It has been over a year since the catastrophic flood devastated Lismore, my hometown in Northern NSW. However, the recovery of both people’s lives and infrastructure is still slow and ongoing. The emotional impact of the flood still runs deep, which I have observed in my own family and the lives of many others. These emotions were further highlighted in a photographic exhibition titled “Through the Heart… A Flood of Fears and Tears,” which recently opened at the NSW Parliament.… Read the rest “Through the heart… a flood of fears and tears”
When it came time to fly back to Sydney, I was a little nervous. I had been charged for excess baggage on the way to Lismore, and I didn’t want to incur a similar charge on the way back.
I keep clothes and some other personal items at home in Lismore, so I only ever take the minimum carry-on of 7kg when flying home. However, I was a little cavalier in my packing this time around, and when I was approached in the queue, my bag weighed in at close to 9kg.… Read the rest “Flying Home from Lismore”
“Often I used to help the veterans and the windows get ready for ANZAC Day”, one of the community nurses who came to our house last week said. “But there aren’t so many of them around anymore, so I’ve got a pretty clear day”, she added.
As I looked around the crowd attending today’s Dawn Service in Lismore, I noted there were lots of people aged in their 60s and 70s marching, but not many older than that. … Read the rest “ANZAC Day Dawn Service in Lismore”
“As I go from Woodburn to Evan’s Head, I go from people living in tents to people who might live in their house every second weekend”, a bloke called Steve said at today’s “Rally For A Just Recovery” held in the middle of town, as Lismore rebuilds after last year’s catastrophic flood.
Steve was, of course, referring to the holiday market, and the multi-million dollar homes you find at North Coast locations like Evan’s Head and Byron Bay.… Read the rest “Rally For A Just Recovery”