The second flood.....

After a wild and frightening night, this is what today (Wednesday, March 30) looks like here in my rain soaked pocket of the Northern Rivers. There are new mass floodings in every town and village between Byron Bay and Ballina to Lismore and beyond. There has been torrential rain, gusting winds, landslides, huge sea swells, evacuations, rescues, roads being swept away, roads closed. Houses, shops, businesses, paddocks and farmlands are all being swallowed indiscriminately again by the rising brown, muddy waters that we've seen far too much of here in the last month. Just about every disaster scenario you can imagine has played out here, in our already devastated region, in the last 24-hours. There is so much to comprehend and process. But for now, all we can do is keep ourselves and each other safe and wait for this latest weather system, and the immediate danger, to pass. With the situation changing by the hour, it's a matter of one moment at a time. Mother Nature sure is showing us who is boss.

Breaking records........

It’s hard to comprehend the enormity and scale of the catastrophic destruction, devastation and loss here in the idyllic region I have called home for the last 14-years, the NSW Northern Rivers. All of us who live in, near or around the regional hub of Lismore have heard about the folklore, legends and history of the town’s floods. Since 1870, there have been 29 major flood events. But never has anyone experienced a flood like this. As Lismore Mayor, Steve Krieg, recently told the media, ”This wasn’t just a big flood event. This was a demolition.” There’s probably no better way to describe what happened here when torrential, record-breaking rain caused the Wilson’s River to explode into a torrent of fast moving, powerful, destructive, deadly floodwaters. In this image, that I took in South Lismore, you’ll notice the 1974 flood levy marker on the telegraph pole. That year, the waters peaked at 12.15 metres. It was a record that no-one ever thought would be broken. The 2017 floods were a contender, peaking at 11.59 metres. This year’s floods reached 14.4 metres. As noted by Mayor Steve: Not a flood event. A demolition. The clean-up continues.

The March 2022 floodwaters in Lismore surpassed the records of the 1974 floods. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett

Signs of hope and comfort........

Someone has been placing these wonderful signs of hope and comfort on the roundabouts of Lismore. They bring you to tears when you see them because they are such a reminder of how utterly formidable, generous and determined our community has been since the flooding started on Sunday, February 27. Since that time, our community and volunteers have been working 24/7 to:
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-rescue stranded people and animals;
-set-up and run evacuation centres for hundreds of flood affected people;
-volunteer at the clean-ups of streets, houses, buildings, the CBD and outlying areas;
-source food and water supplies;
-prepare and deliver hundreds of meals to flood affected residents;
-donate, sort and distribute clothing, food, water and cleaning supplies;
-donate, sort and distribute sanitary and toiletry items;
- disseminate alerts, volunteer and donation updates so we all know what's happening;
-organise fundraising appeals;
-organise, offer and co-ordinate emergency and respite accommodation;
-pick-up, drop-off and sort donations of animal bedding, cages and pet food;
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This is by no means a full list of what our exhausted community and volunteers are individually and collectively doing right now in the aftermath of this disaster. And it certainly doesn't take into account the work being done by our local medicos and mental health teams who are also amongst the mix. But you get the picture. Strong indeed.

Signs of hope and comfort have been placed on the roundabouts of Lismore in the aftermath of the flood disaster. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.

On the streets of Lismore..

The stone wall at Lismore Uniting Church has been reduced to rubble by the floodwaters. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.
On the streets of Lismore, the aftermath of the flood disaster can be seen on every corner. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.


Not a single building has been left untouched by the flood waters.

Rubble and mud is strewn across doorways, at the base of stairs, in the gutters, along the footpaths and bridges.

There have been floods before. But not like this.

The people who are in town to clean and support, stop and stare, in solidarity, silence and shock.

These are the scenes outside Lismore Uniting Church.
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On the streets of Lismore, the aftermath of the flood disaster can be seen on every corner. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.

How to help locally......

Houses in Lismore are now empty, shattered, mud splattered shells. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.

The sun coming through this little window at the side of this South Lismore house caught my eye. A ray of hope and light in amongst all the destruction and devastation.

It is Day 9 today (Tuesday, March 8) of the flood disaster in Lismore. The clean-up has started, but the people of Lismore will be living among the mud, debris and rubble for many weeks, most likely months, to come. Many of the houses are now windowless, mud splattered, broken shells. Their owners cleaning, scrubbing, sorting and throwing shattered remnants of their life onto the ever-growing piles of debris lining the streets. People are crying, together and alone. Some are sobbing. Others pause for a moment at the overflowing skip bins, to hug each other, before they throw in more of their belongings. No matter how resilient, courageous and determined this community is, make no mistake, the unfolding story here in Lismore is one of absolute devastation, gut-wrenching loss and overwhelming grief. So, if you're a local person and feeling unsure about how to help or contribute, I've compiled a list of some Instagram accounts that are spreading the word about what needs doing, when and where: So, here goes:
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-@floodsrecovery2022
For updates about volunteering and donating in the Northern Rivers and SE Queensland.
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-@northern_rivers_health
Updating daily supply, donation and volunteer requirements for Lismore and surrounding areas.
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-@echopublications
For updates about volunteering, donating, and supply requirements across the region.
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-@byron_rangers
For updates about emergency accommodation and details about registering offers of housing.
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-@nr_laundrytrain
A hub for volunteers able to provide laundry services for displaced residents.
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-@habitat_byronbay
Now co-ordinating a 'Donate a Stay' initiative that will provide respite accommodation for displaced residents.
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-@northernriverswildlifecarers
For advice about what to do with, and for, flood injured wildlife.
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This is only a sample of the generous people and organisations who are helping disseminate flood and recovery information, but it's a list that I hope you may find useful.

The destruction of Lismore......

Piles of mud plastered debris outside a pharmacy in South Lismore.

Flood damaged office furniture on the streets of Lismore in the wake of the March 2022 flood disaster. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett

Flood damaged office furniture piled up on the sidewalk.

Every residential and commercial street in Lismore is now lined with mountainous piles of wet, muddy, broken debris that has been scrapped, shovelled and shifted out of descimated homes, shops and businesses. The devastation and destruction is beyond anything you could imagine, yet our magnificent ‘Mud Army’- or ‘Mud Angels’ as my friend, Julie, has christened the community based volunteer clean-up crews- continue to work tirelessly to restore some kind of order. I wish I could show you them in action, but I do not believe in sticking cameras in the faces of traumatised people. Just know that every inch of the progress being made to help our shattered towns and villages, is solely due to the superhuman efforts of our community volunteers and the tireless volunteer SES, fire brigade and rescue crews. There will never be any way possible to thank them enough.

Debris and rubble outside Lismore's Star Court Arcade in the wake of the March 2022 flood disaster. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.

Piles of rubbish and debris line the streets of Lismore’s CBD.

As the floodwaters swallow the region.......

As it becomes safe to do so, I plan to head out with my camera and start sharing some of what we are experiencing here right now in our flood ravaged region. So far, I have only been able to safely drive around some of the rural areas immediately near my home during breaks in the weather. The floodwaters are swallowing paddocks, stockyards, roads and whatever else is in their path.

Taken at Tintenbar, inland from Ballina, near Alstonville.

Old Bangalow Rd, Tintenbar during a break in the rain. When the sun is shining, it’s hard to believe that these waters have been so deadly and caused so much devastation and destruction.

The beginning

The Bruxner Highway from Alstonville to Ballina during the March 2002 floods. Image by local photographer, Michelle Hartnett.

The flooded Bruxner Highway, between Alstonville and Ballina. March 3, 2022.

How do you describe the indescribable? There really are no words that can adequately paint a picture for you of the floods that have swallowed our beautiful Northern Rivers Region over the last few days.

I am one of the lucky ones- we are cut off, flooded in, but safe and dry. Yet 15-minute’s drive away, in Lismore, there is unimaginable destruction, devastation and loss. On our beach side, parts of both Ballina and Lennox Head are also going under and being evacuated.

So what do we do? What can we do, at this moment? We help each other. In any way possible.

We donate what’s needed at the evacuation centres to help, feed, clothe and comfort those who have lost everything but the clothes they are wearing. We volunteer, if we can, at the centres and then help, if we are able, when the call goes out to start the mammoth task of cleaning up. We cook and share food with neighbours, friends and strangers until the trucks can get through to us again with groceries and supplies.

And above all-and beyond everything- we wrap our arms around each other and offer whatever kindness and comfort we can.

Because all of us who live here- whatever our circumstances right now-know that there will be a mountain to climb over the days and months ahead when the waters subside and we see what is left behind.😔