Cherie, Adam & Family Mullumbimby Flood Victims

“This is our entire life's belongings, in a few pictures. We have spent the past few weeks in Emergency Accommodation, while coming back here trying to salvage what we can each day.

On the morning of the floods, we woke up to the water rushing in around 4am it took 10 minutes to rise to my waist, we had to walk through what felt like a rapid to jump a fence to a granny flat next door up high with two kids a dog and cat in pitch black darkness. 20 minutes later my kids where floating on a table in that granny flat. 

I thought we where going to die!

Adam and our neighbour walked through chest deep water that was rushing through so fast fences were ripping past them, to put up a ladder and tarp, we then used the fence to pull ourselves one at a time with the help of Adam to get to the ladder and scale over the top of the roof to a flat metal alfresco roof that we sat on for two hours waiting for the SES to rescue us by boat.

The kids and I where taken to the SES shed which then began to flood inside, I didn't know if we where better off there or on the roof as Adam was left behind with our elderly neighbour and two dogs on the roof for a further 4 hours. I spoke to him on the phone and told him the SES was also flooding and I didn't know what was happening.

6 hrs after jumping out of bed Adam arrived at the SES shed with the dog and my neighbour, I was relieved and cried so hard when I seen him! We where then taken to the RSL in a huge 4/4 truck through flood waters where we sat with our community and friends for another 24 hrs watching the water rise and fall wondering when we would get out of there or if it would just flood in.

It's still a blur, I’m still living on the adrenaline it provided, I don't know what happens next. Each day I'm making connections with individuals I've only recently meet the past few months, I've softened to the fact that we will need help to recover and now I just need to trust the process. I cant call all people back because my phone is cactus and I have no idea who has called me so thankful if you have reached out and sorry if I haven't written back. Thank you to the ppl who have helped us out you know who you are xxx”

~~ A few words from the organiser ~~

7 months ago, my sister and her family packed up everything they own and moved to Mullumbimby to follow their dreams of building a new home in the region, after 8 lock downs and 12 months of the kids missing out on going to school in Victoria.

They were barely settled into their rental home when the floods struck. They have lost almost everything they own. With the exception of a few clothes and pots and pans.

Both cars are written off, all Adam’s work tools are ruined by the flood waters, he has lost his tools of trade along with family heirlooms, photos, all the furniture, all bedding, kids toys games …everything is gone!

And worse still, because of the house they rented had flooded in the past, they had not been able to get contents insurance, which they didn’t find out until after they had moved in.. and because they had only been there such a short time, they can’t prove things like business income, or show loss of work, so they don’t qualify for Government Support Payments, so they literally have to buy everything they need again, from scratch, without insurance or any assistance.

The kids have experienced one of the most traumatic events in their lives so far. Their Daughter has become anxious when it rains, and she has started to co-sleep with my sister as she's too scared to sleep alone. Their Son, has been very quiet, which is quite out of character for him.

Cherie and Adam have managed to find a house to rent, which is amazing considering that now there is a huge housing crisis in this entire region, it is next to impossible to find a house to rent, and the rental costs are astronomical! With so many people like them, having lost everything, including their ability to work.

The house they are moving into is only very basic in fact it's tiny, it has no wardrobes, no kitchen pantry no garage and they need to build a fence to keep their dog secured as it's on a main road and they need to ‘cover in’ the carport (permitted by owner but at their own expense) so Cherie can try to restart her business to hopefully start to earn some money. 

 While the house is missing many things we take for granted in a home these days, they have very little to no choice in living arrangements, as the housing crisis is beyond fathomable. It is clean and dry, and a place to call home.

So on top of needing to buy everything to start again, they also have this extra expense to get what seems to be the basics for this house, the simple things we take for granted,

The basics of what they need, aside from everything, Linen, towels, clothing, bedding, couch, chairs tables, wardrobes, cupboards to use as pantry, drawers, toaster, kettle containers to store food in a washing machine a microwave Thats just for starters. Imagine walking into an empty house with practically nothing and having to try to live in it. This is their reality.

If you are able to be part of helping my sister and her tribe get back on their feet, I would greatly appreciate it and I know they will too.