What a start to the new Year

We are still not home. The floods have dropped very little since it peaked three days ago, they are still predicting that we will be at least another week before we have any chance at all of getting into Rocky, and that could change if more rain comes. It has been very wet on the coast today with us receiving over an inch of rain in the last hour or so.

The whole of Queensland have been affected by the worst floods on record. It is hard to even begin to imagine the massive cleanup that everyone faces over the next month, and the economic ramifications of this flood will be felt for months if not years.

Somehow I don't think our bees could have survived this. This is the paddock where we keep them, so we are feeling a little sad that they will be no more. Steve has been keeping bees for over 25 years and to have them all wiped out in one hit is very sad indeed.

Another look at the Farm on which Steve keeps his bees.
Still this is nothing in comparison to what a lot of people have had to endure.

Just a glimpse of some of what our town is going through
Showing the airport under here, some of the debrie on one of the bridges as the flood water went down. Shops are affected, we are almost like an island.
Some aerial shots of Rockhampton. This is our race course in one of the bottom photos. Baracking the airport, to protect the building. Power being disconnected.
It is hard to even begin where we start the clean up. The stench is going to be unbeleiveable, the mossies and flies, and the humidity from the water are going to make life quite uncomfortable for the next couple of months.
Everywhere you look there is a sea of water... it is right up under the bridges, spilling onto footpaths and roads, gardens, and houses, and for the first time that I can remember it is working its way up our main street with many shops closed and sandbagged.
My sisters house in Emerald copped a real battering this time with water over a metre through her home.
This is photos of her home as the waters were receding. It is unimaginable that the water could rush through your home at these heights, picking up furniture and moving it around the rooms. Things were packed up high, but this did not stop it this time.
These photos were taken after the waters had come down a good foot or more. It has to be gutted again and redone. So heartbreaking.
80% of Emerald went under water, with many homes going under roof and all. Where as a town do you start rebuilding. Where do you start the clean up, where do you live whilst all this takes place. Towns like Emerald, Theodore, Condamine etc whole towns need to be rebuilt.
I grew up in Bundaberg and the last flood that town had was back in 1971. I remember it vividly because as a child we thought it was pretty exciting that we had to go everywhere by boat. We lived on a hill, but the flood waters did come into our yard so prevented us from getting our car in and out. Bundaberg has never seen a flood since then until just after Christmas 2010. Fortunately our families there were not affected by the flood, although it did come to within a street width from my BIL and SIL's place.

This is what Bundy looked like.
This is the side of Bundaberg that I used to live on, including our street. Covered with plenty of water again.
Photos of one of the main shopping centres in town. The water filled the car park below and started working its way up the escalators and ramps. Woolies was well and truely inundated from these photos.
Some of the Aerial views of Bundaberg.
Levels of water up to the bridge. This is unbelievably high- there is usually quite a drop to parkland below.

These are the conditions of the roads around our area after the floods. Who knows what condition the roads around Rocky will be in once the floods go down. I am not looking forward to the trip home for this reason.

As terrible as these floods have been, I am still thankful for the rain, our country will reap the blessings of this rain for many years to come....

Other news this month,
Steve and I celebrated our 31st Wedding Anniversary a couple of days ago by spending the day cruising on Morten Bay. We had a lovely day and the weather was fantasic. So thankful we went that day rather than the next day when it bucketed down all day. Will be back soon to share photos of our day.

It is only a little over a week now until we start work again.... not really looking forward to it. It will be hard to go back to work and the rountine of early mornings etc after having the last four months off.

Hopefully once we get home and get settled again, I just might get back into regular posting on this blog and get back to being creative once again and sharing that.

Feeling the need for an early night tonight.