Holloways Beach flood victims discuss mental health, resilience one year after disaster hit Cairns

A group of Holloways Beach residents gathered together to celebrate the small wins a year on from the devastation of Cyclone Jasper and the floods.

One year on from the flood that devastated the Holloways Beach community, an informal gathering was orgaised for locals on the beachfront to gather, talk and support one another. Organiser Crystal MacLennan and her nephew Archie Hughes, 7, pictured with flood survivors Carter Edwards, Dan Cairns, Sami Keeble and her son Lance Keeble, 6, pictured on Holloways Beach. Picture: Brendan Radke

A group of Holloways Beach residents gathered together to celebrate the small wins a year on from the devastation of Cyclone Jasper and the floods.

Community members shared a bite to eat, a drink and a chat in support of the many residents still suffering from trauma and stress following last year’s flooding.

Event organiser and local hairdresser Crystal MacLennan said 2024 had been a tough year, but a lot of people had little milestones to celebrate.

“After a natural disaster like that you don’t realise how big the small milestones are, like getting a toilet back in your house or getting plaster on the walls,” Ms MacLennan said.

“I cried the other day, because my benchtops went in …. I walked into the house with a bag of groceries (and) I chucked them on the bench.

“You don’t even think about that as being a comfort, it’s just an ordinary thing but I cried.”

Holloways Beach resident and local hairdresser Crystal MacLennan organised an informal gathering on the beachfront one year on from the flood that devastated the Holloways community. Picture: Brendan Radke

The event was sponsored by local businesses that donated food, drinks, baked goods and prizes.

Kick On mental health charity CEO Drew Brauer provided support at the event, as well as a prize of night away at the luxury hotel brand Crystalbrook.

Mr Brauer said just because people were moving back into their homes, it did not mean they weren’t still struggling.

“I’ve even noticed in myself that with these first big rains that were coming, they were quite triggering …. I noticed that feeling in my chest,” Mr Brauer said.

“There’s probably a lot of PTSD and …. obviously Christmas coming up, and Christmas would have been devastating for so many people last year.

Drew Brauer from mental health charity Kick On helped organise an informal gathering on the Holloways beachfront one year on from the flood that devastated the Holloways Beach community. Picture: Brendan Radke

“So, we just wanted to go out and start a conversation … to give people permission to talk about that stuff (and) especially the men.”

The event was a rare opportunity for people to come together and feel like a community again, after a year that had displaced and isolated dozens of families.

“Everyone got to talk to one another; they got to feel that sense of belonging to a community because it was like a war zone ... as soon as you crossed the barren,” Ms MacLennan said.

“The feedback that I got from everyone was that they hadn’t seen that person, they hadn’t had a chat”.

“So it’s starting to look like a normal community.”

As Christmas rolls around people across Cairns will be preparing for their family lunches, wrapping presents and enjoying long sleep-ins in crisp airconditioning.

But Mr Brauer implored people to check in on those still trying to rebuild from the devastating events of last year’s festive season.

“As soon as people weren’t posting about it, it was kind of out of sight, out of mind,” Mr Brauer said.

“It’s important to remember to reach out to people that you know were affected.

“It’s the same as if somebody loses a partner or a mum – the next birthday and Christmas these things are huge triggers.”

Originally published as Holloways Beach flood victims discuss mental health, resilience one year after disaster hit Cairns