“The water was already up to our waists”

South East Queensland & Northern New South Wales Floods Appeal
Red Cross Australia

Queensland & New South Wales Flood Appeal
Not-For-Profit

Written by Pat Baron

They tried ringing triple 0

In the darkness at 2:30am, South East Queensland and Northern New South Wales were hit by torrential storms. In the devastating floods that followed, tens of thousands of people were evacuated.

The floods had tragic consequences; people lost their lives, and homes, businesses and livelihoods were severely damaged. These communities continue to face years of recovery.

They had no warning

Ron and Fleur had only recently moved to Dallarnil, Queensland when they were rescued in the floods. They were in the early stages of renovating their home when disaster struck in the middle of the night.

They struggled against fast-flowing and dangerously high flood water to find safety on the steps of the local hall. After the rain finally stopped, it took a long time before emergency services could safely get to them and provide help.

“We were sleeping and all of a sudden one of the cats jumped up on us in the bed with wet feet, really trying to wake us, we were already up to our waist and the water was still coming up.”

Early recovery is critical

From the beginning, Australian Red Cross was there to help them, and other community members, to respond, prepare, and recover from two successive and devastating floods.

This meant providing financial assistance, psychosocial support as well as capacity building for long-term recovery in the months and years after the flood.

Thanks to the generosity of supporters, in the past two years Red Cross Australia has continued helping thousands of people who lost everything in the 2022 floods. From community workshops to one-on-one support, and preparedness training, they continue to walk alongside these communities on the road to recovery.

Two years on, with the support of generous donors, corporate partners, philanthropic donors and governments, Australian Red Cross remains on the ground working as part of, and alongside, communities.

The help donated and provided by communities looks like:

67,058 relief Grants paid

42,275 people assisted

18,195 people took part in workshops, training and support

After a disaster, fatigue can set in

The eyes of the world move on and the adrenaline that powered so much of the recovery work in the immediate aftermath has been exhausted. This is when the reality of recovery, the complexity and enormity of it, becomes clear.

But thanks to donors, Red Cross Australia can still be there for communities in recovery. In fact, the recovery stage is often when they can offer the most meaningful support.

Over the past twelve months, the focus has been on helping communities maintain momentum in their recovery. This is done by working with community leaders to build local connections, knowledge and resilience.

Best practice disaster recovery also means adapting to changing individual and community needs and recognising that every community recovers at their own pace.

Walking alongside First Nations communities

Australian Red Cross is deeply committed to walking alongside First Nations communities.

In times of disaster, this means recognising the distinct challenges and vulnerabilities faced by First Nations communities and providing tailored support to aid their recovery journey.

After the 2022 floods, this response was supported by First Nations recovery officers who have invaluable knowledge and deep community ties. In the aftermath of these floods, they worked alongside these communities as advocates to ensure their voices were heard and their needs met.

They also continue to collaborate closely with First Nations leaders and organisations, to address specific cultural needs in disaster response efforts. This collaborative approach ensures that support is not only effective but also shaped and led by First Nations people themselves.

Supporting migrant communities in their recovery journeys

In times of disaster, Australian Red Cross recognises and addresses the distinct challenges faced by migrant communities. They know that tailoring support to their specific needs, which can include language barriers, social isolation, and cultural differences, ensures a more effective and inclusive recovery process.

Work in these communities looks like:

Providing cash assistance to migrants and refugees who may not qualify for government grants.

Helping to ensure that linguistically diverse communities can access information in their first language through translators and translated materials.

Collaborating with TAFEs and universities to provide international students with access to information and support.

Preparing for future disasters

Local Australian Red Cross Recovery Officer Julia Avis says, “Recovery work post disaster starts with a large needs assessment to determine how communities were faring after the disaster and to make sure that the support was reaching them over the weeks and months after the floods.”

Then comes the preparedness program to get the community ready for another disaster. A lot of people don't want to think about that prospect, but in Dallarnil that’s exactly what happened seven weeks later. Julia knows that being prepared helps communities and people recover better and faster.