Toy drive brings joy to flood-affected kids at Cooktown

Almost 300 gifts lay on the carpet and just like one of Father Christmas’ elves, one woman is sitting at a tiny desk, on a tiny chair busily wrapping gifts. This is Christmas for a small Queensland community devastated by floods and a cyclone.

“It’s like Santa’s workshop in here.”

A visitor has just walked into the Cooktown Community Kindergarten.

Almost 300 gifts lay on the carpet and just like one of Father Christmas’ elves, Nardia Whitman is sitting at a tiny desk, on a tiny chair busily wrapping gifts.

For the last 48 hours the pre-school teacher has been coordinating a toy drive for more than 100 flood-affected children from nearby communities.

“Another local lady put the idea out there and I thought I’m in the perfect position to drive this,” Ms Whitman said.

Cooktown Community Kindergarten Director Nardia Whitman has coordinated a Christmas toy drive to help children affected by the severe flooding in Wujal Wujal. Picture: Brendan Radke

“I started here at 6.30am on Wednesday morning and haven’t stopped.”

Community shops and dozens of individual donations have made the toy drive possible with close to $10,000 worth of goods to be delivered to kids in Degarra, Rossville, Mount Amos.

Around two dozen children evacuated from Wujal Wujal currently based at the Cooktown Disaster Shelter will also unwrap a present on Christmas day thanks to the community’s efforts.

The causeway over the Mulligan Highway at the Annan River south of Cooktown has reopened to traffic after being inundated by floodwaters. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It’s just so amazing,” Ms Whitman said. “One of my kindy kids brought in a brand-new bike and donated it to the toy drive.

“She asked her grandma if she could do it.”

Some of Ms Whitman’s students were among the worst affected by the floods and Tropical Cyclone Jasper.

“I get emotional about it because I know so many people who’ve lost everything and are stranded away from family,” she said.

An Australian Army Chinook helicopter takes off from the Cooktown Airport, bound for the Indigenous community of Wujal Wujal. The entire town of Wujal Wujal has been evacuated following the flood emergency, with the majority of the town staying at the Cooktown PCYC, which is set up as an evacuation centre by the Australian Red Cross. Picture: Brendan Radke

“It’s hard time of year for some people anyway. This is about taking some pressure off the families.

“One of my former students’ family lost everything. They’re trying to salvage what they can before the grass grows over but the house is gone.

“I would hate to see any kids miss out.”

Cooktown resident Babina Kaigey, who donated around a dozen gifts to children in need, said she was so proud of her community.

“People have been left with nothing and it really broke my heart,” Ms Kaigey said. “So I called my kids to buy all this stuff in Cairns and send it up in a plane.”

A helicopter drop will be arranged for children still stranded by floodwaters, Ms Whitman said.

Originally published as Toy drive brings joy to flood-affected kids at Cooktown