The past week has been a stressful one for many of us and my heart goes out to those that have been impacted or lost their homes.
We are experiencing a very wet spring due to a third La Niña in a row. This has meant that the ground is waterlogged and creeks and dams are full. So when 79ml or 224 points in the old language, fell in Dunolly in 24 hours last Thursday, the water had nowhere to go and this caused widespread flooding.
Flynn Ward had many roads closed and the Bet Bet Creek on our farm broke its banks, the second time in a week. This time it joined up with the flooded Emu Creek, causing water to flow far and wide.
It was an anxious Thursday night for us after we made our final rounds of the farm situated on the Bet Bet Creek. Errol and Ned the two kelpie working dogs were put in the shearing shed to keep them dry. The next morning, Friday, with a knot in my stomach I headed out to the farm, not knowing what to expect.
Driving around, the knot slowly unwound itself as it appeared that there was minimal flood damage. The workshop had about 6 inches of water through it, the yards about a meter and only one fence down. Our sheep and livestock were all ok as they managed to get to higher ground.
Our crops are another story, with water flowing through a lot of them. Only time will tell what sort of yields we will get as harvest is still a way off.
I find floods quite upsetting and stressful because in 1998 when we lived in Katherine, NT our house went under water in the Katherine Australia Day floods. It was, to this day, the most horrendous thing that has happened to our family. We had 3 littlies at the time, 10 months, 2 and 4 and getting evacuated in a small tin dinghy through raging floodwaters with no life jackets, still haunts me to this day. One thing I'll never forget though, is the kindness shown to us back then to our young family that had lost everything except literally the clothes on our back.
And indeed right now, stories are popping all up around the place of kindness and people going out of their way to help others in their time of need. For many it will be a long road to recovery. You are in my thoughts, please take care.
NOTE: Residents who have been directly impacted by the flood can access a hard waste collection and/or tip vouchers. To arrange a hard waste collection you will need to be registered with Council's Recovery team.
Please contact Council's Customer Service team on 5461 0610 or visit them in person at 22 Nolan Street, Maryborough - during business hours.
