Neil Breen is in Toombul and Albion today as small businesses prepare to rebuild from the floods. 

The Toombul Shopping Centre has been entirely fenced off, leaving business owners entirely in the dark on the state of their stores.

“I’m actually in the abandoned bus stop,” Neil reported to Sofie Formica. “It’s quite eerie to be here.

“No one is allowed in Toombul Shopping Centre except for a sprinkling of structural engineers – they’re checking if the building’s okay.”

He’s noticed a distinct change in energy from his travels on the northside yesterday.

“Yesterday when I was out at Wavell Heights, there was a little bit of adrenaline running as people were doing the cleaning and getting stuck into it.”

He was joined by the owners of Roll’d Vietnamese, Daisy and Johnny.

“The adrenaline I saw yesterday has been replaced by sadness in this couple.”

Press PLAY below to hear his chat with Daisy and Johnny

Breenie moved to Collingwood Street in Albion, where “all the businesses, every single last one” had been hit by the floods.

“The streets are caked with drying mud and there is an army of people here, working and helping the businesses,” he said.

“The community spirit here, compared to the desolate nature of Toombul, is incredible.”

He’s seen a group of young men in their 20s carrying brand new shovels.

Press PLAY below to hear what Breenie’s seeing on the streets 

The storefront of Fonzie Abbott Coffee Roasters & Brewing Company is “a hive of activity”.

Owner Dan was in good spirits despite the situation and told Breenie it’s been helpful to have a few beers around.

“When it was coming in, we just had to act and every time we moved something, we thought it’d be alright,” Dan said. “Then we’d think ‘Oh no, a bit higher, a bit higher’.

“Luckily we had a brewery and a few beers as we were doing it and floating down the roads in our unicorns and paddleboards, mucking around.”

While the clean-up is the hardest part, the team has been blown away by the community rolling up their sleeves to pitch in.

“There’s been amazing support for local people that come here every day, friends and family, even strangers are turning up.

“It’s unreal.”

Press PLAY below to hear the full chat