Richard and Janette Rowles have constructed what may be one of Australia's most flood-resilient homes, investing over $2 million in a house designed to withstand the devastating floods that regularly plague Brisbane's riverfront communities. Their innovative Sherwood property, built on land that has been in Richard's family for 160 years, represents both a personal return to his roots and a bold architectural experiment in living with nature's fury.
Richard Rowles describes the Brisbane River as a living entity that "breathes in and out two times a day," a perspective shaped by his childhood spent launching off the jetty behind his family's riverside property. "It's got its own character and it changes all the time. When it gets angry, you don't want to be anywhere near it. But the rest of the time, it's pretty good," he explains. This intimate relationship with the river began when his Irish ancestors established themselves on the Sherwood block 160 years ago, and continued as Richard grew up swimming, fishing, and canoeing in the waterway.
The decision to build on the flood-prone site came after Richard's mother died in 2015, leaving the property to him and his brother. Despite raising their sons William and Ollie in the neighboring suburb of Chelmer, Richard and Janette felt drawn back to the ancestral land. "Selling Chelmer was really difficult because it was our family home, we raised the kids there," Janette admits. "But we liked the connection with the fact we come from somewhere and we're returning to where we came from," Richard adds.
The Brisbane River's history of catastrophic flooding presented a formidable challenge. The area has experienced major floods in 1974, 2011, and 2022, with each event reshaping the city's understanding of flood risk. The original house on the Rowles family block was completely inundated during the devastating 2011 floods, and the couple had already grown accustomed to what Janette describes as the "torture" of "watching the slow, insidious creep of water over a few days."
The 2022 flood brought unexpected complications that would ultimately make their home more resilient. Not only did the rising waters force builders to halt construction, but a 200-meter stretch of riverbank subsided during the event, causing the land to drop by up to a meter in some areas. Architect James Russell explains that approvals for the project were suddenly retracted, forcing a complete redesign. However, this setback led to enhanced flood protection measures that wouldn't have existed otherwise.
The final design, completed after almost two and a half years of construction, positions the house 11 meters back from the river and almost half a meter above council requirements. "All the habitable floor levels are well and truly above what the Brisbane City Council sees as the 100-year-plus flood levels," Russell explains. The structure is anchored by 26 piers driven 13.5 meters into the earth, designed to withstand future landslips with "10 to 20mm movement maximum if the entire bank were to give way."
The house's flood-resilient features are built into every aspect of its design. In case of record-breaking floods, all valuables are located on the upper level, while the blockwork undercroft is designed to be completely submersible. Power outlets and light switches are elevated, and Russell notes that "some people might find it odd that the power points and switches are up two meters high, but this way the flood can go through and you can let it go down and everything can be hosed out."
The materials selection reflects a commitment to flood resilience throughout the structure. Russell describes the building materials as "really robust, almost like rock coming out of the ground." The upper level features 170 water-resistant and removable melamine panels screwed to an exposed epoxy-painted steel frame, while heavy-duty ironbark floorboards capable of surviving days underwater were used throughout the living spaces. Even in worst-case flooding scenarios, Russell anticipates that water might only rise to the landscaped courtyard in the center of the house.
This comprehensive approach to flood resilience has allowed the couple to forgo traditional flood insurance, which Richard notes would cost "a fortune – certainly $30,000 to $40,000 a year" in their high-risk location. "Our opinion is we spent a considerable amount of money on flood 'insurance' with the ground engineering and in-ground structure, with the materials used in construction, and the height we built at," he explains. After explaining their construction approach to their insurance broker, they were able to secure home insurance that excludes flood coverage.
Architect James Davidson, whose firm helped develop Queensland's flood resilience framework, acknowledges that the Rowles' house is "on the big end of town" but emphasizes that similar principles can be applied to any budget. With 15 years of experience helping clients improve flood resilience for $50,000 to $100,000 per home, Davidson argues that "the cost-benefit is significant. If you put $50,000 into flood resilience now, it'll save incredible amounts of money over time."
Davidson outlines essential strategies for flood-resilient construction and retrofitting: understanding current and projected flood levels, using resilient materials above flood lines, elevating services and switches, choosing non-cavity construction, avoiding plasterboard, using concrete and tiled surfaces, raising houses where possible, and treating pine framing with mold-resistant materials. He emphasizes that councils adjust flood levels after each new event, warning that "if you do build to the current council flood level, it might go higher next time and you might still be at risk."
Despite his expertise in flood resilience, Davidson maintains that these measures should not be seen as permanent solutions. "These things will buy some time – I'm not totally convinced that we should be building right onto the Brisbane River in the future," he cautions. "And I don't want my work to be seen as the 'get-out-of-jail-free card' where people say, 'Oh, we'll be fine, we've done it resiliently.'" He argues that true solutions might require retreating from the worst-hit areas, emphasizing that while there's no such thing as a truly flood-proof house, there can be "resilient homes and homeowners who are happy to stay in higher-risk locations."
