I don’t want to harp on about the 2013 floods and tornados because quite frankly I think that many would prefer to forget those terrible soul-destroying events.
One thing though is worth remembering and that’s the way that neighbours and strangers, the young and old, individuals and groups from across the region and those who travelled to assist, rallied to the cause to provide immediate aid where it was needed and to begin the process of rebuilding our home.
I recall working with the Mud Army in east Bundy and later over north and being utterly gobsmacked by what volunteers were putting themselves through to help others. At one point I was working beside prominent businessmen, a specialist surgeon, a plumber and heaven knows who else as we cleaned out a commercial property full of fridges and freezers packed with rotten and decomposing seafood. There were no social divisions here and it wasn’t just once or twice that someone turned away to throw up before turning back to the task at hand.
The Disaster Management Group, emergency services, Australian Army, sports clubs, media agencies, simple mums, dads & kids and countless others all worked side by side for a common cause and under some terrible circumstances for which every one of us should be eternally grateful.
Some things we should never forget.