Elderly woman recalls ‘frightening’ Fraser Coast flood ordeal

A grandmother, whose dramatic rescue was captured on video, has told of the “frightening” moment her car stalled and warned other drivers about the dangers of flash flooding. VIDEO.

An elderly woman has described the “frightening” moment her car stalled in floodwaters and was swept off the road.

Jean Taylor’s vehicle was swept off the road after heavy rainfall caused flash flooding in Bauple on October 21.

Police shared video of the dramatic rescue after the car was swept off the road and stuck against a tree at the Scrubby Creek Crossing on Bauple Dr.

Unable to open doors due to the fast flowing water and the tree, officers pulled Mrs Taylor out of the back driver’s side door and fit her with a life jacket.

“This incident could have ended in tragedy and I applaud the officers involved for risking their lives to assist this driver so quickly,” Inspector Paul Algie said.

Mrs Taylor said the experience was “absolutely petrifying”, adding that she felt fortunate to have hit the tree that day or she might have been swept further down the creek.

Jean Taylor was rescued by police uninjured after her vehicle was swept off a flooded causeway at Bauple on the Fraser Coast.

Mrs Taylor said the police who assisted her out of the car were “angels” and she had written them a letter thanking them for their help that day.

“They were just wonderful,” she said.

Mrs Taylor said she had been driving for 63 years and had hesitated when she saw the flooding, but another motorist had driven past while she deliberated whether to try to cross the road, telling her she would make it.

“It’s a hard lesson,” she said.

“But at the end of the day, I’m still here – the car mightn’t be, but I am.”

Bill and Jean Taylor. Photo: Contributed

Mrs Taylor said she had wanted to warn others about the dangers of floodwater because she would not want anyone else to experience what she had.

Mrs Taylor’s granddaughter Jo Tapsall has started a Go Fund Me campaign to help raise funds to replace her grandmother’s car.

“Nana saw multiple people drive through the flood water and was not sure,” Ms Tapsall said.

“A man told her ‘it’s right to go through’, so Nana, seeing others go through, and then having a car behind her encourage her, proceeded.

“As the car proceeded, the water must have gotten high enough that it got into the bonnet and the car stalled.

“At that moment, Nana’s car was swept away.

“Had Nana not hit the tree, I don’t know if she would still be with us.

“The tree saved her by holding the car in place until authorities arrived on the scene and she was rescued.”

Police released footage from the daring rescue after Jean Taylor’s car was swept away in floodwaters at Bauple.

Ms Taylor’s husband Bill died a year ago and she did not have the money to replace the car.

Ms Tapsall said the car was currently “in a bad state” at the repairers.

So far, $700 have been raised with a target of $5500.

Ms Taylor was not the only person to lose their vehicle to floodwaters that day.

In Gympie, a man had a miracle escape after his 4WD was washed off a deadly crossing at Mary’s Creek and at least 200m downstream.

The vehicle was still in Eel Creek, about 10km southwest of Gympie, the following morning after coming to rest near a crossing on private property where a grandfather died while trying to drive across the flooded causeway in 2017.