Together, we go on

You know it’s really wet when even rusted-on Far Northerners have had a gutful of the rain. It’s been pelting down for two weeks with barely a crack in the grey ceiling. Armyworms have chewed lawns, flying insects in their thousands have been zooming into homes nightly, green frogs have been drowning in the gutters and the unmistakeable smell of damp is starting to thicken the air in homes shut up tight for too long. Cape communities have been cut off for days on end and the Daintree? Well, it’s tropical weather on steroids. Now spare a thought for our cousins in Townsville. Many of us who have lived our entire lives in Far North Queensland have been shocked by the flooding scenes to our south. Here we are used to metres of rain falling but the deluge, which Mayor Jenny Hill described incredibly as a one -in-2000-year event, has been relentless and sustained hell for residents.

Images and tales of water rising in streets never even threatened before will mean pain and hardship for thousands of victims for months and possibly years to come.

As usual during tough times there are stories of humanity, bravery, humour and camaraderie. Yesterday, a convoy of about 30 firefighters, SES volunteers and Department of Natural Resources staff set off in nine vehicles to help flood victims. They will descend on Townsville to help flush away the brown sludge left behind from floodwaters and assist where they can.

Practically and quintessentially FNQ, they also take with them 200 pairs of gumboots — a donation for those helping to clean up which will offer protection from bacteria.

When the chips are down, North Queensland hangs tough.

For the Cairns Post and her sister News Corp publication, the Townsville

Bulletin, it has been a challenging couple of weeks.

Working in wet and sometimes wild conditions staff from front office to delivery drivers have worked long and tiring hours to deliver the news.

As the biggest media organisations within our communities we have worked around the clock to provide essential information both online and in print.

What many readers may not understand is the enormous effort that plays out behind the scenes to ensure papers are delivered regardless of rain, heavier rain and then flooding rain.

Uncompromising deadlines, flooded roads, plane crews on standby and everchanging conditions are managed always with the wellbeing and safety of our staff paramount.

As a sliver of sunshine finally appears on the horizon, I pause to be grateful for our own army of ants who, when the rain starts to fall, soldier on regardless to ensure our communities’ stories are told.

I thank them all.

WORKING IN WET AND SOMETIMES WILD CONDITIONS STAFF FROM FRONT OFFICE TO DELIVERY DRIVERS HAVE WORKED LONG AND TIRING HOURS TO DELIVER THE NEWS.