Resilience needed now after the flood devastation

I THOUGHT losing four cattle in 120 was a lot but nothing compares to North Queensland flood losses.

WARWICK MARKET: Flood losses of livestock could put upward pressure on cattle prices. Picture: Sophie Lester

DRY AS A BONE column in Bush Telegraph by Gerard Walsh - A lighter look at rural life

ONE has to wonder about the resilience of primary producers and townsfolk in the wake of the floods in North Queensland.

Everyone knows Townsville is a dry place - well it was until the last couple of weeks.

It is sad to see so much history and personal belongings being damaged in Townsville and other centres and lives lost.

And it is the same in the northwest where not only is property being destroyed but cattle are being lost through drowning or lack of feed.

Looking at some of the cattle that are in the water, it is obvious they lacked condition from the drought and weren't strong enough to go through a flood and some days short of feed.

The real downer for producers who lost cattle in the floods is the price of cattle to restock will be dearer.

My worst time was losing four cows we had bought in Goondiwindi, allegedly from a fern that killed many cattle west of Warwick, about a decade ago.

Four out of 120 was enough, but losing the lot would be just so tough.

Hopefully many from the city and country can put some dollars forward to help those who have had homes flooded or lost cattle and property in the flood.

Ticket time

IN THE 16 years I have been married to the CEO, I have panicked about 50 times after going past a speed gun or radar in case I was a couple of km/h over.

She has kept telling me I never get a ticket and I have my fingers crossed again this time.

I was going down Guy St, Warwick, last week and passed a parked radar vehicle and wonder if this time I could have been pinged. It would be a bit of a downer to be caught by the police x-ray on the way to my own x-ray.

Some of the north/south streets are 50km/h and others are 60km/h, but I was in a 50km/h street.

I haven't had a speeding ticket for at least 20 years and here's hoping I won't this time.

Seeing a radar vehicle around town or on the highway certainly makes you more observant of your speed.

Bowls club

AT THE weekend, I headed to Southern Downs Bowls Club to take photos of the first round of the men's A-grade singles championships.

Two of the members told me they were regular readers of this column so in the next couple of weeks I will write about who ended up playing in the final. There are a few farmers involved with bowls at the cross.

Originally published as Resilience needed now after the flood devastation