It’s hard to comprehend how an area of low pressure in the Gulf of Carpentaria could spawn a deluge that
Photo courtesy of ABC News
roared down the east coast of Australia sweeping all before it in its fury.
Flying from Cairns to Melbourne today I saw the land slowly change from emerald green to muddy brown to silvery-beige and black. Ours is a continent of extremes and no more so than in summer time when the monsoon rains fall and yet the fires still burn.
It takes a special toughness to dust off and start again when all is lost beneath the flood waters or consumed by the flames.
Ordinary people find that strength with no fanfare, no camera lights and the satisfaction of rebuilding being their only reward. They are the true heroes of our nation. The rest of us need to dig deep and give generously, and remember them even once the media’s moved on.
And so to the winners of the Australia Day Blog Hop Book Giveaway. Thanks for being part of the celebration of all things rural.
The winner of Fiona Palmer’s wonderful story, ‘The Road Home’ is Shannon Garner.
The winner of ‘Heart of the Valley’ by the talented Cathryn Hein is Sue Stirrat.
The winner of the heartwarming ‘Jilted’ by Rachael Johns is Pokarlla Kiara.
Please contact me with your postage details, ladies. I’m home in Cairns on Saturday so your prizes will be winging their way to you next Monday. Enjoy reading fantastic rural Australian stories!
Thanks to Book’d Out and Confessions from Romaholics for setting the blog hop up.
Congrats to all the Blog Hop winners 🙂
Loved the photo Helene. I hope the cattle don’t panic and fall in. Like Sandy I grew up in the north and lived beside a river. We were always prepared and I got shunted off to stay with friends so I didn’t miss school. My sympathy is with those who have gone through this twice within a short space of time.
Noreen
Sandy, we always have a storm drawer stocked up with the vitals and we run the freezer low for the inevitable power outages.
I’m always amazed (and amused) when a cyclone is bearing down on Cairns and the biggest queue is at the bottle shop stocking up on slabs of beer…
I thought the ABC photo was a classic. Just hope the cows don’t all want to lie down at once!
Having been born and bred in the far north, cyclones, flooding and being cut off from the rest of the world for weeks at a time was something we grew up with. Every September, mum would start stocking tinned food, candles, matches and batteries. Dad would always make sure the car was full of fuel and the gas tanks for the caravan were full. There was no panic buying, we were always prepared. In hind sight I see that as a blessing, it taught us good lessons.
I feel sorry for those people who just never saw it coming. Never realised the extent such a disaster could reach. How much havoc can be wreaked upon lives.
I love the picture of the cattle on the verandah. That is so Aussie. You do what you have to and get on with it. No drama, no fuss. 🙂
Terribly sad, Brenda and Marcia. I weep every time I see people with bewildered pain in their eyes struggling for words. It must be so difficult to carry on when their worlds have been ripped apart.
Love your post “When all is Lost” Helene. It is so true (choked me up a bit) and my heart goes out to all those people affected (Qld and NSW), but mostly to those who have lost loved ones or are now going to have to endure rebuilding their lives for the second time in two years. Much Love 🙂
It’s been (and still is) terribly sad for all connected to both ends of the disasters 🙁 We had 170ml of rain here over the 2 days, and that was definitely enough! It’s hard to fathom that Queensland and northern NSW are going through the same as they did 2 years ago, and there were bushfires in Victoria then too…
Our hearts go out to them all, thanks for your post Helene…and thanks for the giveaway opportunity. Even though I didn’t win, 🙁 I’m happy for those who did 🙂