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.
