Townsville floods Mayor Jenny Hill says the disaster won’t break the town’s spirit

Townsville mayor JENNY HILL opens up about how her resilient community will rise again

The suffering of hundreds and hundreds of local families has been immense, but I’m so proud of how our beautiful city has pulled together to get through this,” Townsville mayor Jenny Hill tells Woman’s Day. “This has been an unprecedented disaster, but there are so many stories of the community banding together that have inspired us all, a reminder the quintessential Aussie spirit is alive and well.

“Last week I took myself, with no cameras, no fanfare, and spent hours at one of the evacuation centres to assure locals they’re not alone. I met one elderly lady, a real Townsvillian, and we chatted, and with resilience by the truckloads she just wanted

to get home, get cleaned up and get on with it.

“That feeling resonates right across this glorious community of ours. I’ve been deeply touched by the enormous support from my own dedicated team and the greater community. I’ve got great people at my side helping manage this event while many have had their own homes affected by floodwaters – still their focus once they had their own families safe was helping our residents get through this catastrophic disaster.

“We’re very blessed to have the ADF (Australian Defence Force) to call on – they’re an integral part of our community. The local Lavarack Barracks is the largest army base in Australia, so having these courageous men and women on our doorstep is very special.”

FIGHTING SPIRIT

“It must’ve been a terrifying experience for those who were rescued and I can’t thank enough the army, State Emergency Service, police, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and our own council crews for helping more than 1000 residents to safety.

“It’s been overwhelming to see the support and generosity already from so many Australians who have dug deep to help us. Give us six weeks and come up for a visit. Support our economy by investing back into our community – go to one of the many fabulous cafes on The Strand, or spend a couple of nights on breathtaking Magnetic Island.

“While there is no denying the clean-up and recovery effort is going to be incredibly long and expensive, what I do know is nothing will break our spirit – remember, they breed us tough this side of the border.

To help the community of Townsville, visit givit.org.au