Bringing relief to families reeling from historic flooding in Ingham, QLD

When floodwater shut down power, phonelines and running water, residents of north Queensland’s Ingham realised this was different to anything they had experienced before. The aftermath of historic flooding devastated homes and infrastructure—including the collapse of the Ollera Creek Bridge which cut off the delivery of critical relief and supplies to the hardest hit communities north of Townsville along the Bruce Highway. Tragically, two Ingham locals lost their lives resulting from the floods.

Amid the devastation and isolation, Ingham resident Noel took his ‘tinny’—a small aluminium motorboat—to assist and serve the urgent needs of those trapped in their homes by the high flooding.

“I’m absolutely drained. And playing in the dirty water like that I’m paying the price right now, I’ve been in and out of the hospital with bacterial infection through my legs.”

“I‘ve seen the best and the worst from people, and you’ve just got to be careful putting your trust in people because most of the time they’ll let you down”

Noel had bought his home just three years before the January floods sent powerful current several inches above the raised floor, condemning it. When Samaritan’s Purse volunteers first met Noel, he’d been living rough out of his caravan, struggling to find a path forward with his disability.

A former worksite foreman, Noel was stunned by the presence and professionalism shown by the volunteers in orange shirts who arrived in a bus together with tools and equipment to begin cleaning up his home and belongings—the first steps towards recovery he had been able to take in the weeks since the flood.

“It’s been such a big weight off my shoulders after everything that’s happened. My house has been condemned, and I can’t get the engineers in to go any further until this is all done. Having a disability makes it even harder. I honestly believe it would have taken me six months, dragging heavy things like fridges with one arm.”

“They’re so organised, that’s what’s impressed me, and I just can’t thank them enough. Thank you, guys, thank you so much.”