Holloways Beach Centacare hub reopens after devastating floods

After residents fled the night before floods decimated an aged-care hub at Holloways Beach last December, the Centacare Oak Street hub has at last reopened.

After residents fled the night before floods decimated an aged-care hub at Holloways Beach last December, the Centacare Oak Street hub has at last reopened.

Centacare mental health and wellbeing manager Nathan Lee said he and a colleague made the decision to close services just hours before the Thomatis Creek spilt its banks, devastating the tight-knit community.

“On the Saturday night beforehand, we decided to cancel services with the clients around us,” Mr Lee said.

The refurbished Oak Street hub at Holloways Beach has reopened to clients, unveiling new equipment and rooms for clients to use during the day, or for overnight stays, including refurbished bedrooms, activity areas and a Sensory Garden. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

“The cyclone (Jasper) just hit and it seemed like it was all resolved, but the weekend following we decided to cancel services just because the local creek was rising, we weren’t sure whether we’d be able to get people in and out.”

Mr Lee said it turned out to be a “lucky decision” as the water wiped out the entire facility, including furniture, assistance equipment and sentimental items such as client art projects.

Only the ‘bricks and mortar’ remained.

The refurbished Oak Street hub at Holloways Beach has reopened to clients, unveiling new equipment and rooms for clients to use during the day, or for overnight stays, including refurbished bedrooms, activity areas and a Sensory Garden. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

The refurbished Oak Street hub at Holloways Beach has reopened to clients, unveiling new equipment and rooms for clients to use during the day, or for overnight stays, including refurbished bedrooms, activity areas and a Sensory Garden. Photo: Catherine Duffy.

“It was just heartbreaking. All the chairs, all the furniture was just brushed aside wherever the water exited, it was where all the furniture was washed to — fridges were on their sides, it was devastating,” he said.

“Artworks of the people who have stayed here, photographs, all that stuff, just all lost – the garden was an absolute mess, the big tree survived but everything else was just washed away.”

Now, 10 months on, the centre has been completely refurbished and upgraded to include respite care facilities, electric armchairs, commercial kitchen, and sensory garden.

Oak Street hub client Dorothy Raleigh said she was pleased to be back at the hub.

“We were quite taken by what a lot of work they’ve done, and it’s just beautiful. It really is quite lovely, and bigger than we were expecting,” Ms Raleigh said.

“And luckily, we still have all the lovely staff with them, which is also lovely.”

The centre officially reopened on October 26.

Originally published as Holloways Beach Centacare hub reopens after devastating floods