Australian of the Day Julio Maio ferried people to safety for 12 hours during Sydney’s east coast low

BUS driver Julio Maio, who ferried people to safety for 12 hours straight during the recent Sydney deluge, is our Australian of the Day.

Pittwater RSL bus driver Julio Maio went above and beyond during the recent Sydney storms to get people to shelter.

JULIO Maio spends his working days making sure patrons of Sydney’s Pittwater RSL club get to their destination safely.

“I’m probably busiest when I’m taking people home from the club,” says the affable courtesy bus driver.

“But honestly if people need a hand getting from A to B at any time I always try to help.”

And so it was on June 5 when king tides combined with a devastating east coast low to flood large parts of nearby Narrabeen Lake and wreak havoc along the coastline.

“I got to work and saw police cars pulling up and unloading people two by two,” says Julio, 55. “My boss told me they were evacuees from the flooding and that the club was their evacuation point. I figured the police had more important things to do and, after all, I had a 14 seater bus sitting in the driveway so surely I could help.”

After a few phone calls to emergency co-ordinators, CommBank’s Australian of the Day found himself behind the wheel of his trusty bus and playing a key role in the evacuation of hundreds of people.

“I’ve never seen that much water in all my 40 years living on the northern beaches,” he says of picking his way through flood-affected suburbs. “It was a bit hairy at times.”

A woman paddles her kayak along Pittwater Road in Narrabeen. Julio Maio says he has not seen rains like it in 40 years of living on Sydney’s Northern Beaches. Photo Jeremy Piper

For the next 12 hours, Julio made countless trips ferrying residents — some with their pets — from the flood zone to the safety of Pittwater RSL Club.

“The biggest scare I had was crossing the Narrabeen Bridge,” says Julio. “It must have been the top of the king tide because suddenly a wave came over the bridge and I thought, ‘Uh-oh, I’m going in the lake!’ Fortunately the bus stayed on the road and I made it through.”

Throughout it all, though, Julio was mostly overawed by the commitment and care shown by all the authorities and volunteers who united to help out people in need.

“It was a real buzz to be honest with you,” says Julio. “It’s not until something like that happens that you see what your community is really made of.”

CommBank has partnered with News Corp Australia to champion the Australian of the Day initiative which celebrates people in our neighbourhoods and communities who really make a difference to how we live and who we are. You can read all their stories at australianoftheday.com.au, where you can also nominate someone you know.