‘It was pretty dangerous’: House Rules contestants trapped by Cyclone Debbie

HOUSE Rules contestants were among the thousands of Australians who were evacuated when Cyclone Debbie wreaked havoc across Queensland.

The cast of House Rules joined the thousands of Australians who were evacuated to safety when Cyclone Debbie wreaked havoc across Queensland. Picture: Supplied

HOUSE Rules contestants joined the thousands of Australians who were evacuated to safety when Cyclone Debbie wreaked havoc across Queensland.

The catastrophic tropical cyclone which cost at least six people their lives and wiped out entire towns hit the Gold Coast on March 30 this year.

Contestants Ella Cuthbert and her fiance Sean Mackay and Kate Whiting and her partner James ‘Harry’ Harris were working at Aaron and Daniella Winter’s family home when they were hit by torrential rain and winds of up to 120kmph.

Located next to a canal at Broadbeach Waters, the Winter’s home was at grave risk of being destroyed by flooding and falling debris.

Kate Whiting and ‘Harry’ Harris during the effects of Cyclone Debbie.

“We arrived on the morning of the cyclone and we started working,” said Ella, 24.

“We were looking at each other thinking, ‘this is not good. We can’t work in this,’. But we kept pushing ourselves because it’s a competition and if we give up it doesn’t necessarily mean the clock was going to stop.”

For several hours, Team TAS and Team SA, who had been tasked with making over the home’s front and back yards, powered through overpowering winds and rain.

“It was very windy and (Aaron and Daniella) live on the canal and the water was rising. Sean and I were pretty aware that we weren’t going to be able to continue,” said Ella.

“It was really bad. I guess in cyclone winds you can’t do a lot and especially when you’ve got tools and debris blowing around everywhere.

“Everything was getting ruined: tools, phones, cameras, equipment. We had no cover obviously because we were outside.”

The contestants tried to secure the house before evacuating. Picture: Supplied

Builders and tradesman working alongside the contestants threatened to quit as their tools were ruined and the site became increasingly unsafe.

“It was pretty dangerous. People were falling everywhere, only minor injuries, but it was sort of an accident waiting to happen,” said Ella, adding the contestants were particularly on edge after Andrew King of Team WA was rushed to hospital just days earlier with a cut wrist.

After several hours, production deemed the site unsafe and instructed contestants and workers to secure it before making their way to safety. Roads across the Gold Coast were being closed due to flooding, leaving the contestants at risk of being stranded.

However, they knew abandoning the Winter’s newly renovated home meant it would be left unattended and could be destroyed by the cyclone.

Tradesman worked through the cyclonic conditions threatened to quit. Picture: Supplied

“So many people in Queensland had already lost their homes and Daniella (and her family) live on the canal so the water was rising and the house was already flooding. We just did our best to stop it,” said Ella.

They packed sandbags around the overflowing gutters to try and quell the rising water, and Sean set to work digging a trench around the house.

“We were already in over our heads and then the cyclone hit and basically not only was it a massive disadvantage for us in the competition but it also came down to trying to save Aaron and Daniella’s house from flooding,” she added.

Sean Mackay digs a trench to help prevent the home from flooding. Picture: Supplied / Channel 7

Before they left, Ella phoned homeowner Daniella to inform her of the news.

“She got really emotional. I think she had seen on the news everyone’s houses were getting ruined and she knew how much flooding was going on,” said Ella.

“She was worried about us and that we were all OK and everyone was safe but (I think she was also worried about) what was she going to come home to.”

Both couples drove back to their hotels through flooding streets and were told to remain inside until conditions subsided.

“The competition has been really tough, we’ve loved it and we’ve hated it sometimes but it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity we’d definitely say we’d do it again,” said Ella.

House Rules airs on Channel 7 on Sunday, 7pm and Monday, 7.30pm.

Originally published as ‘It was pretty dangerous’: House Rules contestants trapped by Cyclone Debbie