Northern NSW flood survivors speak about moving forward after record natural disasters in February-March 2022

A year on from the terrifying floods that battered the Northern Rivers, many residents cannot help but grimace when the rain comes pouring down. We speak to some of those affected.

A year on from the terrifying floods that battered the Northern Rivers, many residents cannot help but grimace when the rain comes pouring down.

Communities across the north of the state were not prepared for the deluge and the following floods that hammered homes and businesses in February and March 2022.

These are just a small number of the flood-stricken residents working to get their lives back together.

Kelly Bohn – Lismore

Lismore resident and member of the State Emergency Service (SES), Kelly Bohn and her husband have settled with their insurer – yet their home in Hindmarsh St remains a mess.

“I’m getting on top of it,” Ms Bohn said.

SES Lismore member Kelly Bohn is waiting for an insurance payout.

“Some days I go right down but I’ve noticed my husband is really struggling.

“It’s just life and that’s the way it is and I can’t blame anyone – it’s just what happened.”

The couple have put their home on the market and also have their name down for a buyback.

“But because we were insured they will deduct any insurance payment we get from the buyback,” Ms Bohn said.

“I understand it’s a dichotomy but as a taxpayer I don’t think it’s fair to be penalised for looking after ourselves.”

Kelly Bohn says she is trying her best to move on, despite tough circumstances. Picture: Cath Piltz

The Northern Rivers Reconstruction Corporation (NRRC) told Mrs Bohn her home was not a “priority”, even though Ms Bohn said mapping in its presentations have clearly showed her home in the red zone.

“I’m not even going to waste my time worrying about it, fortunately I’m in a position where I can wait my turn,” she said.

Ms Bohn said having to return to the property, maintain the gardens and start paying full rates to Lismore City Council come June was “doing her head in”.

The couple wanted to relocate their home and were on the verge of buying a plot of land.

Ms Bohn said she was lucky to be able to put the flood event behind her.

“Life is too short,” she said.

Kristine Divine – Lismore

Kristine Divine thought she would get a temporary housing pod soon after the flood.

But the Lismore woman has been forced to couch surf, sleep in her car and inside her barely habitable house for the past 12 months.

Kristine Divine has been forced to couch surf, sleep in her car and rough it in her flood-damaged house.

Ms Divine escaped to far north Queensland to sleep in her Nissan Micra hatchback with her dog to escape the cold during the winter months.

She wanted a buyback and told the NRRC about her circumstances.

“I’m traumatised from all the s--t I’ve gone through in Lismore,” she said.

“I lost everything except my granddaughter and puppy.

“I wish the government would hurry up … I just want to move forward.”

Kristine Divine has been waiting on a path forward from the NRRC.

Ms Divine said she was told by the NRRC “they were getting there”, but there were thousands of homes to assess before they would get to her.

“The government is waiting for us to give up, the insurance companies are waiting for us to give up,” she said.

“We’ve been in limbo for over a year.

“There are all these people who just go on with life and don’t even care.”

Brett Powell – Coraki

Coraki farmer Brett Powell and his father Russell pause after losing everything in the 2022 floods.

Coraki cattle and soybean farmers Brett and Karen Powell and their neighbour were unable to save more than $1 million worth of farm machinery when the floods came rolling in.

However, the Powells managed to herd their cattle out and save the animals.

Mr Powell said he was forced to drive his tractor through floodwaters to help save his neighbour and livestock.

The neighbours parked their four-wheel drive cars and machinery on a “mound” - raised two metres above the paddocks - but the floods made short work of the gear.

Rescue boats drove underneath Mr Powell’s roof to his second storey, where more than 20 of his neighbours and their families were trapped.

Mr Powell said things were “pretty much back to normal” a year after the dramatic scenes.

He said they have spent about $60,000 to get back on their feet.

“I’ve always had a home to live in – we’ve built a nice kitchen upstairs so that’s a benefit,” Mr Powell explained.

“I lost all my crops. I had 50 acres of beans, which were really good, but I’m just about back at that stage now – so it makes me feel like I’m half normal again.

“I know I lost my brand new tractor but we’ve got another one ordered so hopefully that’ll be here in the next two months.

“All in all we’re not going that bad.”

Mr Powell said he felt for those who were not as lucky.

“We didn’t have insurance but at least we’re back to normal,” he said.

Mrs Powell said she chose to go back because they had nowhere else to live.

“You gotta just tear that bandaid off and try to take one day at a time,” she said.

Pegg and Paul ‘Doc’ O’Connor – Coraki

Pegg and Paul ‘Doc’ O’Connor lost 30-40 cattle and their farm in last year’s floods. Picture: Cath Piltz

Coraki’s Pegg and Paul O’Connor, semi-retired farmers, lost cattle plus all their machinery from their rural property in last year’s floods. They then had to bury the animals.

They were able to find a place to live at Evans Head, but their farm remains a wreck.

The O’Connors were under insured and have been left heartbroken and frustrated.

Mr O’Connor worked with the flood mitigation agencies in the Coraki and Evans Head area for more than 30 years.

Now, he wonders whether governments could have done more to prevent the worst of the flooding.

“We went around levelling houses after the ’74 floods. That was the benchmark, that flood,” he said.

“But this one was around two metres higher.”

The cattle farmer said properties in his area did not lose cows during previous floods and felt safe building at the previous benchmark heights.

“We lost 30 out of 40 (cattle), probably cost us around $100,000,” Mr O’Connor said.

The couple were undecided about whether to buy more cattle to scrape together an income.

Ms O’Connor praised the community for banding together.

The couple have placed their property on the market and even though the value of their farm has dropped since the flood they are optimistic the situation will improve.

Virginia and Lyle Brown – Empire Vale

Sonree Kennels owners Virginia and her husband Lyle Brown were in their Empire Vale home on the banks of the Richmond River when evacuation warnings came on February 28, 2022.

The couple hopped in a rescue boat that pulled up at their front door and were taken to dry land as water rose higher than a metre in their single-storey home.

“It was totally gutted,” Ms Brown said.

“The whole place had to be pulled apart.”

Virginia and Lyle Brown of Empire Vale used grants and all their savings to return home. Picture: Cath Piltz

Their neighbours created a space in their own shed for the Browns to stay after the floods.

They were able to collect their dogs, loaned to fellow breeders, before the flood hit.

Savings and help from the community helped the Browns move back into their home around Christmas. While work is still needed, they are grateful.

Mr Brown said he sits for lengths of time with his head in his hands, but understood the situation would take time to improve.

“We’ll have to evolve, I guess,” the former navy officer said.

“Now I think I have enough money to buy materials to finish but I can’t afford to employ anyone. We’ll just have to get used to it.”

Anthony Geard – Coraki

Anthony Geard, Coraki resident and owner of the only fuel station left in town, watched floodwaters scoop trucks up during last year’s catastrophe.

At the same time, his home and business went under water.

Service station owner Anthony Geard watched trucks being carried away by floodwaters. Picture: Cath Piltz

Now, Mr Geard is “making do” and his business acts as a much-needed hub for petrol, food, and farming feed.

“Woodburn still isn’t open, so the nearest servo to us is Broadwater, Lismore or Casino,” he said.

Mr Geard – who was uninsured due to the high cost – said most people with insurance were not back in properties because companies are “stringing it out”.

“People without insurance – been there, done it, are back in their houses,” he said.

He said there should be an inquiry into “useless” coverage offered by some companies.

Anthony Geard, operator of the only petrol station left in Coraki, says he never experienced flooding in his home until last year. Picture: Cath Piltz

“My friend’s parents that live on the Woodburn-Evans Head river (Richmond River) had water over the roof,” he said.

“Their insured house was stripped out and next week the insurance company is bringing in heaters and blowers to dry it out.

“It’s been 10 months – it’s just a brick shell.”

Mr Geard also raised concerns about items removed from homes during the clean up and repair effort.

Tony Geard's home and business under water in the 2022 February flood disaster.

He said he has been looking for lost items before it ‘clicked’ and he realised another possession had been lost to the floods.

Next week, The Daily Telegraph launches the first of a two part documentary on the Northern Rivers floods: Courage Under Water. It features heroes of the floods and explores the collective trauma of communities still struggling to rebuild a year after a disaster that was ranked the fourth worst in the world in 2022.