GoFundMe launched to help flood devastated Barron River Barramundi Farm
When the Barron River broke its banks Rodney Ingersoll’s barramundi farm was completely lost to the raging floodwaters, washing away more than 50,000 barramundi and 70,000 red claw.
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When the Barron River broke its banks Rodney Ingersoll’s Barramundi Farm was completely inundated by raging floodwaters, washing away over 50,000 barramundi and 70,000 red claw.
As Mr Ingersoll surveys the extent of the damage and looks to rebuild, he has been left to fend for himself with his insurers denying claims on infrastructure and equipment after previously refusing to insure the property for flood.
Biboohra aquaculture business Barron River Barramundi sits at leats 18 metres above the usual level of the river with its ponds built to three metres above the ground level.
“It’s incredible, the water has risen at least 20 metres to get fish from the river into my ponds and my fish out of them,” Mr Ingersoll said.
The floodwaters not only washed away his fish and red claw stock but also drowned his living quarters, tools and machinery, equipment, fishponds, training and resources centre, cold rooms, storage facilities, farm pets, and personal items, leaving the operational business in shambles.
Since his home was inundated Mr Ingersoll has been sleeping in a tent on the property and he works day by day on his clean up efforts.
“I have had at least 1.5m though the property including my home, it has destroyed machinery, forklifts, my bore is broken and that’s $100,000 to fix and the sheds are completely trashed with things thrown around, and I have lost five tonne of fish food, all rotten,” he said.
“I had a shipping container full of spare parts like fittings I had collected and that has opened up and it all just floated away.
“I’ve lost about 30 paddle wheels and they are about $1500 each so its just a massive bill and all over the property so much of it went down the Barron.”
Mr Ingersoll said it will take 12 months for the business to recover to where it was before the Barron devastated it.
“It takes seven to eight months for barramundi to grow to harvestable size, he said.
“Even if I put them in today it is at least eight months down the track and there is winter involved so they are going to grow a little slower.
“I have to empty every single pond, I have lounge chairs and tables in my fish ponds, I’ve got beer cans everywhere from neighbours’ recycling.
“I have to get in there physically and pull things out which I have been doing I have to clean ponds and harvest whatever is in there.
“I could really use some additional manpower.
“I have to start from scratch with everything the house, the equipment, the fish, everything.”
To make matters worse Mr Ingersoll has been denied any claims by his insurers for the damage from the flooding created by Cyclone Jasper.
“I did insure everything I could, they wouldn’t give me flood cover when I bought the property, but I still individually insured the bore and the tractor and few things but with the word flood involved nothing is covered,” he said.
“They said they have to determine whether it was a cyclone, storm, or flood and they are saying it’s a flood.
“I think a lot of people are going to be in the same boat.
“I did the right thing I was insured and tried to get flood cover but they still aren’t going to pay out because it’s a flood.
“If it was a cyclone event I would be covered but they have determined it was a separate flood event.”
He said there needed to be single body that could make a determination on events like this that make the decision for all insurance companies as they shouldn’t be left to make that determination.
Despite the challenges Mr Ingersoll now faces he is determined to keep going and is looking to the future one step at a time.
“The place is a mess, it’s sad, but I’m trying to look at the silver linings.
“I am alive, It won’t stop me, I will overcome, I’m a fighter, I spent 20 years in the jungle of New Guinea.
Mr Ingersoll said he’d overcome a lot in his life, so the flood recovery was just another challenge.
“This farm was my answer to food security,” he said.
“My goal is to create the most sustainable farm in Australia combining fruit and vegetables with the fishery as an aquaponics farm.
“I’m still going to do that its just delayed a little.”
A GoFundMe has been organised by Mr Ingersoll’s friend Renae Walsh on behalf of Rod you can contribute here.
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Originally published as GoFundMe launched to help flood devastated Barron River Barramundi Farm
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