Maroochydore's two coasts
Two kinds of salt water
BlueScope's TB-35 lists Sunshine Coast beaches as surf and names Twin Waters canal estates as calm. Maroochy Waters and other canals aren't named, so they need checking address by address.
River mouth and storm surge
The Maroochy River meets the sea at Cotton Tree. The Bureau of Meteorology says storm surge is another major flood risk in the lower catchment, with river peaks at Picnic Point usually arriving with the high tide. In the 1992 flood, about 225 homes were inundated up to 80 centimetres deep, worst at Pacific Paradise.
The May 2021 storm
In mid-May 2021, hail, strong winds and rain hit Maroochydore, Nambour, Buderim and nearby areas. SES volunteers helped secure more than 100 properties, and the Kmart roof at Sunshine Plaza gave way.
Apartments and townhouses
At the 2021 Census, 37.5% of occupied homes were separate houses, 36.6% were flats or apartments and 24.1% were townhouses or similar. On census night, 13.3% of private dwellings were empty.
Canals built in stages
Maroochy Waters was built in three stages, from the late 1970s to the early 1990s, and its land sits higher than the CBD, which has recorded floods.
Getting the right roof for your part of Maroochydore
Beachside streets. Treat these as surf. BlueScope recommends standard COLORBOND more than 200 m from breaking surf, so nearer the beach ask about COLORBOND Ultra or SUPERDURA Stainless and get the product written on the quote.
Riverside and canal homes. BlueScope's rules for calm water are gentler: standard COLORBOND is recommended at any distance from calm marine water, and ZINCALUME beyond 100 m. But only Twin Waters' canals are named as calm, so have the roofer confirm the class before relying on it.
Units. Roof work on a shared building normally goes through the body corporate or building manager, so start there.
After storms. Look for lifted sheets, loose ridge capping and bent flashings from the ground, then get anything suspicious checked. See roof repairs on the Sunshine Coast.
Questions for a Maroochydore roofer
- Which marine class applies at my address: surf, exposed or calm?
- Is the product on the quote recommended for that class and distance?
- Will the gutters, flashings and fixings be the same grade as the sheets?
- What's your QBCC licence number, and does the name match your quote?
Where we'd start in Maroochydore
Pin down the marine class for your address before talking colours. Near the surf, we'd pay for the higher-rated steel and get it written into the quote. On the canals, we'd still ask the roofer to confirm, because BlueScope only names one Sunshine Coast canal estate as calm.
Want a roofer to take a look?
Tell us the job and your postcode. We match it with a Find My Roofer certified roofer who specialises in that kind of work, and they call you to quote. Your number goes to them alone.