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Nostalgic Thread. 10 years ago today I flew a #SeaKing around St George Qld, on s/by for flood relief work. We were based in Roma with 2 Sea Kings & had been flying media & others around the Balonne Shire-fun, easy work. We flew back to Roma & noted the poor weather to the East.
It was a bad omen... Later directed to rush to the Lockyer Valley, we were forced to wait until the 11th as we couldn't make it before last light. Poor weather on the 11th delayed our departure. We headed into the Lockyer valley late AM & into the worst weather I have flown in.
This is us on the ground near Gatton. We had landed in a property & the owner thought we had come to evacuate them. Heavy Tx and unbelievable rain. We picked our way through holes in helo VMC at the edge of limits . Our task was urgent rescue & evacuations from flooded areas.
We flew to RAAF Amberley early afternoon for fuel & to assess a fault in an engine fire detection system. A flashing fire light (co-incident with aircraft vibration) was caused by water ingress. Our avionics tech did his best to clean the system & mop out the electronics bay.
Airborne again with auth to fly with the dodgy light - all aircraft were required for evacuations. Knee board Risk Assessments kept us honest and aware.
We conducted evacs at Forrest Hill and Laidley with 2 x School of Army Avn Blackhawks and a number of civ helos, 100s moved.
We conducted evacs at Forrest Hill and Laidley with 2 x School of Army Avn Blackhawks and a number of civ helos, 100s moved.
The Blackhawks had arrived early on the 11th from Oakey and worked throughout the day conducting rescues, evacuations and transfers. A brilliant and highly professional team and a pleasure to work with.
During the Laidley evacuations, the other Sea King crew rescued a man from a tree on the Laidley Creek in a tricky and courageous operation. They would be rightly recognised for this work. https://news.navy.gov.au/en/May2014/People/1034/Navy-crew-receive-Group-Bravery-Citation-for-Queensland-flood-rescue.htm#.X_qRyC0RqfU
The weather was now lifting and we were tasked with heading to Grantham to liaise with Emergency Services on the ground. Despite knowing of the flood, Grantham deeply shocked me. The destruction was savage. The tragedy was clear.
A huge search and recovery effort was needed.
A huge search and recovery effort was needed.
On the 12th we were again tasked with search operations although the priority soon changed to log movement tasks. We flew a QLD Police Service (QPS) DVI team into Grantham, & flew recon sorties for the QPS over Ipswich, the Lockyer Valley and Wivenhoe Dam.
Over the subsequent days we flew multiple sorties for the QPS, transferred the Prime Minister, flew the media into Grantham and other areas and conducted media interviews ourselves. We all felt that the story of what had happened to the people of SE QLD needed to be told.
But it was Grantham that stuck with me. We went back there on the 14th for a media task. I walked the streets & saw the damage.
There were no residents. They'd been evacuated & not yet allowed to return. It was sad, even eerie.
Tragically, 12 residents had not survived.
There were no residents. They'd been evacuated & not yet allowed to return. It was sad, even eerie.
Tragically, 12 residents had not survived.
Last Thursday, I visited Grantham.
Almost 10 years since my last visit, I found a town that had moved up the hill with most damaged buildings not rebuilt. It was peaceful but the empty lots between remaining houses left a ghostly feel. Where once were houses, are now memories.
Almost 10 years since my last visit, I found a town that had moved up the hill with most damaged buildings not rebuilt. It was peaceful but the empty lots between remaining houses left a ghostly feel. Where once were houses, are now memories.
And yet it was great to visit what is now The Floating Cafe #aussiehumour Last seen as a forlorn green building washed off its stumps. It has been rebuilt into a working business.
And there is this tree - it caught my eye in 2011 when i noticed the debris. There, in among the remains of a house, was a saddle. It just seemed like the oddest thing to see.
I found the tree on Thursday - still standing & growing as if nothing had ever happened. But for memory.
I found the tree on Thursday - still standing & growing as if nothing had ever happened. But for memory.
This weekend on the 10th anniversary, Grantham, the Lockyer Valley, Murphy's Creek, Toowoomba and SE QLD will remember.
And so will I.
And so will I.
I'll also think of the incredible team that made our work possible. The Maintainers, Loggies, Admin Os, Engineers and Aircrew. 817 SQN. The most #professional team I have every worked with. Thanks team. Outstanding work. You made a difference. BZ #AusNavy /BT
