Devastated Degarra community pleads for heavy duty help post-flood

The Far North flood hit hardest at Wujal Wujal and the adjacent community of Degarra, where mud-caked locals are pleading not only for essential supplies, but for large-scale military help.

A fortnight after enduring the most terrifying night of their lives, the residents of the little community of Degarra on the Bloomfield River are sending out a desperate SOS.

Those left among the wreckage are bewildered, exhausted, and mourning the loss of their mate Ray Dark, a spritely 85-year-old who was unwilling to leave his dog and evacuate as the water rose rapidly on that dark Sunday December 17.

Mark Cassar stands amid the ruins of missing man Ray Dark's home at Degarra. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

Resident Mark Cassar said the dog was found alive in a tree, but Mr Dark has not been found and his house is completely destroyed.

Bits of broken furniture are strewn hundreds of metres away, as though a bomb hit it.

But the community is counting itself lucky only one life was lost, as they come to terms with unimaginable damage and a dramatically changed landscape, with the mighty river carving away a good slice of the township.

It will likely take much longer to process the trauma of that terrible night, with residents saying they called triple-0 but nobody came, and not many come since.

Douglas Shire Council is sending back-to-back choppers with essential supplies such as bottled water – which was desperately needed – and tarps, food, and torches, which Mayor Michael Kerr said would be funded by Queensland Recovery Assistance.

The home of Ray Dark, 85, at 29 Evergreen Rd, Degarra, before the flood. Picure: Supplied

But residents are hoping the SES, QFES and the Australian Defence Force will come to help with the mammoth task of repairing the ragged community.

Philip Carlton and Perry Gould were on hand to unload the chopper on Tuesday – capable of carrying 540kg of supplies at a time – saying the work keeps their minds occupied.

Mr Carlton said it was estimated 3200mm of rain fell over four or five days.

Degarra residents Philip Carlton and Perry Gould load emergency supplies from a Nautilus helicopter to a ute, where they were transported to the home of another local for temporary storage because there is no recovery operations centre. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

“Alec Dunn has done an amazing job, absolutely brilliant – he drove right up through the trees to the houses and plucked people off their roof, he rescued about 17 people,” he said.

Mr Carlton said there was an incessant roar on the night of the flood.

“It just never stopped, we just kept moving up, moving up, and it just kept following us,” he said.

Billy Dunn’s home is barely visible through smashed trees and refuse and was 2m underwater.

He said nearly all homes were submerged and there was now a public health risk.

Wendy Ashworth and her husband Gary face an overwhelming task cleaning their home, left broken and chaotic and under a thick layer of mud following the flood. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

Mr Dunn said his home was at risk of collapsing because of the weight of the mud.

While many have full time jobs, there are many retirees aged 70-plus that Mr Dunn said would need extra help.

“Extra people on the ground is what is required,” he said.

“Muscle is needed, everyone is tired.”

Douglas Shire Council is coordinating supplies to the stranded township of Degarra, near Wujal Wujal on the Bloomfield River. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

Mr Dunn said the water rose one step in his two storey home every 10 minutes.

He and his wife tried to get out of a window near the roof, but couldn’t, and dived down to the kitchen and swam out a kitchen window.

He couldn’t persuade his dogs to dive.

Edward Madsen is among exhausted people clearing a whopping amount of debris from roads at Degarra. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

He tore sheets to make a rope, hung on to a tree with one hand and his wife, who kept going under, with the other, for two and a half hours, before, exhausted, he let go of his wife, resigned they would both lose their lives.

But miraculously, when he was swept to another tree, he saw the glow stick his wife had with her, and against all odds, they survived.

A massive landslide almost collected the home of Nick and Britta Upite, coming down the hill behind them.

A caravan picked up and carried by the force of rushing water at Degarra. Picture: Supplied

Gary and Wendy Ashworth’s corrugated iron water tank smashed into their car, with panels strewn across the front seat.

Mr Ashworth said one community member put his cats and his dog on the top shelf inside his home, and thought about shooting his animals and himself.

“Good thing about us, we’re insured, there’s a lot of people here that aren’t, it’s going be so desperate, so desperate for them,” Mr Ashworth said.

About a dozen Degarra residents have registered at the Cooktown Evacuation Centre and one went on a Chinook helicopter, several of which were used to evacuate Wujal Wujal residents over three days from December 19.

The home of long time Degarra resident Billy Dunne, seen through the flood wreckage, had water 2m above the roof line. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

Half a dozen Degarra people fled to Cairns.

Most spent a night on a roof, waist deep in water.

Craig Crosby said an excavator, digger, side tippers and prime movers, a Caterpillar loader, quarry loaders, and back hoe, grader and roller were needed.

The landscape around the Bloomfield River at Degarra is irrevocably changed following the floods. The home of missing man Ray Dark, 85, is on the bend in the middle that has been laid bare by the ferocious water. Picture: Bronwyn Farr

Drive pumps, firefighter pumps, lay flat hose and tarps are on the wish list.

People have spent nearly a fortnight cleaning up and don’t feel they’ve made a dent in things.

Courtenay Robbins said: “We need muscle to help get the mud out”.

Douglas Shire Mayor Michael Kerr said he was told help was on the way, and council had requested help from a range of agencies.

But more a fortnight on, the people of Degarra feel forsaken.

Originally published as Devastated Degarra community pleads for heavy duty help post-flood