Dream shack destroyed and only accessible by jetski, three people rescued from a car roof in Riverland floodwaters

They spent six years renovating their dream holiday home in Morgan – now it’s only accessible by jetski, around floating beds, fridges and lounges.

A family’s “dream shack” has been destroyed in flood waters and is now only accessible via jetski.

Courtney Bunker, 38, and her husband Terry, 40, have spend six years renovating the shack into their dream summer holiday home.

They snapped a photo of their children — Jai, 17, Georgia, 15, and Ryda, 11, riding a jetski in the completely flooded living room.

“We wanted to take the kids there to witness how bad things really are as it’s hard to imagine the water would ever get inside our top level,” Ms Bunker said.

“The only way we can get to our shack is via jetski or tinny and we don’t have a tinny so jetski it was.”

Ms Bunker said all their furniture including fridges, beds and lounges are foating inside the property. The family moved most furniture upstairs as the water trickled inside in November as they knew the bottom level would be flooded, and by the time they were told it would reach the top level the roads were closed with only boat access.

“It’s all extremely sad. It was my husband’s dream shack and we’ve spent six years renovating and now it’s all destroyed.” she said.

“The jetski was only in the house for a photo opportunity to look back in 20 years and try to imagine enough water in the house to float a jetski.”

The Bunkers are yet to decide if they will rebuild their shack, which is insured.

“It’s our family shack that we spend every summer weekend at so we’d definitely love to be able to rebuild just cautious this may happen again.” Ms Bunker said.

Siblings Ryda , Georgia and Jai Bunker on their jetski inside their upstairs room in their shack on Old Murbko road, Beaumonts. Dec 26th 2022. Picture: Courtney Bunker

Georgia Bunker inside their upstairs room in their shack on Old Murbko road, Beaumonts. Picture: Courtney Bunker

Three people stuck on the roof of a car in Riverland floodwaters in the dead of night have been rescued.

SES swift water technicians answered the emergency call for help at 1.19am on Thursday morning.

They discovered two adults and a teenager stranded atop a car in waters at Crescent, just outside of Renmark.

Following the ordeal, the three people were safely retrieved and returned to dry land.

It is unclear how the car ended up in the floodwaters.

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An SES spokesman advised people in the area to avoid flooded areas.

“Don’t drive or go in the floodwaters,” the spokesman said.

“If you see floodwaters, turn around.”

The rescue came after Premier Peter Malinauskas announced the flood had peaked at Renmark on Wednesday.

Downstream on Thursday, the SES issued an emergency evacuation warning for properties adjacent to the Mary Ann Reserve in Mannum.

A community in Moorook has rallied to save an elderly couple’s 100 year old home completely surrounded by floodwaters.

Laurie, 69, and Jan Roos, 70, have been ordered by the State Emergency Service (SES) to evacuate their 100-year-old home on an isolated property at Moorook, after the levies protecting it started to fail.

The pair had conceded that their home could no longer be saved in a post to social media on Tuesday night.

But hope has since been restored after the post prompted a huge response from the local community.

Laurie’s son Scott Bown said about 20 residents provided assistance as they worked through the night to pump water from the property.

“We’ve actually had no sleep, we’ve been flat out the whole time,” Mr Bown said.

“Because it’s such an old house, it doesn’t have the foundations … so we’re just trying to keep it as dry as we can.”

Mr Bown said the family had been overwhelmed by the outpouring of support from the community.

“A special shout out has to go to the Moorook General Store. They gave everyone who was helping a free lunch,” he said.

The Roos updated the community via social media and thanked those who helped them.

“The Riverland Community are bloody legends!,” the update said.

“Due to the valiant efforts of everyone yesterday, about 100 filled sand bags to & fro via boat, the water pumps, the mounds around our home are holding!! We actually got a decent nights sleep! Thankyou!

“This a.m The water has risen between 25 - 30 mm but so far so good.

We’re plugging drains outside & inside & rediverted the water from inside so we don’t flood, from the inside out.

“Thanks ABC Riverland & The Advertiser for spreading the word. It really is a mammoth job, that without the support of the Riverland community residents & businesses Moorook General Store Rollbusch Quality Meats in Barmera, Glenview poultry farm eggs & Valma from Riverland Wholesale Fruit and Veg, Barmera, we wouldn’t have the energy to keep going today.

“Again, thankyou so much for EVERYONES help great or small. If it wasn’t for u guys, we’d be swimming by now.”