MERCY MISSION FOR NORTHWEST

MORE than five and a half tonnes of fodder and 30,000 litres of aviation fuel have been flown to flood-hit northwest Queensland communities by army aircraft.

Two 5th Aviation Regiment MRH-90 Taipan helicopters flew into Cloncurry yesterday afternoon, as part of a joint taskforce also using RAAF and Navy assets, to provide relief to councils and graziers cut off from the state’s major routes. The unit has set up temporary support hubs in Cloncurry and Julia Creek for civilian aircraft to pick up and fly to affected rural stations and local government areas.

The 16th Aviation Brigade Commander, Brigadier Stephen Jobson, said about 100 personnel were deployed for the weather event that caused substantial stock losses.

“This has devastated the graziers in those areas,” Brig Jobson said.

“The Australian Defence Force, as a component of a whole government response, is supporting those local government areas. It’s tough, the ADF are right with the people of west Queensland …. we’re very proud to be supporting those families who are in need at this time.”

Lieutenant Mathew Cupitt, a 5 Avn Taipan pilot, said he was shocked when he saw the floodwaters as he flew in to the affected region.

“Just as far as the eye could see left and right, we could just see water and it was to a much larger scale than what I was expecting,” Lt Cupitt said.

“It’s really meaningful to put into practice what we do in training to actually help our local community.”

Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS PILOTS from 5th Aviation Regiment, Lieutenant Mathew Cupitt and Captain Brett Morrissey, in front of an MRH-90 Taipan which took fodder and aviation fuel to Cloncurry late yesterday for flood-hit farmers.

Picture: JOHN ANDERSEN Picture: ZAK SIMMONDS ‘HOPPER’ MAN: Helicopter pilot Tony Larsen fuels up before leaving on a relief mission into heavily flooded country north of Julia Creek. HERE HE WE COME: One of the 5th Aviation MRH-90 Taipans on its way wa to Cloncurry yesterday.