Midge Point residents are pushing to turn their town hall into a cyclone shelter

Midge Point’s Jeannie Grosskrewtz was trapped for a week alongside her neighbours with no access to food or the outside world after Cyclone Debbie struck.

Midge Point Recreational and Fishing Club president Dolph Lossberg said he wouldn’t see a new shelter built in his lifetime. Picture: Lillian Watkins

Jeannie Grosskrewtz was one of the Midge Point residents stranded for a week after Cyclone Debbie bore down on her town.

“It was hard, we had no electricity and the only thing we had was water,” Mrs Grosskrewtz said.

“We couldn’t get any food.

“One of the worst things was we couldn’t get anything until the army came in, and then they got bitten by green ants and took off.

“People got together to help each other, we had no mobiles and there was no back up.”

‘We need a cyclone shelter, they should make this a cyclone shelter’. Picture: Lillian Watkins

Mrs Grosskrewtz said the traumatic event would have been easier if she had had somewhere to go.

“We need a cyclone shelter, they should make this a cyclone shelter,” she said, referencing the Midge Point Community Hall.

Midge Point residents want the hall to become a local hub again. Picture: Lillian Watkins

The old building has hosted many a wedding and Christmas Day, but Midge Point residents said the hall had “seen better days”.

Midge Point Recreational and Fishing Club is working to restore the building into a community hub, but want to take it one step further and turn it into a cyclone shelter as well.

Club president Dolph Lossberg said 28 members turned up for a working bee during a June weekend to freshen and restore the space.

The club is also petitioning to have new toilets put in so members with disabilities can access the hall.

Mr Lossberg said a new purpose-built cyclone shelter would be ideal, but that would take money and most importantly, time.

“It wouldn’t be built in my lifetime, but I’m definitely going to see three more cyclones in my time,” he said.

“We need somewhere that residents can even just charge their phones.”

In addition to turning the space into a cyclone shelter, the club want to return the hall to its former glory where clubs can meet and celebrations can be enjoyed.

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