As I sit in the comfort of my home, in my little office that looks out to a flourishing garden, I am aware that hundreds of people just south of the border of Queensland are doing it tough. Having survived the drought, bush fires, and Covid, they are now surrounded by floodwaters, which, in some instances cover their homes completely.
I can sympathize, and empathize, because Just ten years and two months ago my hometown was inundated with water and all around us was devastation.
Just to give you some idea – I’ve been on three operational tours to East Timor, and this by far outweighed them in logistics and complexity. Major Ben Lawler, Murpheys Creek Evacuation Centre.
That quote is to be found on the back blurb of a book I wrote about the Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley Floods in 2011. Back then they were the worst Australia had ever experienced. The floods we are experiencing on the NSW borders are worse.
Of course we watched in disbelief and horror as events unfolded throughout the Lockyer Valley and sought to find ways in which we could help – we all did. If we look for any good to arise from this disaster it can be found in the manner in which we, as a community, and a nation responded.
That was a message from the Mayor at the time, Councilor Peter Taylor, Mayor, Toowoomba Regional Council, and it was those very community responses that encouraged me to write the book.
We went on air and reported the township was cut off with no water, …by mid-day more than 4,000 liters of water had been dropped off. Lizzie King, 4GR
The book had many stories of loss and grief, bravery and compassion but prevalent amongst them is a common tale of people in adversity helping each other of individuals working for the good of the community. It seemed that everyone was affected, either directly, or by trying to help others
I got to one lady’s place, she was showing me where her house had stood. She had lost everything -her home, her livestock, everything. Yet she was thanking me for my help. It was quite humbling. Colin Scrivener, Rotary
In fact, even professionals from the Energex company said
The clearing up was like eating an elephant, one teaspoon at a time
And sadly this horror was to continue for many months, Not just the tragedy and scariness of the floods themselves, but for the aftermath, which continued for many months later.
Five months after the crisis, and after a good many more heavy rainfalls, the Smith family, three adults, two dogs, three puppies, and a cat, are living in a car, parked in a Comfort Zone, just off the highway in the Lockyer Valley. They have been in the same place for three months because the car no longer works, and there is no money to fix it.
Thousands of people lost their homes or their livelihood
We had about 3,000 fairly rare books in quite a few bookcases, We lost well over 2,000 of them. They just disappeared.
Ben Burton, Withcott Antiques
So far, no deaths have been reported from these 2021 floods – yet, back in 2011 it was a different story
Yes it certainly was a bit of hard work. First there was my sister in law needed help. Her family was the Keeps at Grantham who lost the two mothers and their daughter. I had the shop to look after and then Donna’s mum passed away. Their house was at Grantham, so I spent Thursday and Friday down there after the floods cleaning up their house
Even so, something called the Aussie spirit prevailed
Our house needed cleaning up as well. It had flooded our backyard and pool shed. But I was lucky because I’d put sandbags down at Christmas time and being a lazy bugger I hadn’t taken them out So they saved me a lot of trouble. Bruce Riley
In fact it was that very spirit that prompted our Premier of the time to write what to me, were, and still are inspirational words, as a dedication to my book.
Dedication
Dedication
As we weep for what we have lost, as we grieve for family and friends
and we confront the challenges before us
I want to remember who we are
We are Queenslanders
We’re the people they breed tough north of the border
We’re the ones they knock down, and we get up again
This weather will break our hearts – but it will not break our will
Premier Anna Bligh, January 13th 2011
And now, in the Covid year of 2021, we are experiencing a Deja vu a Ground Hog Flood. A sad repetition of an event we thought was safely considered – History.
So I would like to Dedicate Anna Bligh’s words to now encompass all the people, in all the States affected by this nightmare and suggest, it too will pass.
This weather will break your hearts – but it will not break your will
You may be Battered but you will never be Beaten
The quotes above come from the book Battered but not Beaten, People, Places and Perceptions of the 2011 Toowoomba and Lockyer Valley floods. Edited by Breanda Cross
Just for a little nostalgia, I am adding a link to the ABC launch of the book (now out of print) to our companion piece on Anchor.fm. gdayfromoz
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