The February 2022 flood wreaked havoc on many businesses across Brisbane and the rest of southeast Queensland resulting in damages costing billions of dollars. Months after the devastation, many Milton businesses have managed to bounce back and are now thriving again.
Milton Rum Distillery
Award-winning Milton Rum Distillery has moved to its new location after being ravaged by the recent severe flooding. The distiller lost about 90 per cent of its inventory of equipment and supplies, and most of its stock of barreled and aging spirit was also lost to the flood.
Milton Rum Distillery was among the flood-affected businesses that received the Extraordinary Disaster Assistance Recovery Grant from the Queensland Government. They have since moved from Castlemaine Street in Milton to its new state-of-the-art space in Albion inside Craft’d Grounds.
Soon, the distillery door will utilise a greenhouse facility where fresh botanicals that will be used for its infusions will be sourced from. It is expected to be completed by late 2022.
XXXX Brewery
Another establishment that was inundated during the February flood was XXXX Brewery. The brewery was quick to bounce back, though, thanks to the untiring efforts of its team in getting the site back up and running again. They likewise contributed $50,000 to GIVIT and Australian Red Cross to help volunteers in their recovery and rebuilding efforts and in support of other businesses affected by the flood.
XXXX is now planning to expand its offerings with a $5 million proposal to produce more seltzers including White Claw and ready-to-drink beverages at its Milton Brewery. They are proposing to build a bulk ethanol store that will be capable of storing more than 420,000 litres of ethanol along with associated amenities building.
Australian Piano Warehouse – Milton
The family-owned piano retail shop, Australian Piano Warehouse also quickly reopened its Brisbane outlet in Milton a few days after the floods. The store has sustained more than $1 million worth of damages. From entry-level pianos to grand pianos that cost thousands of dollars were all destroyed.
Soon after the clean-up, truckloads of new and pre-loved pianos began arriving at the site which was made possible through the cooperation of their suppliers and the help of the Australian Defence Force. And Australian Piano Warehouse went back in business in no time.