Johnathan Thurston brings joy to Wujal Wujal following devastating Far North floods

Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston has brought joy to a Far North Queensland community battered by Tropical Cyclone Jasper, the wettest weather event of its kind in Australian history.

Wujal Wujal mayor Bradley Creek said he will always being grateful to Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston for donating 50 tickets to Friday's Indigenous All Stars game to residents of his disaster-stricken community.

The thrill of a silky Josh Addo-Carr sidestep or Lattrell Mitchell laying a rib-rattling tackle will give a disaster-stricken Indigenous community a brief moment of joy following a horror three months.

In what must be one of the future NRL Immortal’s greatest assists, Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston has scored 50 tickets to the NRL Indigenous All Stars game for the flood-affected township of Wujal Wujal.

Hundreds of residents were evacuated in December as the Bloomfield River swelled to record levels and elders sought refuge on rooftops.

Just days earlier, the remote Indigenous community, located 170km north of Cairns, had been battered by Tropical Cyclone Jasper, the wettest weather event of its kind in Australian history.

“We had Christmas here in Cairns,” young mum Felicity Yugie said recently.

“It was sad and it wasn’t the same as at home. There wasn’t really a Christmas spirit. It was very hard.”

Retired North Queensland Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston is hoping to bring smiles to Wujal Wujal residents’ faces. Image: Zak Simmonds

The community has clung to each other since, with around 40 residents living in Cairns and hosting large gatherings and dinners on an almost nightly basis.

Grateful mayor Bradley Creek said Friday’s night’s clash in Townsville would be a moment to cherish and heal together.

“We reached out to JT a while back,” Mr Creek said. “I had a conversation with him about our circumstances and requested if he could get us some tickets.

“It means a lot to us what he’s done. Doing positive things together during this sad time that we’re going through at the moment is important.

“We want to do as many good things as we can.”

The remains of the Bana Yirriji Art and Cultural Centre and cafe at Wujal Wujal. Image: Bronwyn Farr

On the ground, glimmers of hope are returning to the devastated township with the Wujal Wujal rebuild starting to take shape too.

Non-potable water is flowing through taps and progress is being made on sewerage, CEO Kiley Hanslow said.

“I think we have around 80 people from QBuild (working in Wujal Wujal) and they’ve employed local people too,” Ms Hanslow said.

“That’s important because it gives people pride and a sense that they’ve played a part in this (rebuild) as well.

“It’ll be lovely to see it all fixed and community back. In the next six-to-eight weeks we hope some people may actually be coming home again.

“It’ll be so nice to go down to the mango tree and just have a yarn with everyone again.”

Landslides run for hundreds of metres down cliff faces and into the ocean on the Bloomfield Track between Wujal Wujal and Cape Tribulation.

Ms Hanslow said knowing boys and girls would have a chance to meet their heroes ahead of their homecoming was special.

“We thought it was a wonderful idea,” she said. “It’s just such a lovely thing to do for community and it brings a lot of positivity.”

Cairns’ Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow of the Dolphins will star for the Indigenous All Stars this Friday night in Townsville. Image: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

In the meantime, Mr Creek hopes community members get a chance to meet some of their heroes on Friday night.

“JT’s in talks with the (Indigenous All Stars) team manager,” he said. He wants us to meet them and I think the NRL may give us a little opportunity to do a meet and greet on the field too.

“So, we’ll see.”

The clash will have a distinctive Far North flavour with homegrown Indigenous All Stars Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Bailey Biondi-Odo taking on the Maori All Stars’ best.

“It’s special for me too,” Mr Creek said. “Seeing NRL stars always brightens your day.”

Originally published as Johnathan Thurston brings joy to Wujal Wujal following devastating Far North floods