Dan Cairns’ battle against mouldy rental home after Cyclone Jasper

A Far North Queensland legend who rescued flood victims in his kayak has suffered thousands of dollars worth of damage and theft while caring for his pregnant partner.

A local hero who has been leading his community’s Cyclone Jasper recovery says “constant mould”, theft, no income and thousands of dollars worth of damage has taken its toll on his young family.

Dan Cairns rose to prominence in December after rescuing evacuees one by one with his kayak and later helping, alongside others, establish the ‘Holloways Hub’ – which has gone on to hand out an estimated 17,000 meals to those left with nothing.

But in the meantime Mr Cairns and his heavily pregnant partner Addie Cafe are still living in their Holloways Beach rental home that was filled with ten inches of floodwater and thick mud when disaster struck.

Local hero of the Cairns floods Dan Cairns, who rescued 19 people at Holloways Beach on his kayak, also dealt with 20 centimetres of water sweeping through his own rental house, leaving a think layer of mud and destroying much of the furniture. Picture: Supplied

Despite their mammoth clean-up effort, the house is still coated in black mould, with ceiling leaks through the laundry, rumpus room, office and patio.

“There’s five roof leaks now … every time it rains, even a light shower, we have water come through,” he said.

“I’ve got constant mould growing on all the doors, walls. I wipe everything down and as soon as it rains, within two days, we’ve got mould back.”

Dan Cairns and his partner Addie Cafe, who is 34 weeks pregnant, clean their laundry of mould. Picture: Brendan Radke

Much of the furniture has also had to be replaced at the couple’s own cost, despite the pair being in a furnished home agreement.

Unable to do his day job as a gardener for seven weeks due to damaged and stolen equipment, Mr Cairns had to borrow money just to make ends meet.

“I’ve had people come around and steal stuff from the trailer when we had all the rubbish at the front. So it’s been a bit of a whirlwind,” he said.

Multiple leaks have now appeared in the roof, leaving black mould through the home every time it rains. Picture: Brendan Radke

Ms Cafe said it had been a “pretty scary” time, with chances of finding another rental for their young family stretching thin.

“It’s the last thing I want to deal with with my first child, it’s been quite stressful. Just the uncertainty of knowing what’s next,” she said.

“I’ve kind of just been hiding in the bedroom, to be honest, the only place that isn’t affected (by mould).”

Holloways Beach residents Addie Cafe and her partner Dan Cairns. Picture: Brendan Radke

Mr Cairns said he had lodged a complaint with the Residential Tenancy Authority after failing to negotiate a rent reduction, let alone repairs or furniture replacement.

“We’re actually fortunate enough that we can still live somewhere in our house whereas other people haven’t been able to but they’re still paying for rent. It just doesn’t seem fair,” he said.

The RTA could not respond before deadline.

Originally published as Dan Cairns’ battle against mouldy rental home after Cyclone Jasper