Inventor has a bunker for all seasons

ROCKHAMPTON building innovator Geoff Clarke has invented a fire-proof concrete shelter that he believes could save lives in any bushfire.

Geoff, who has been developing his ideas for five years, claims the buildings can withstand virtually anything, from the terrific heat of a rampaging bushfire to the pounding from a category four cyclone.

And they could be assembled so quickly they would be an ideal way to provide shelter in the aftermath of disasters such as earthquakes or tidal waves, he said.

The shelters would cost about $30,000 each and would be virtually indestructible.

“The moulds can be taken anywhere in the world and we can pour the concrete on site if we have to. The panels and roof lock together like the pieces in a meccano set and we can erect a free-standing, three-bedroom home in two days that will last pretty much forever,” he said.

His company, Chameleon, was waiting for Rockhampton Regional Council to give the go-ahead for construction of a factory on the southern outskirts of the city. Geoff said the company would create nine jobs initially and within a couple of years could have up to 25.

“It will be the greenest factory, with power from wind turbines and solar cubes,” he said.

He said the company intended to send information to local councils in areas prone to bushfires.

“Individuals will be able to buy them, of course, but we think councils could buy community survival shelters where people could go when they had to leave their homes because of the threat of a fire,” he said. “Ten people could easily find a safe haven inside one shelter even if the fiercest fire was raging all around.”

But the modular design of the Chameleon system made it possible to create a wide range of buildings, from maintenance-free family homes to stables, storage sheds, motel units and shade shelters.

“They are vandal-proof and we think they would also make ideal toilet blocks alongside highways or at the beach,” said one of Geoff's business partners, Tony McCubbin.

“We don't think there is anything on the market anywhere in the world that has the same strength or versatility, and it's all been developed here in Rockhampton,” said Tony, who has more than 20-years experience in the building industry.

“Geoff has perfected the method of pouring the concrete vertically so its strength and density can be guaranteed.”

Ten could find a safe haven inside.