On the 7th of February 2009, the nation was devastated as scorching fires ripped through the Kingslake Community in Victoria. Forever known as Black Saturday, it proved to be Australia's worst bushfire disaster with the death toll reaching 173 and leaving thousands more homeless.
In true Aussie spirit, Australians dug deep, donating millions to the cause. Even the music community banded together. Sound Relief was conceived with two concerts planned simultaneously in Melbourne and Sydney. The event, the brainchild of Australia’s two biggest concert promoters Michael Chugg and Michael Gudinski, was held on the 14th of March with all proceeds going to those affected by the Victorian bushfires and the Queensland floods.
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Australia thought the worst was over. New emergency protocols were put into place to ensure that a disaster of that severity would never happen again. Everything was under control or so it seemed until that fateful Monday morning in early January, when Queensland residents were about to feel the full brunt of Mother Nature’s fury.
The tsunami-like force of the river ripped through the city. Cars and house were washed away, taking away precious memories and keepsakes, which were also swept away with the floods.
As a result of the horrifying floods, the Wivenhoe Dam, built after the 1974 floods which destroyed thousands of Brisbane homes, was over capacity by almost 200 per cent and as a result was forced to release floodwaters into the Brisbane and Ipswich regions.
The nation was once again a victim of the harsh force of Mother Nature's wrath. By now three-quarters of Queensland was declared a disaster zone. At the time of going to press, twenty lives had been lost, with a further nine still unaccounted for.
Amidst the stories of destruction, devastation and death were the stories of everyday heroes. Those who risked their lives to save another living being. To Blake Rice, 10, there will never be another hero in his eyes who could ever take the place of his brother Jordan.
Jordan, 13, Blake and their mother Donna were driving through an intersection in Toowoomba, when the floodwaters began to rise at a rapid rate. When the car engine stopped, Donna rang emergency services and was told to stay put.
However, the family were forced to climb on top of the roof of their car as the floodwaters rose, almost swallowing up the car and its passengers.
Bystanders stood by and watched in vain. Donna and her boys were alone. But not for long. Builder Warren McErlean, who witnessed their plight, grabbed some rope to tie around himself and jumped in to help the family. Warren was soon joined by another rescuer, who reached Jordan first. Jordan couldn't swim and was terrified of water. Yet, that wasn't enough to dissuade him from protecting his younger brother, Blake.
"Save my brother first."
Those were the final words uttered by Jordan Rice, before he and his mother were swept downstream by the floods. Mother and son were able to cling on to a tree, but ultimately they became casualties of the raging river.
| Empathy got the better of Ray Cole, 39, after spotting a joey bobbing up and down in the river. Nearby police threatened to arrest the father of five, but that did not stop him from risking his own life to save the animal. But Cole remains adamant that saving the joey was the only thing to do. Cole said he "couldn't stand there and watch our coat of arms just drown." Ray Cole and Jordan Rice will forever be known as heroes in the eyes of countless Australians. Their heroic actions saved lives that day. Two very different tales and sadly, two very different resolutions. Queensland residents of a different variety also united to survive the deadly floodwaters. Armin Gerlach was visiting friends when he witnessed an unlikely twosome fleeing the floods. Gerlach spotted a green frog riding on the back of a brown snake, as it swam through floodwaters. Frogs are usually part of a brown snake's diet, so it was unusual to see the snake put aside its predatorial instinct and help the frog escape the floods. The image was beamed across the nation and the world. Gerlach happened to snap a moment in time that the world might not have been able to see. It just goes to show you how fragile life is. As Queensland attempts to rebuild the homes, schools, hospitals and countless other buildings destroyed by the floods, take a moment to imagine what it would be like if you were to lose everything. Homes can be rebuilt. Schools can be rebuilt. Hospitals can be rebuilt. Now comes the time to rebuild faith in humanity. Reach into your pockets and help out those in need. Please donate all you can to the Premier's Disaster Relief Appeal. No donation is too small. Donate and help rebuild this beautiful state. |
