The finest of Novocastrian spirit has emerged in the wake of the devastating floods in Northern NSW, as local Hunter businesses and residents pull together to help the states most vulnerable.
The major flooding event, which saw the Wilsons River rise two metres above previous flood records, inundated residents in Lismore and surrounding areas, destroying homes and businesses in its path.
Mayfield resident Chris Arnold is among Novocastrians personally rolling up their sleeves to assist devastated communities and is leaving his young family for up to three days to offer assistance.
“Seeing what’s happening up there, you feel so fortunate in your current position – we’ve got a roof over our head, food to eat and somewhere to sleep … then you’ve got people in Lismore who have lost everything,” Arnold said.
Arnold has loaded his vehicle up with donations he has received from his own community connections and from “random strangers” across the Hunter.
He is still seeking more essential donations, such as gift cards and jerry cans filled with fuel.
“The place is like a war zone – there’s mud and muck everywhere,” Arnold said.
“Not only have people lost their home and their possessions, but they’ve also lost their livelihoods too, and it is devastating.”
Along with donations, Arnold said victims also needed assistance with the cleanup effort.
“Naturally, there are no buildings left, and they’ve only got small evacuation centres, and those can only hold so many donations,” he said.
“They need volunteers on the ground to clear and clean people’s houses and to help sort through these donations … they can’t take on stuff like furniture yet because it takes up so much space.”
The Mayfield local’s most urgent appeal was for someone to accompany him on the six-hour journey on March 14 and asked for locals to get in touch.
“I really need another pair of boots on the ground and hands with a pair of gloves on them that are ready to shovel mud and get on a gurney and scrub down people’s homes … someone’s donation of time can outweigh what someone can give,” Arnold said.
“I want to make sure my car and trailer is full of donations as well – I don’t want to have any space in the car, and I want to make sure I’m making as much of a difference in the area as I can.”
He also proposed a second trip in the coming weeks for businesses and individuals in the Hunter to get involved in.
“It’d be great to pull together with some larger organisations and hire a couple of coaches to bring people to assist with the recovery,” Arnold said.
“If we get a busload of 50 people who slog it out for 24 hours – it would be incredibly helpful to affected communities and is a minuscule effort in the big scheme of things.
“People on the ground are exhausted, and it’s people like us that are in fortunate positions here who need to come together in a big number to make it happen.”
Among others stepping up to the cause were Dayne and Miki Poole from Hunter Area Plumbing in Cessnock, who are travelling to Mullumbimby for four days after the disaster personally impacted their family.
They issued a call for Mullumbimby locals who were seeking donations on their business social media account, and Dayne said the response from the Cessnock community had “been incredible”.
“We initially were going to take a trailer load up, but with all the donations, we had to hire an extra van … the support has been overwhelming.”
Poole said the vehicles were packed full of donations, including drinking water, nappies, pet food and cleaning products, so much so that they had to turn generous locals away as they couldn’t fit anymore in.
Schoolchildren front of mind for one charity
The Backpack Venture is urging the community to give anything they can and has liaised directly with local school principals who have requested over 2,000 backpacks for flood-affected children.
While 140 backpacks have already been delivered to affected areas, 26 local businesses have reached out to become drop-off locations to continue the cause, including Wilton Electrical in Cooks Hill, Coles Medowie and Nova Air and Electrical in Tighes Hill.
Founder Catherine Woodbine said that “it’s not only the community who are donating the items, but it’s also the businesses who are opening their doors to the community saying ‘come and leave your donations here and we will deliver them to The Backpack Venture’.”
Local Hunter Valley company Require Services offered the organisation unlimited free transport to fulfil all backpack delivery requests.
“I just cried – everybody is jumping on board and doing what they can, and I’m so overwhelmed by how supportive everyone is,” Woodbine said.
While the cut-off date for the next schoolbag delivery is March 16, Woodbine said the organisation might keep the initiative running until all requests were filled and has asked for continued support from the community.
Overwhelming response to Lifeline clothing appeal
Non-profit organisation Lifeline said it was overwhelmed with the community’s response to its clothing appeal issued only last week.
Lifeline Hunter’s people and capability manager Melissa Sams said the donations of clothing, shoes and linen to its Hamilton North warehouse have filled more than 120 pallets and weighed around 20,000 kilograms.
Sams described the response of locals and businesses as “overwhelming, heart-warming but not unexpected” and revealed that Newcastle Permanent would fund transport and distribution costs for the donated items.
Newcastle Permanent executives and staff recently volunteered to sort items at the warehouse prior to transportation.
Penny Dudding, the owner of Warners Bay lingerie store, You Really Are Beautiful, offered 20 boxes of new bras to the Lifeline Appeal, and Carrington based manufacturer Thales is providing extra storage space to cope with the volume of donations.
“As people drop off items, they’re telling us they are devastated for people, including their own family members, who have lost everything in the floods and want to do something to help and show their support,” Sams said.
Sams said the donated items would likely leave Newcastle in a week when they were needed the most and could be effectively distributed.
“We’re working with other charities and agencies in a co-ordinated way as there will be an ongoing need for support.”
Lifeline is still accepting donations at 27/54 Clyde Street, Hamilton North, from 8 am to 4 pm Monday to Friday.
While all donations are welcome, men’s clothing, kids clothing and quality shoes are particularly needed.
Lifeline is also urging anyone who is struggling to cope with the flooding emergency and other world events taking place, whether they live in a flood-affected community or not, to call 13 11 14.
Maia O’Connor