Waterlogged Groper Creek still a ‘touch of paradise’

Residents of Groper Creek are still grappling with the flooding that’s inundated the region, but they wouldn’t trade their slice of paradise for anything else.

Tuesday February 12.. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Groper Creek, near Home Hill cut off by flooding. Joe Malaponte has lived in Groper Creek for 22 years. Picture: Evan Morgan

For residents of Groper Creek their sleepy fishing village nestled on the delta of the Burdekin River is still paradise despite being submerged and cut off by floodwater yet again.

While some north Queensland communities have begun the arduous clean up after the big wet the 60-odd Groper Creek residents are settling down to wait – it could still be days before the water recedes in their neck of the woods.

The Burdekin River has been hovering at the 11m mark at Inkerman Bridge, linking Home Hill to Ayr, for a week but has finally slipped to 10.85m yesterday (Thursday).

But the hamlet of Groper Creek, 15km south east of Home Hill is used to floods will houses built on stilts and ramps to keep cars out of the muddy water. There is a tinnie tied to the veranda during the floods to go and check in with the neighbours while still keeping a watchful out the odd croc cruising in the murky water between houses.

Tuesday February 12.. Heavy rain causes flooding in North Queensland. Groper Creek, near Home Hill cut off by flooding. Picture: Evan Morgan

At 76, long-term resident Roger Wilkie has called Groper Creek home since 1974 and witnessed the water rising through the village numerous times.

“The biggest was in 1991 where the water got into 16 homes despite being built on stilts,” he said.

Having called Groper Creek home for 51 years he has no plans to move on.

“I was a professional fisherman and we love Groper Creek,” he said.

“Things are harder, though, when the floods come – it will be here for a while.”

Dave Roderick lives in Townsville but comes down to his second home in the village whenever he can.

A keen fisherman he is loving the chance to walk out from his living room and toss a line straight into the water out the back.

“You don’t have to go on your boat to go fishing. I go off the veranda,” he said.

Despite not getting a bite so far he said he had not much else to do so he would keep trying.

Another resident Joe Malaponte has lived in the village for 22 years and remembers the flood in 2008 as his worst but shrugged off the inconvenience of this year’s flood.

“You just get used to it. We knew when we were coming down here to live what the conditions would be,” he said.

“We love it here. It is a touch of paradise,” he said.

Originally published as Waterlogged Groper Creek still a ‘touch of paradise’