The long reach of the 2022 floods has claimed another local business, with North Lismore's Clean and Green Laundry to close its doors on Sunday, September 15.

Ian and Jennifer Juleff told the Lismore App they have just had enough.

"The building was pretty much severely damaged during the last few floods, particularly out the back. The last big flood just knocked it for six. It really did do some serious damage to where the residences are," Ian explained, "I haven't got the money to fix it. I just can't keep throwing money at this building."

"We're at an age now where we've had enough. We're just tired. We don't want to operate it anymore."

Ian and Julie's options were to fix the building, which is also residential, or accept a buyback from the NSWRA and close the business. The NSWRA does not deal with business, only residential housing. As you read above, they chose the latter, and who can blame them? The flood history in North Lismore would wear anyone down.

"We've had family living in there for the last ten years, so it's part of the shop top. We are in severe flood (zone), it is a really bad spot. You can't operate there. You can't live there. Some people are going to stay in North, that's up to them, but most people I know are going because we're just sick of it.

"I've had nine floods through that place since 2001. Some of them have hardly lapped at the door, and some of them have just skipped over the floor. But, you know, we've had four inside the shop. Three devastating inside the shop. You can't operate like that.

Two of those floods were in 2022, February and March. Ian explained that the bedrooms and one small living space are upstairs, and the kitchen and bathrooms are on the ground floor at the back of the building, along with the main living room.

"They're not out of flood. Over half the residential area there is not out of flood, so you're rebuilding kitchens and bathrooms all the time. It's a very old building, and it's just not sustainable.

"You can't get insurance anymore. You know, insurance is over the top, and it's not flood insurance, it's just insurance as a whole, you know. Even without flood insurance, the last bill was $23,000, and it's going up by an average of 10% a year. Trying to get it is another thing altogether. You're running out of people who are willing to insure you."

It is a sad end for Ian and Jennifer after putting in so many hours and hundreds of thousand of dollars for the last 23 years to keep the Clean and Green Laundry going. The sad thing is, it is a good business, even with fewer residents in North Lismore.

"It always has been a good business and still is; it's just different there now. I get a lot of people coming from out of town. We used to get a lot of local trade, but they're all gone. So, we're still picking up trade, mainly because we're one of the cheaper laundromats around, a little bit cheaper. People are very price-sensitive, and we've got the bulk loading machines, so they save money that way.

"North Lismore just doesn't feel the same, to be honest with you, it's very sad. All you see are fences, and now, you just see buildings getting demolished or buildings getting moved, you know? And, you've got a lot of squatters there now down Pine Street. I counted 22 vans and cars one day. So, you're looking at them in your friends' houses. Those people have gone, they've moved to different places, and they've just taken them over. I know there's a housing problem and stuff like that, but all these people are international."

As a business owner in North Lismore and someone who had family living in the shoptop housing, Ian believes in what the NSWRA is doing.

"I agree with what they're doing. I really do. I agree with the buyback where they're getting rid of the houses in North Lismore where houses have been really badly flood affected. The people that are there at the moment are saying, Oh, you know, this is great. All these houses are going to waste.

"They didn't hear the screams from that night. They didn't see all those people, including ourselves, trapped there, wondering if we're going to drown. So, that's the difference between myself and a lot of other people who've just come in and going, well, it's not going to happen again and everything's fine.

"They've been brought back for a reason. Because it's too dangerous, they're too dangerous to live in. They are way too dangerous. That feeling of helplessness was just awful. We were well and truly trapped, like the whole street all around us. My issue is that I don't want to go through that ever again. I don't want anybody who's living in that place to go through that ever again."

In what is a sad situation in North Lismore, it is better news in South Lismore as the laundromat there is increasing its business by expanding to the neighbouring shop. They will be operating the Juleff's old washing machines and dryers.

(The South Lismore Laundromat preparing for expansion on Union Street)

As for Ian? He is going to take a year off to recharge the batteries.

"I'm just burnt out, burnt out with floods. I just want to sort of recalibrate; then I might start up another business in 12 months' time. I don't know. But it won't be a laundry. I'll try my hand at doing something different.

"I'm a volunteer at the Dunoon RFS (Rural Fire Service). We're a pretty busy brigade, so that'll keep me going."

I am sure everyone in the Lismore community wishes Ian and Jennifer all the best for their next chapter in life.