NSW Floods: Harwood resident Jacob Jackson drives recovery

“Harwood’s hero” is just one of many locals in flood-hit areas stepping in to help those who’ve lost everything as a lack of government support takes a toll on residents.

If there’s one thing locals in flood-prone areas learn pretty quickly, it’s that they can’t rely solely on government help to restore their lives when disaster hits.

That was a motivating factor for Tyndale resident Jacob Jackson, or “Harwood’s hero” as he’s known by many, who has spent nearly every waking moment since Sunday taking others’ flood rubbish to the tip.

Jacob Jackson has helped the community of Harwood recover from the floods with nothing but a trailer.

“I wouldn’t call myself a hero... I have an empty truck and the ability to help so I went around and got rid of the rubbish on the road,” Mr Jackson said.

“Sometimes people just need to stop seeing the rubbish to start feeling normal again.”

He said almost everyone he helped mentioned Harwood was hit really hard in last year’s floods - even worse than surrounding areas.

“A lot of people I knew personally lost a lot of stuff, but it took four odd weeks before the council was able to come over and help out,” he said.

Jacob Jackson lost some $15,000 of belongings, as did much of his family.

“This time ‘round people I’ve spoken to haven’t seen council on the roads until yesterday afternoon and I’ve been doing it since Sunday.”

The self-employed earthmoving labourer lost some $15,000 worth of belongings in the floods due to moving from Harwood to Tyndale on the day with heaviest rainfall.

Suddenly he felt a desire to help others, and given he hadn’t much work on because “no-one is really thinking about digging holes at the moment,” it made sense to door knock residents and lend a hand.

Flood waste in Harwood sits in the sun as residents say council clean up has taken too long.

“I lost a couch, a hard wood buffet, a hardwood TV cabinet, a bed a, a couch, a desk, bookcases and $4000 worth of meat in a 300L freezer,” he said.

“Yet I met people who lost so much more.”

He said he was amazed by their ability to put on a brave face throughout it.

“That’s been one of the nicest things about it - how much everyone cares for one another, especially in Harwood, which I think council sometimes forgets about because we’re not the jewel of Clarence Valley, like Yamba.”

Homes closest to the river still face extremely soggy driveways, nearly two weeks on.

Meanwhile, some 20 minutes south in Ulmarra, St. Andrew’s Christian School prepared to send its chaplain Mick Schilling and several secondary students to help with the flood clean-up next week.

A spokesperson said it was also holding several fundraisers at Casino Christian School to fund vouchers to help flood-affected staff and families.

Harwood local, Ken, is another resident who’s taken the post-flood clean up into his own hands, clearing mud off the roads.

Clarence Valley Council acting general manager Laura Black said the council had started flood waste collection for Ulmarra and Yamba Road, and had moved towards Palmers Island and Brushgrove.

She did not specify the dates the clean-ups started.

Ms Black said the council would open a disaster recovery site in Maclean and Grafton later this week.

Some homes in Harwood were completely destroyed in the floods.

“We have seen more response agencies on the ground - more than ever before - with the State Emergency Service the centralisation of assistance,” she said.

“Definitely the community spirit (has been great) - especially in Maclean where we had council staff and hundreds of residents sandbagging. It was remarkable.”