Despite the natural disaster just over 12 months ago, and a level of uncertainty about the town’s future, there is still interest in Lismore from people looking to move and invest in the area.

It is quite easy to get caught up in the negativity, and the seemingly slow rebuild of our city, but there are glimmers of hope as new residents and new businesses come to town.

Lismore City Councillor and local real estate agent Andrew Gordon says Lismore is still a great place to live and work.

“We might have a few wounds at the moment, but we will bounce back, and we’ll be bigger and better than ever,” he said.

“It’s been pleasantly surprising to see people from out of town, and even from other states, turning up at open houses looking to live and invest in the city.”

“They’re looking to live here too, not just purchase the home and put it up as a rental, which is always great to see.”

“There are jobs everywhere at the moment, so we’ve seen people who are moving here for a new job, but also people just looking for a tree-change or a lifestyle-change.”

The Lismore App spoke with Pen Malloy, who recently moved to Lismore, about what drew him here, and whether he had reservations about living in a ‘flood town’.

“It was definitely the sense of community that I'd seen when I travelled up here for work, that was the main thing that drew me to the area,” he said.

“Coming into this community and seeing such devastation, but then seeing the amount of people who were working together to support each other, even the little things – they’re not really little things I guess - but the heart banners everywhere, the pictures everywhere, people gifting kids’ stuff - it's something that I've never actually experienced before.”

“You don't get that sort of feeling living in a city – people there are so quick to get on with their own lives, and forget about everybody else… it’s a little bit unsettling.”

“It’s just such a different story here, which is something I love.”

“I went into a real estate agent when I got here, and even after the first yarn with them, it was obvious that they wanted people back into the community.”

“They wanted to help people to move in… not just to move in for the sake of needing or wanting money, but they actually want you to join the community.”

“For me, it wasn't about just wanting to live somewhere and be happy, I want to be a part of something, and this is a really big opportunity to do that.”

Pen is currently looking for a place to buy in Lismore, and said: “My idea is, if I'm going to be a part of community, I need to invest, I need to be a part of something.

“I suppose I’m quite literally putting my money where my mouth is, I'm not coming in to just spend a few weeks here. I want to find somewhere to live, somewhere to call home.”

It’s not only residents who are happy to reinvest in our town, with new businesses starting to pop up too. Last week The Lismore App gave readers a first-look inside 187 Cantina, a new Mexican restaurant opening in the heart of the CBD New Mexican restaurant opening soon in the heart of the CBD .

Dylan Clifford, the owner of the new restaurant, said he was proud to play his part bringing Lismore back post-disaster.

“I was here through the 2022 flood, and I guess for me now, I’m just trying to give the town somewhere extra and new – because I would drive around town looking for somewhere to eat, and it was always hard,” he said

“Everywhere that was open was busy, and you couldn't get a seat, so I really wanted to give Lismore another place to be.”

“People have said it's crazy investing right in the middle of the flood impact zone, but we have created a flood-proof venue - everything is brick, concrete, or tile; we've moved all our electrical services high; we have all our kitchen equipment on wheels; all the bar equipment is removable.”

“Everything was thought about in the planning process to enable us to get everything out in the event of a flood."

Lismore is starting to show that it is possible to recover and rebuild after a major flood, and that it is possible to come out stronger on the other side. There is a long way to go, but day-by-day we take another step forward.