Rain, Rain And More Rain = Flood

It seems not that long ago that the attention was on the terrible drought that Australia was in yet this week we have witness what is definitely a break in any drought. We have waded our way through more water than I have seen in a very long time. We have sat and watched dark black cloud after dark black cloud roll in and burst.

Our week spent in Dubbo was eagerly anticipated as we had arranged a visit and interview with the keeper of the Black Rhino breeding program at the zoo, along with an interview with artist Bill O'Shea. Although it was not that long ago that we were in Dubbo we hoped to do a lot of sight seeing and pick up positive stories along the way. Instead we have soaked up water and dodged rain drops.

On Thursday evening we noticed that the caravan park we were staying in, which is luckily 5kms out of town, was filling up quickly. On Friday morning a permanent resident of the park approached me and asked if I was considering going into town. He stated that they had closed most of the street and that I may wish to leave early as traffic was chaotic. I had planned the day at the van in order to do a phone interview and organise articles so was not too concerned. What did concern me was the fact that the next day was the zoo visit...would we get through.

Forgetting about the warning of traffic we headed off for our zoo interview on Friday morning allowing ourselves the 15 minutes it would take. As I turned out of the caravan park I soon realised it was going to take a little longer as the traffic came to a roaring halt. Patiently we waited and 45 minutes later made it to our destination. With the sun trying to greet us with its presence, but black clouds lingering, we did manage to meet with the Black Rhino zoo keeper and have a wonderful interview ( The full story will be published in January Good Gabble).We enjoyed the zoo, bog and all, for a couple of hours before the lingering cloud burst, in a big way, and washed us out.

Saturday afternoon I received a call from a family member asking me if we were ok as they had heard a caravan park in Dubbo had been evacuated and was under water. I quickly looked it up on the internet to find that it was the park we usually stayed at and at the last minute I had changed my mind as it was $2 a night more expensive. At the time I wondered if I was being a penny pincher but am now glad I went with my gut feeling. 

A drive into town this afternoon showed just how bad things were. All roads leading into town are closed. We parked our car, along with all the other sightseer's, and walked along the bridge that goes over the Macquarie river. It is hard to believe that everything can just disappear under meters of water so quickly. The carpark, where Sam parked and I left her to sit with the others whilst I grabbed a few groceries just the day before, has been replaced by a river, right to the door of Coles. The cabins in the caravan park are nowhere to be seen, completely submerged along with the office where the owners of the park reside. Houses in the surrounding area have been evacuated, outside chairs and items placed on tables to get them up higher.

What amazes me is the risk that people put themselves at during this time when the SES are already stressed to the max. Teenagers, in particular, choose to swim in the flowing flood waters fully aware, due to media anouncements, that brown snakes are in the water and are deadly. Emergency crews can be seen everywhere. Police patrol every street, the fire brigade whizz past with sirens blaring, RTA monitors stand on the corner of the streets and SES trucks, with lights flashing, dodge the traffic. It may be acknowledged as a natural disaster but there is nothing natural about the feel and mood in the air. If it was not for the tireless work of these volunteers and paid men and women this situation would not be as under control as it is, yet individuals continue to play with their lives and risk the lives of others for a thrill and fun.

With further storms and a lot more rain expected over the next two days Dubbo is preparing themselves for further flooding due to the release of overflow from a dam upstream. Surrounding suburbs of Gilgandra, Coonamble and Dunedoo are also experiencing the worst flooding in a long time. We are meant to leave here on Tuesday and travel through Gilgandra but at this current time the highway is closed going in both directions so this may not be possible.

So how are we coping in all this rain and flood. As I write this on the Saturday we are to the point where we feel as though we may be going mad. The van has leaked in a few places due to the amount of rain and is starting to get the musty smell about it. The tent leaks at the front and back door and the mattresses need drying with the heater each day as the water seeps through the floor. I have run out of dry clean towels to soak up the water and the mud in the van. To wash clothes is impossible as to get a dryer to put them in is the challenge and at $3 a go, which does not dry the clothes so you need at least $6, who can afford it. Add the $3 a load to wash on top of that and it makes for very expensive clean clothes. The washing is what is annoying me the most as sheets, towels, you name it, become wet and soggy. With four people, a dog and a kitten in a 12 foot van you can imagine how we feel.

I no longer wear shoes as I walk around outside as they just become bogged with water as the ground squelches under your feet and you sink in ankle deep. The weather is very humid and to add to the feeling of being sticky we are never dry as a trip to the bathroom leads to a soaked body.

But above all who is complaining. We have not lost our home or items. We have not been evacuated and our lives uprooted. We are safe, mostly dry and we have plenty of food. A little inconvenienced yes, but nothing compared to what some are going through. Above all we are just embracing the experience knowing that it will eventually end for us, we will move onto another town and will take our story with us.

The affects of this flood are devastating, with the loss of money, livelihood and belongings evident. My heart goes out to the farmers who have already suffered enough yet now loose their crops. The NSW Premier, Kristina Keneally, has been reported as estimating that up to $500 million has been wiped off the value of crops already*. Luckily, so far, there have been no reports of loss of life. 

It will take the people of Dubbo months to repair the damage once the flood waters have gone down, right on top of the festive season, but with a motto of 'time to smile' I am sure they will unite, get behind each other and put it in their past.

I wish to take this moment to thank the SES, emergency services and volunteers who have worked around the clock making sure that everyone else is safe. They are all worth their weight in gold.

Take a pictorial journey of the flood at: http://samlophotography.blogspot.com

*SMH December 5, 2010