Outback Qld flooding disaster: Bulloo Shire launch GoFundMe for flood recovery

As thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses across outback Queensland grapple with flooding the size of Victoria community leaders have appealed for those looking to help to do so in a way that will most benefit those impacted. DETAILS.

Mayors from across flood-affected South West Queensland are appealing for financial donations to help get residents back on their feet.

The region is expected to be reeling for sometime after the flood impacted area across the South West grew to double the size of Victoria destroying hundreds of homes and killing over 100,000 livestock.

Community leaders thanked people for their donations of food and clothing but said what they needed most was money.

Bulloo Shire deputy mayor Glyn (Dogga) Dare is asking for donations to support the flood affected South West

“The shire has established a GoFundMe which will go straight back into the town, everyone has lost something and the money will be divided between the houses,” Bulloo Shire deputy mayor Glyn (Dogga) Dare said.

“At the moment the SES are keeping right up with us in terms of food and clothing, but cash is what we really need. There's a lot of people uninsured out here and they will need to replace things like air conditioners and switchboards to get the houses back up and running.

“We are being fed, they are organising accommodation and it will all come together in the next couple of days.

“We really don't know what we need at the moment, we have all these people trying to give us a hand but there's nothing much we can do until the water goes down and we can see what we’ve lost and what we need.”

Quilpie mayor Ben Hall

Quilpie mayor Ben Hall agreed and said money donations would be more valuable now.

“Supporting our local businesses through cash donations is important because they will not get any assistance at all and the economy will be affected as a whole because people won’t have the money to spend,” he said.

“It is critical at this point they focus their attention on supporting local business so that can flow right through the economy because they employ a lot of people.

“We have a lot of good intentions with people wanting to bring us food and fuel, but there are local business here that provide that and we encourage people to support them however they can.”

Mr Hall said for those wanting to donate to a charity GIVEIT was a good option.

“GIVEIT is a good one for the recovery, the administration is funded by the state government so 100 per cent of the donations will go to the people, there is no money lost in administration,” he said.

“They help people with the re-establishment and clean-up of their homes, replacement of goods and repairs to things like kitchens, they also supply a lot of live sustaining goods.”

Small town Quilpie has been turned into an in-land island has communities across Western Queensland reach record flood levels.

Mr Hall said one of the best ways people could support the region’s recovery was to visit in the coming months and provide a cash injection.

“It will be critical that we get tourism back and honestly it will be the best display of wildflowers that you’ll only see once every 100 years,” he said.

“It is going to magnificent from the May 1 all the way through to the end of the June-July holidays.

“People will see why we live out here, they will appreciate that for a harsh land it is truly magnificent.”

Mr Dare echoed this.

“How people can really help in the long run is by coming to the outback and spending money, businesses will need a big cash injection to get back on their feet.

“We will open it as quick as we can and we are going to need tourists back.”

Donations to the Bulloo Shire’s GoFundMe can be made here.