‘Once the waters recede, that’s not the end’: years of recovery ahead for farmers after devastating Queensland Floods

With years or even decades of recovery ahead, Farm Angels is calling for flood devastated outback communities to not be forgotten. Recently awarded OAM and Farm Angels founder Tash Johnston says this is how you can help.

Farm Angels founder Tash Johnston warns that there will be years of recovery ahead for the outback communities that were struck by record-breaking floods a month ago.

Ms Johnston was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia on May 1 for her incredible work at Farm Angels over the years, and is calling for people to continue supporting the farmers and residents that were devastated by the recent floods across rural Queensland.

Farms and properties affected by record-breaking widespread floods across western Queensland.

The organisation, previously known as Drought Angels, offers support for farmers through trying times, including providing aid during natural disasters and wellbeing support for people in isolated communities.

“Even once the waters recede, that’s not the end of the disaster,” she said.

“It’s actually going to take years if not decades for some of these graziers and farms to recover.

“We’re going to be here for the long haul for our farmers.

“They’re not alone and they’re not forgotten.”

22 Nov 2000 Quilpie Floods. picAlan/MacDonald aerials sw qld weather

Ms Johnston said when the rain first hit out west, she remembered one of the farmers saying how relieved they were after weeks of drought to finally have some rain, a sentiment they soon regretted.

“They were losing stock because of the drought,” she said.

“Then she said to me ‘I wished too hard for the rain Tash.’”

22 Nov 2000 Floods at Quilpie. picAlan/MacDonald aerials weather qld

Ms Johnson and other members of Farm Angels will head out to Adavale, Jundah, Stonehenge, Thargomindah, and Quilpie for the next few weeks to help communities in the wake of the catastrophe.

“We’ve been told it’s another week to 10 days before we can even get out there,” she said.

“The land is still drying out.

“We’ve been sitting in on the disaster recovery meetings as well.”

Tash Johnston's investiture ceremony where she was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia for her work at Farm Angels, an organisation that supports vulnerable farms through natural disasters.

Ms Johnston said anyone could help by donating to their Beyond the Flood Appeal.

“The funds will be going out to the people in those western communities that have been impacted, to help them get through,” she said.

Donations to the Beyond the Flood Appeal can be made online at www.farmangels.org.au.

Originally published as ‘Once the waters recede, that’s not the end’: years of recovery ahead for farmers after devastating Queensland Floods