An Ipswich childcare centre was not warned of looming flood threats; forcing staff to oversee the evacuation of 115 children, Queensland's flood inquiry has been told.
Kaleidoscope Early Childcare Centre director Krystal Wilson told the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry she did not receive any warnings or information from the local council or emergency services when the state's southeast flooded in January.
Ms Wilson said the creek behind the centre at Goodna, in east Ipswich, was rising quickly, prompting her to examine several nearby causeways.
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"On January 11 we heard about what had happened on the Monday in Toowoomba in the news and knew it was coming," she told the inquiry on Tuesday.
"I tried calling the council but could not get through."
A police officer at the Goodna boat ramp noticed the logo on Ms Wilson's shirt and advised her to prepare for evacuation.
"Prior to speaking to the officer, we had not had any contact from any authority," she said.
"I decided that it was better to evacuate sooner rather than later."
Ms Wilson returned to the centre to move the 25 staff and 115 children in her care, including eight babies, to safety.
It took about two hours to contact all the children's parents, asking them to collect their children.
"Some parents were already coming back from Brisbane after their employers had turned them around and told them to go and get their kids and go home."
The last child was collected 10 hours before flood waters inundated the building, closing the centre for 45 days.
She said off-duty defence personnel and others helped with the clean-up and recovery.
The commission, which will sit in Ipswich for two days this week, is expected to examine the adequacy of the council's planning controls and whether enough was done locally to minimise damage.
About 2.5 million people were affected, and at least 35 died when more than 70 per cent of the state flooded last summer.
cent of the state flooded last summer.
