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National

Maryborough prepares for second major flood in two months, as the Mary River continues to rise

A levee was erected Saturday morning to protect businesses in the CBD. (ABC News: Jake Kearnan)

It was business almost as usual this morning as the city of Maryborough sprang into action for its second major flood this year. 

A levee was erected to protect businesses in the CBD, as prisoners from the Maryborough Correctional Centre filled sandbags made available at Bunnings and the city's Granville Hall. 

The smell of coffee wafted through the streets as local businesses continued to operate for as long as they could.

Two months, two floods

It was only shortly over a month ago that the Mary River reached a peak of 9.95 metres.

STAY UP-TO-DATE WITH THE QUEENSLAND FLOOD HERE

Police went door to door evacuating people as water flowed through damaged gates under the city's levee. 

Fraser Coast Mayor George Seymour said this flood would be at least 10-metres high. 

Flooding in Queens Park, Maryborough.  (ABC News: Lucy Loram)

"The Bureau of Meteorology won't be able to give us a finite estimate on what will happen here until they see the peak in Gympie," he said. 

"We have installed the gate underground into the stormwater system which prevents water backing up," he said. 

Mr Seymour said the levee held the water back to 11.3m and he had not been given any estimations the water would rise that high.

Emergency services stretched thin

George Seymour says the underground stormwater system has been fixed since it failed last month. (ABC News: Lucy Loram)

Mr Seymour said emergency services were stretched a lot thinner than six weeks ago, as disaster unfolded right across south-east Queensland. 

"There will be isolated pockets right across the region."

However, this time, Mr Seymour said the town had an extra day to prepare and was ready. 

Businesses prepare

Brittany Robinson, who opened a coffee shop in December, will have suffered through two floods in three months of business. 

"I can add it to my resume now," she said. 

"It's gotten to the point where we were like, 'Well, we've done this before and we know how to do it'.

Brittany Robinson continued making coffee before packing up shop in the afternoon.  (ABC News: Lucy Loram)

Maryborough Chamber of Commerce president Michelle Clunn said businesses' resilience was amazing. 

"We've got a local church in town who is letting a business relocate into their facilities so they can keep operating," she said. 

Michelle Clunn says businesses will be supported to get back on their feet.  (ABC News: Lucy Loram)

Lida Nielsen has run the lolly shop in the CBD for 15 years. 

Lida Nielsen says her family helped her lift stock and sandbag the front of her store.  (ABC News: Lucy Loram)

"We're a very close knit CBD … the whole of Maryborough [is].

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