Sarina grandmother Bobbi-Grace Kerapa-Hetta rescued in boat from Grasstree Beach

As floodwaters rose across the Mackay region, one Sarina Beach grandma found herself stuck between two flooded roads and with no way home until her son-in-law came to the rescue.

After rising tides stranded Bobbi-Grace Kerapa-Hetta on her way to work, her son-in-law sprang into action in a daring tinny rescue dubbed Operation Grasstree.

After rising tides stranded a grandmother and Kinetic bus operator, her son-in-law sprang into action in a daring tinny rescue dubbed Operation Grasstree.

Bobbi-Grace Kerapa-Heta, a Sarina Beach bus driver, mother of 11 and grandmother of 30 left for work before dawn on Tuesday morning, making her way down Grasstree Beach Rd.

But before she was halfway down the road she found out floodwaters had came over the top, closing it off.

Turning around to return home, she realised she was hemmed in on both sides as rising waters blocked her way back to Sarina Beach.

“I was literally trapped and I couldn’t go anywhere,” Ms Kerapa-Heta said.

Cabbage Tree Creek blocked Ms Kerapa-Heta’s road home.

She struggled for two hours to find a way out, before driving to her daughter’s in-laws home in Grasstree Beach.

But she was finally in luck - her son-in-law Evander Mallie was in Campwin Beach, just on the other side of Cabbage Tree Creek.

“He said ‘I’ll come and get you on the tinny‘” Ms Kerapa-Heta shared.

She had never been in a boat before.

With help from Nat Mallie, the two were able to set off from Grasstree Beach.

Operation Grasstree sprang into motion.

Mr Mallie would brave the rushing, swollen waters of Cabbage Tree Creek in his tinny, pick her up from the Grasstree Beach boat ramp, and get her home safely.

Operation Grasstree was a resounding success and marked Ms Kerapa-Heta’s first outing on a boat.

“Being in that moment was awesome,” Ms Kerapa-Heta said.

“I thought ‘is this real?’”

“I’m actually going home on a tinny to Sarina Beach.”

Ms Kerapa-Heta said it was challenge but they were able to make the crossing successfully and she was home safe in Sarina Beach by 11.15am.

She thanked Nat and Ruth Mallie for supporting her during her time of need and said she had a good laugh about it with them and her grandchildren.

Mackay received some of the highest rainfall totals since 2017 on Tuesday, February 4, including 192mm recorded at one site.

Sarina recorded 213mm in 24 hours.

According to forecasters at the Bureau of Meteorology heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected across the Mackay region through the week.

Originally published as Sarina grandmother Bobbi-Grace Kerapa-Hetta rescued in boat from Grasstree Beach