haha Sven I am laughing my a$$ off!!!!!
      Awesome comment!!!
      Really sums up these idiots saying we shouldn’t live in Brisbane or haven’t taken enough precautions, making a point with comedy is a great way to do it.

      Reply

    • Mick says:

      11:18am | 12/02/11

      I wonder if they will erect another one spelling the word Stupid, and put it in a position where future flood levels might reach, and then if it does flood again, see if other buildings have been erected in the ensuing years below that anticipated flood level. Money might speak before common sense.

      Reply
 
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