Volunteers and contractors are cleaning up the University of Queensland (UQ) much faster than expected. Summer classes are scheduled to resume at UQ on January 20 following the hard work of staff, student and community volunteers, as well as contractors, in cleaning up after the recent floods.
Senior deputy vice-chancellor Professor Michael Keniger said: "It is a remarkable turnaround when you think the recovery teams removed more than 270 tonnes of mud from one road at the St Lucia campus on Saturday, and today we have virtually all of the roads clear, buses coming to campus, the sun shining and most of our buildings up and running."
"Our IT and other networks were sustained and coped well throughout the crisis and construction resumed today on most of the large capital works on campus.
"The Gatton campus is also in good shape and the Ipswich and Herston campuses were not affected."
Griffith, Southern Cross and Sunshine Coast University staff have volunteered to assist UQ with regular ground maintenance, such as mowing, enabling UQ Property and Facilities staff to be freed up for the recovery effort.
At UQ Gatton campus, owners have been reclaiming animals from the School of Veterinary Science, which was turned into a temporary Noah's Ark last week to house animals from the Lockyer Valley.