‘Supermarkets empty’: supplies arrive by boat in flood locked Yamba

Clarence Valley Councillor Debrah Novak has lashed out at the state government after a local collaboration of farmers was twice denied funding to establish an emergency disaster hub.

Clarence Valley councillor Debrah Novak said until the Yamba Road opens people will continue to rely on food delivered by boat from the SES.

Seeing the crisis play out in real time in her hometown, knowing that the Clarence Valley Food Inc had been unsuccessful in Bushfire Recovery and Resilience funding for an emergency disaster hub twice, has been upsetting.

The hope was to be able to manage natural disasters locally by building a dry and cold storage and become an epicentre for the North Coast.

This would have allowed critical supplies to be stockpiled for emergency situations such as the current flood crisis.

“We would have had food on the ground five days ago as the resources would have been five minutes away and could be helicoptered in,” she said.

“This break in the supply chain is not unprecedented,” Councillor Novak said.

“The state government knew about this and knew it would happen.

“Other communities got the money and we didn’t so it’s a bit galling.”

Despite the significant impact the road closure has had on supplies Ms Novak said the community spirit is strong. Council staff, community organisations such as the Rugby League Club and Surf Life Saving Club and community have come together.

“Money can’t buy that sense of community spirit,” she said.

“It gives you hope.”

She praised the SES who have been collecting purchases for residents from Maclean supermarkets and delivering food and milk by boat.

The regular supply chain for delivery to the supermarkets in Yamba is via Pearson Transport.

Pearson Transport Stock Controller Graham Pearson said they have a truck loaded in Grafton ready for Yamba and are waiting for clearance when the road reopens.

Clarence Valley councillor Debrah Novak stands in front of the submerged Yamba Oyster Shack.

According to Mr Pearson the supply chain has been devastated but the road networks are the problem not the supply chain itself.

“Nearly every supermarket we supply to is empty,” Mr Pearson said.

“A three hour road trip to Brisbane, for example, becomes a seven hour road trip and a very, very difficult one at that.”