Flood history and flood risk are not part of Queensland’s standard seller disclosure requirements, which means researching them is generally left to the buyer. For properties in Brisbane, Council provides a free tool that makes this reasonably straightforward.
Flood Awareness Online
Brisbane City Council’s flood mapping tool is called Flood Awareness Online. You can search by address, lot and plan, or suburb to see a general picture of flood likelihood and local flood history for an area.
The FloodWise Property Report
From the same tool, you can generate a more detailed FloodWise Property Report, free of charge, usually within around 20 seconds. This report covers four flood sources: river, creek, overland flow and storm tide. It includes anticipated flood levels at a range of annual exceedance probability thresholds, from the more frequent 20 percent chance events through to the rarer 0.2 percent chance events, along with minimum habitable floor level guidance, historic flood levels referencing the January 2011 and February 2022 events, ground level data, and any flood planning area overlay that applies.
The report is designed primarily for surveyors, builders, certifiers, architects and engineers working on development applications, but it is publicly available to any property owner or prospective buyer.
This tool is Brisbane-specific
Flood Awareness Online and the FloodWise Property Report only cover the Brisbane City Council area. Other council areas in South East Queensland maintain their own separate flood information, so if a property sits outside Brisbane, you will need to check with that specific council.
What to verify before you act
A FloodWise Property Report gives you official modelled information for a specific address, but it does not replace independent advice on insurance implications or building requirements for a flood-affected property. If a report shows meaningful flood exposure, it is worth discussing the practical implications with your insurer, a builder, or a suitably qualified professional before proceeding.
Sources
- Brisbane City Council, FloodWise Property Report, brisbane.qld.gov.au
- Brisbane City Council, Flood Awareness Online, fam.brisbane.qld.gov.au
This article is general information only and is not insurance, building or legal advice. Flood mapping and planning information can change. Always confirm current information directly with Brisbane City Council or the relevant local council before making a decision.
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