Ballina grapples with impact of ‘one in 1000 year flood’

A senior SES member says there has been no incident “in any way comparable to this” in living memory in the North Coast town. See the video, photos.

Ballina Island remains cut off from surrounding areas after historic flooding hit the town this week.

Frustrations were running high when countless Ballina residents tried to return home to the CBD on Wednesday, only to be turned away.

At the same time major communication network issues were affecting the town along with much of the Northern Rivers.

The full scale of damage to the Ballina CBD is not yet known but on Wednesday police had erected roadblocks to keep people from trying to return to the flood-ravaged streets, many of them still inundated from the swollen Richmond River.

The Seagulls grounds flooded in Ballina on Wednesday. Picture: Liana Boss

Police roadblocks were erected on the CBD side of Missingham Bridge – heading from East Ballina – on Angels Beach Drive.
The town has also been cut off from the north at Tamarind Drive and from the south and west.

Speaking from a rare pocket of phone reception, Ballina mayor Sharon Cadwallader said the town was in a “desperate situation”.

“I said (earlier) it was a one in 500 year event but it’s actually a one in 1000 year event, I believe, now,” Ms Cadwallader said.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the river topple over like it has and to fill up the main CBD of Ballina.

“It’s absolutely heartbreaking to see the homes flooded.”

Cars drive through a flooded Fox Street in Ballina after an evacuation order was issued on Tuesday. Picture: Liana Boss

On the frontline of the disaster have been “tired volunteers doing extraordinary work”, she said.

Ms Cadwallader said phone reception and other communication problems had worsened things.

“Even the fuel cards … my fuel card wouldn't work; The SES fuel cards wouldn’t work because of the terminals being shut down,” she said.

“All the resources are being stretched to the armpits everywhere but council staff are doing great work. SES are doing phenomenal work.”

Police were turning away motorists on the roundabout into Ballina Island from East Ballina, at Bentinck Street, due to extensive flooding in the CBD on Wednesday. Picture: Liana Boss

Ms Cadwallader said she had with her house guests who had stopped in on their way to the Gold Coast before becoming stranded, and her son who has lost his home in Lismore.

“I’m feeling devastated, I’m feeling absolutely gutted,” she said.

At the same time, she said she “couldn‘t be more proud” of the way her community was coming together.

Large number of flood rescues in Ballina area

Flood rescues were unfolding in Ballina and surrounds at a “tremendous” rate on Wednesday according to Jim Fuggle from Ballina’s SES unit.

Mr Fuggle warned after the town was extensively flooded, waters could fall and rise again, depending on tidal movements and further flows from upstream.

He urged people not to return to the town for any reason.

“We’ve seen a lot of traffic coming from Lennox Head for some reason,” he said.

“I just want to reiterate for no one to come into Ballina for any reason whatsoever.”

The LifeFlight helicopter over Ballina on Wednesday. Picture: Liana Boss

Medical services from the evacuated Ballina Hospital have been moved to a nearby evacuation centre at Xavier Catholic College, Skennars Head.

Mr Fuggle said there had been lots of people in trouble in the Ballina CBD and surrounds.

“We have been performing flood rescues at a tremendous rate and I would expect that having a look at the figures we'd be … over 100 easily,” he said.

“We have our Ballina SES unit members, we have Ballina unit special flood rescue crews, we have SES members from other areas of NSW specialising in flood rescue.”

He said Surf Life Saving members were helping with their equipment and boats.

“We have the Army with a vehicle that's capable of going through a large amount of water,” he said.

“All of those assets have been utilised.

A water tank washed up on Sharpes Beach at Skennars Head, north of Ballina, during flooding on Wednesday. Picture: Liana Boss

“We have, in addition to that, in areas particularly south of Ballina – in Pimlico, Keith Hall, Patches Beach areas, we have had numerous rescues by helicopter in excess of 60 people today (Wednesday).”

He urged people not to leave evacuation centres to try to return home until the authorities tell them it’s safe to do so.

“Do now breach the evacuation order just because you see some change in the level of the water,” he said.

He said the flooding was unprecedented for Ballina.

“This incident is a historic incident,” he said.

“No one in living memory has seen an incident in any way comparable to this.”