“We will rebuild Lismore” was the message given by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet when he visited Lismore today to announce new Back to Home Grants for flood-damaged properties.As he toured a city that has been flooded twice in a month, the Premier said the grants are to help people get back into their homes by contributing towards the cost of replacing appliances, reconnecting utilities and making necessary repairs.Read the earlier story: Back To Home $20,000 grant releasedWhile the grants have not yet officially opened for applications, Mr Perrottet clarified who is eligible to apply and what the money can be used for. “Under the Back Home grant scheme, households that have been declared as damaged or destroyed and are unable to claim on insurance or natural disaster relief will be eligible for up to $20,000 cash grants,” he said.Not means testedUnlike the Disaster Relief Grants administered by Resilience NSW (of up to $50K), the Premier said these grants are not ‘means tested’.“This gives an opportunity for every person - regardless of their income - to access help,” he said.“I don’t want anyone left behind.“If you have received the federal government $3,000 Centrelink payment, you qualify for this payment as well.“If you are owner occupier, you can get up to $20K. If you are in a landlord/tenant relationship, the landlord can receive up to $15K and the renter can get up to $5K in support.Priority“Our overriding priority is to get people into safe housing, and we are looking at every possible avenue to do that,” Mr Perrottet said.“For those people who have properties or homes that can be repaired, this grant can be the cash that they need to make urgent repairs such as fixing roofs, making properties watertight, connecting back to electricity and replacing furniture and fridges.” “Getting people back to work and businesses back open again - as well as rebuilding homes - is a massive challenge and I’m confident that we will get it done.“It’s absolutely devastating and as the flood water subsides, we will be here to support you.”Flood inquiry submissions open The Premier also said submissions to the enquiry into the February flood also opened today and it was intrinsically “connected to the response and rebuild of Lismore”.What can you use the grants for?The new grant funds can be used towards any clean-up costs to restore housing to a habitable condition. Some of these costs are:Inspection and safe reconnection of utilities, such as electrical, gas, water, hot water and sewerage equipment not otherwise the responsibility of utility companies;Necessary replacement or repairs to damaged essential household goods such as refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and microwaves;Necessary replacement or repairs to damaged equipment such as computers and tools;Making necessary structural repairs including roof, flooring, walls, fittings (owner-occupier/owner).When will the grants open?The Premier expects the grants to open for applications in the “coming weeks”.He said he wants to the money be made available “as soon as possible” to local communities.Unlike the lengthy waits experienced by some people applying for grants with Resilience NSW, he said the process would be “more streamlined through the Service NSW online application process.”“We have learned from what’s already happened and we are here to do what’s right and if mistakes have been made - to improve them,” he said.He also acknowledged that more work was needed on small business grants.Apply for a grantThe government is investing $112 million in the Back Home grants, which are available across the Hawkesbury, Ballina, Byron, Clarence Valley, Kyogle, Lismore,Richmond Valley and Tweed Local Government Areas.The grants will go live in the coming weeks. Applicants can register to be notified via www.nsw.gov.au/floods.The Back Home grants are in addition to a series of other clean-up programs and work under way. Waste levies have been waived for flood-affected local government areas, about 17,000 truckloads of waste have been removed, and free structural assessments are being conducted under the Property Assessment and Demolition (PAD) program.Grant Eligibility:Eligible owner-occupiers and landlords will receive up to $15,000 through the Back Home grant program, to repair and refit damaged homes;An additional payment of up to $5,000 per property can be accessed for the replacement of essential household items. This is only available to renters and owner/occupiers;A maximum of $20,000 will be available for any one property;Those who have received the means tested Disaster Relief Grant are not eligible for this package;The property must be assessed as damaged, destroyed or uninhabitable by the SES.The owner or renter must be uninsured or unable to claim insurance.

It's the second time this year that volunteers have quickly set up an evacuation centre in Lismore, but according to one volunteer it was because of "luck" and "we need to get better at it.”When evacuation warnings were issued in Lismore on Monday evening, 56 people went to stay overnight in the evacuation centre at Southern Cross University (SCU). On Tuesday, some of those people left, but others arrived as more evacuation orders were issued across Lismore.Only one month before this, Lismore experienced its biggest flood in recorded history.With such close experience to what’s needed in a flood emergency, have we learned from it and even improved on our response?Lismore local (and ex-Mayor) Jenny Dowell was one of the volunteers involved in setting up the evacuation centre this week – as well as last month.While the setting up of the SCU evacuation centre happened very quickly this week, Jenny said it was more luck than planned preparation that saw such a speedy response – and she has ideas for improvements to make any future set-ups easier to manage.What happened this time?“The previous evacuation centre at SCU had not been totally cleared, so there were mattresses and washed bedding already there,” Jenny said.“We had about five volunteers help set it up – including Red Cross volunteers and Department of Communities and Justice.“This time the army was there to help and they brought in stretchers.“Then we had ten police officers arrive who were briefed by the Red Cross about how they can help and what the role of the Red Cross was in registering people.“The police helped me set up mattresses and make up the beds. We then wrote on pieces of paper signs saying which beds were free, so people just arriving knew which were taken.Clothes and beds are ready this week in the SCU evac centre.Basic set up“It was a basic set up and due to luck, it was better than last time – and it needed to be.“There were not enough blankets, but we had basic clothing and towels.“We made people comfy when they arrived – a few were wet and could have a hot shower and change.“There was still an urn, biscuits, fruit, long life milk, tea and coffee from the evacuation centre – so people could have a cup of tea when they arrived.“The Salvos were going back in the day time to provide a hot brekkie for people.“There were not as many people as last time because a lot had already found other accommodation.‘Appalling’Jenny said when the set up of the evacuation centre happened a month ago, it was “appalling”.She has a list of suggestions about what is needed to be considered in a review of the handling of the evacuation set up.What happened a month ago?When the February 28 flood hit Lismore, Jenny was already involved in the SCU evac centre set up. She said Lismore Council rang her to ask if she though a second evac centre was needed.“We had a lot more people then and I said yes,” Jenny said. “Council then set up GSAC as an evacuation centre a few days later.What worked and what didn’t?“They more time to learn what worked and what didn’t – so it was better run.“They worked out to label beds as being free or taken – that’s why I introduced it again this week.A scene inside GSAC last month.The venue – and what’s needed “The venue has a lot to do with it.“At SCU this time, we had no wind and rain pouring in at night. A month ago it wasn’t the best venue because there was no electricity or phone coverage. These are basics we need straight away.“The centre also needs a direct phone number.“It also needs a social media site to update with what is happening and what is needed.“We need a dedicated person to answer the phone and they could also do the social media.”Cruel start“I made notes and I spoke to the Federal Emergency Services Minister Steph Cook when she was here.“I thought the first evac centre set up was a cruel start.“Last month on the Friday night when we started setting up, I asked ‘when is the bedding arriving?’.Dirty chairs and elderly needs“We has just cleaned dirty chairs that had been stacked outside and elderly people were arriving“The person in charge said ‘we are not getting bedding - we don’t want people to be comfortable’.“I thought at first it was because of Covid concerns. I came home at 10.30pm that night distressed.“When I came back at 6am the next morning, the elderly couple were still sitting in chairs at 6am.Future needs“In future, we need to know who is responsible for food and bedding - and where it is.“The Red Cross knows its role.“Why do we have no manual for this set up?“We’ve done this before and we need to get better at it.”Covid and evac centreJenny said a month ago, Covid positive people were placed in a separate room and one person delivered food and materials to them.The Lismore App understands that this time, any Covid positive families who arrive at the evacuation centre will be managed by NSW Health.Once arriving at the centre, people need to let the Red Cross volunteers know – and they will liaise with health and arrange separate accommodation.

Afternoon, Tuesday, March 29 With numerous evacuation orders now in place across Lismore and surrounding districts (including Kyogle, Coraki and Tweed) - the rain continues to fall sporadically on our sodden catchment.Read more: New evacuation order issued for Lismore CBD The big question is: will the levee overtop (again)?It's too close for comfort for our community and current predictions are for the water height to come close, but to not overreach the 10.6 metre overtopping point.Read more: Wilsons River likely to peak below levee wallIf you are tucked up safe at home - or in a safe place (where the SES want us) you might be wondering just what the river looks like as the water levels continue to slowly rise.The Lismore App took a quick trip around the CBD earlier this afternoon to bring you some images of the river as is it today.Please share with us your images if you have taken any good flood shots - we will be sure give you the credit for your photos.Browns Creek pump stationThe following pics show the Browns Creek pump station and the overtopping reading. The pink grafitti is actually the 2022 flood level from one month ago.Heritage Park and the boat ramp near Ballina Road Bridge:This CBD resident surveys the damage to his home - now on the inside of the levee wall. He has lived there for 50 years and been through many floods. Until the flood one month ago, the water had never come into his house. His ride on mowers were innundated in the flood - he had moved them to the top of the levee wall - which sadly overtopped.North Lismore, Bridge Street:Gasworks Creek Pump Station: (near Heritage Park):Read more: Council hires pumps to help during floodLet's hope the levee does not overtop, as there is much flood debris from the previous flood still on the streets of Lismore.This shipping container still remains by the riverside in Heritage Park - one of the casualties of the previous flood.Children's toys one of the sad reminders of lost belongings from the flood a month ago. Broken glass is still everywhere on the ground and in the grass across Lismore, even after the majority of the debris has been scooped up and carted away.

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to the post office, another potential flood and evacuation orders gets in the way.Today, Australia Post has been quick to update the Lismore App with the latest on what's happening with our mail deliveries.An Australia Post spokesperson told the Lismore App that due to flood risk, deliveries to Lismore are temporarily paused.If you are still waiting to hear about an undelivered package since before the flood a month ago, (like me) you might be relieved to hear that Australia Post "have arranged for items to be stored until we are able to resume operations".It's not just Lismore that's impacted, with parcels not being processed.All deliveries to the following postcodes have been temporarily paused:2470, 2471, 2477, 2478, 2479, 2480, 2482, 2484 – out of Lismore Delivery Centre2479, 2481, 2482, 2483 – out of Mullumbimby Delivery Centre2484 – out of Murwillumbah Delivery Centre2472, 2477, 2478, 2479 – out of Ballina Delivery Centre2481, 2482, 2483 – out of Byron Bay Delivery Centre"Mullumbimby, Murwillumbah, Byron Bay and Lismore Delivery Centres are not operational," the spokesperson said. "There is limited operation out of Ballina Delivery Centre with some delivery delays to be expected."The safety of our people and the community is our highest priority, and we will recommence deliveries as soon as it is safe to do so."We will continue to provide updates on impacts and management as we work through the situation over the coming days." 

If you are unable to sleep, having bad dreams, or waking up a pounding heart, you could be in acute stress – and help has arrived to see you through it.As our community deals with the psychological trauma of the biggest flood in recorded history, a new Head to Health hub has opened to offer free psychological first aid and support on the phone (1800 595 212), or in person.Head to Health hubBased at Southern Cross University, the new service is in Lismore “for the long term” as the community deals with the ongoing trauma of this natural disaster.The phone counsellors will assess your situation - and if they are not the ones to help you, they will refer you to another service that can.Disaster areaJacklyn Whybrow is a specialist who works in disaster areas. She has come to Lismore with NEAMI National to help set up the new mental health support hub.“I also live in a flood affected area and today, I’m worried about what Lismore is feeling.” She said.“Today, we have a big weather event again, and people could be waking up in panic, with heart pounding.Julie Sturgess, Chief Executive Officer, Healthy North Coast; Jacklyn Whybrow – Acting Executive Director of Operations for NEAMI National, Jacqui Yoxall – Director of Clinical Services, Southern Cross University Health Clinic at the opening of the Lismore Head to Head Hub.Acute stress“If you have an anxious belly and are unable to sleep, or experiencing intrusive thoughts of impending doom or another disaster coming – these are all clear warning signs you are in an acute stress period.“This comes before we head into long term trauma and impact – and it’s important to encourage people to access help now, so in the long term, we can manage and flourish again and get back to our lives.Call 1800 595 212 for help“If you are experiencing this, call through to us on 1800 595 212 and we will support navigating you through this.“It won’t make everything ok and wonderful, but it is important that we look after our minds during this time.“If you can build your resilience and distress tolerance, it will help you navigate long term effects of trauma.“It’s important to focus on safety and home - but don’t forget about your brain and body.“The things that drop away when we are stressed and full of adrenaline are eating, sleeping and hydrating.“Those are the things that will carry you through in the long term, until you recover – so call and seek help.Substance abuse “It’s also important to avoid mood altering substances right now. We need to manage our vulnerabilities or we will be unable to have positive events in future.”Julie Sturgess, Healthy North Coast CEO said the service meant one call will put you in touch with qualified professionals.“You can also drop into the clinic at SCU where there are not only clinicians, but lived experience peer workers,” she said.“They are people with a lived experience of these issues, who have understanding of how to work comfortably and safely with people.”Julie said the hub was a Commonwealth Government initiative with a “commitment to rapidly establish a centre here - and stay for the long term.”“The intention is Head to Health will be one front door for all mental health services - and it will definitely be here for the next three years.“In a disaster event people need long term support."These things don’t change overnight.”Find help nowCall Head to Health on 1800 595 212 from Monday to Friday 8:30am-5:00pm or visit the Lismore Head to Health Hub at Southern Cross University’s Health Clinic, P Block North, Rifle Range Road, East Lismore.Find out more at hnc.org.au/headtohealthHead to Health is not a crisis service. For immediate 24/7 support contact:·     Mental Health Access Line 1800 011 511·     Lifeline 13 11 14·     Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467In an emergency call 000 or go to your nearest hospital emergency department.

Four weeks after Lismore’s biggest flood in recorded history, rain is again falling – and again the people of Lismore are make preparations for another predicted flood.Up until now, the Used Furniture warehouse on Wyrallah Road has been one of Lismore’s few distribution centres for donated food and supplies.Read more: Come get it! Free food distribution moves to Wyrallah RoadWarehouse owner Karen is still in the centre, overseeing operations.She’s preparing to scale down operations as Lismore makes the transition back to having working services and shops – and is asking for no more donations of clothes.“We are trying to go back to just food and cleaning products,” Karen said.“We also do not need any more baby products or women’s sanitary items.”Flood watchToday, as a flood watch is again issued for Lismore, Karen, like many others, is wondering if she should get out the few remaining pieces of furniture she salvaged from the last flood.“It’s the panic all over again,” she said.“To make my decisions, I look at the rainfalls in the catchment areas - that gives me a better indication of the water on the way.“It’s a La Nina year and there’s going to be more rain.”No more clothes, baby products or sanitary itemsKaren said while the warehouse still has tables with free clothing, shoes and bedding, she asks people to come and take what they need over the next week.“The distribution centre at the Showground is the place where people can still go to get clothing,” Karen said.“Any boxes of donated clothes we now receive are being sent back to Sydney, because no one else will take them.”Online storeKaren said in approximately one more week, the warehouse will close its doors and move to an online format.“We will ask people to fill out a form and we can deliver it straight to you and we can make sure it goes to the people who really need it,” she said.Showground 'stop gap solution'The distribution centre at the Lismore Showgrounds is coordinated by Lifeline. Read more: New Lismore Community Distribution Centre opens todayLifeline Northern Rivers manager Michael Were said there would be no immediate change in what types goods are available there.“We always have food, toiletries and cleaning products in varying supplies and quantities,” he said. “The amount of food has reduces bit, but we are still supported strongly from some donating partners.“Now Lismore Central Shopping Centre is open, sooner or later people will transition to buying groceries at the supermarket. “We were always a stop gap solution.”Read more: New look shopping centre is unveiled in Lismore CBDAlstonville distribution centreThe Lismore App understands that a new distribution centre has been opened at Alstonville Showgrounds and is coordinated by the Rural Fire Service.The hub has become a centralised point of storage for the many donated goods being sent to the Far North Coast.Supplies are being directed from there to communities in need, up and down the coast

With a flood watch issued for the Northern Rivers, livestock producers are urged to move animals and infrastructure to higher ground.NSW Department of Primary Industries and Local Land Services say the Bureau of Meteorology is predicting flooding across this area in coming days, so take care of your pumps and farm machinery too.A spokesperson said heavy rainfall is forecast from today into Tuesday and Wednesday and catchments are already saturated following significant flooding in recent weeks."This rainfall has the potential to result in moderate to major flooding along the Richmond, Wilsons, Orara and Bellinger Rivers from Tuesday and minor to moderate flooding for other coastal catchments," the spokesperson said. "We are encouraging all producers in these areas to make sure they have current flood plans in place.To help producers prepare for flooding, they can download the Local Land Services’ Farm Flood Readiness kit at www.lls.nsw.gov.au/floods.Flood-affected landholders should continue requesting assistance through the Agricultural and Animal Services Hotline by calling 1800 814 647 (operating 7 days, 8am to 8pm).Landholders can request emergency fodder for livestock, animal assessment, veterinary advice and if required, euthanasia and burial via the hotline.

If you go down to the CBD today, you may be in for a big surprise.Four weeks after the flood that devastated the Lismore CBD, a second supermarket in town has opened – and it has a new look.Find out about upcoming changes to Lismore's makeshift supermarkets: Changes set for Lismore's 'stop gap' distribution centresLismore Central Shopping Centre has been refurbished and today the doors opened, unveiling a new look Woolworths supermarket.Also open in the shopping centre is the Chempro Chemist, and there’s a coffee cart set up near where the Reject Shop was located.Not only is Woolworths a lot smaller, but it is selling some of the electrical appliances and homewares previously sold by Big W (which was located in the Lismore Square).A scout around the various isles and you will find all the basic necessities from food and frozen products - to pet and cleaning supplies (and there is a whole stand of bottles of vinegar).In a post-flood town, the items on offer have been carefully chosen to reflect community needs – from cups and plates to electric frying pans, toys and bedding.After the mouldy, musty flood smells we have all been subject to for weeks, the smell in the shopping centre is fresh, clean and warm.Work is still underway inside the centre, but its opening today heralds the beginning of the hope-inspiring reinvigoration of our Central Business District.A CBD that took a severe battering in Lismore’s biggest flood in living memory.

If you are one of the many whose vehicle was drowned in the recent flood, it might be time to work out where it ended up - whether still on a street or washed down a creek.Lismore City Council now has rangers out and about trying to re-unite owners of vehicles impacted by the flood disaster - raising concerns of some locals.A Council spokesperson said rangers will be taking the details of any vehicle that appears to have been left abandoned because of the flood."These details will be passed to police who will then contact the owners"Any flood affected vehicles that are impeding traffic and safe access to our streets will be relocated to a safe place."Council thanks the community for its patience and understanding as we continue with flood recovery."Concerns have been raised on social media about abandoned cars, including: Will owners be charged for the relocation?What about cars that have been washed down a creek and no way of getting it out. Will you be charged for the salvage operation as well as the car being a total ride off?Other people have raised concerns about how some insurance companies have advised car owners not to move them while they wait for an assessment.The Lismore App will investigate and get back to you.

After taking on 2.5 metres of water in the flood three weeks ago, Spar is the first supermarket to reopen in Lismore.Manager of the Wyrallah Road supermarket Lisa Kelly said the quick opening of the shop was only possible thanks to the help of staff, friends and suppliers.“The Spar is normally the shop that stays standing in a flood and serves most of Lismore when it unfortunately goes under,” Lisa said.“We never expected the store to take on water – it went up to our top shelves and through everything.”A picture of the Wyrallah Road Shopping Centre, where the Spar was still under water - few days after the flood.Quick recoveryLisa said that the Wyrallah Road location meant Spar was where the flood water receded first – before the CBD.That meant local staff, friends and Spar Australia staff from Brisbane could get access to the shop quickly for the mammoth task of clearing it out.One of the Northern Rivers Skip Bins cleaning contractors told the Lismore App that 48 skip bins were filled with flood debris from the Spar alone.Read more about the CBD clean up as it happened: Rubbish clean up moves tonnes as businesses tell PM what's needed Lisa said getting new plug in refrigeration units quickly was a temporary fix to get the shop up and running “to serve Lismore”.“When get proper units, will be stronger than we were before,” she said.Bigger and betterWith supplies coming in from Brisbane markets, as well as local suppliers asking what they can contribute to the shop, Lisa expects it won’t take long until the supermarket is back to having all the specialty items it used to stock – plus more.“We will be back bigger and better than ever, with plans to bring in ovens to cook chickens and provide baked goods," she said.“As we get more shelving space, we will move toward what we love and know and stock gluten free products - and more - again.“We don’t want to change anything and want to get back to normal as soon as possible - and help our fantastic local community.”The Spar on Wyrallah Road is open 7am to 8pm, seven days a week.

As some of the 4000 Australian Defence Force in the local area work on rebuilding a water pipeline into Nimbin, a plea went out today to flood-displaced locals to register their whereabouts.The plea was made at a flood recovery operations update today in the newly established Regional Recovery Coordination Centre at Southern Cross UniversityNorthern NSW Recovery Coordinator, Deputy Commissioner Mal Lanyon described Lismore as “the most significantly impacted town in the Northern Rivers”.DisplacedHe said 1100 locals were in temporary accommodation since the flood, but more were still not accounted for.He urged those displaced from flooded homes to register with Service NSW - or one of the eight flood recovery centres set up in the region.Rapid Damage Assessments “So far, we have conducted 14,800 rapid damage assessments, so the fact that we only have 1100 in temporary accommodation says that other people have sorted their own accommodation,” he said.“We still have 56 people in the evacuation centre at the university.“We are working to find temporary housing for those people and are working on medium to long term housing solutions for all displaced people.“We know there are a large number of people in the community who have been affected and it’s important that we understand who those people are and what their needs are - as part of the recovery program."One person is reported as officially missing in the Upper Wilsons Creek area and anyone with information about any missing person is urged to contact the authorities.Register“Registering also allows us to understand who requires assistance. We will be there to help you. “This wont be a short process and we will work with the community and council to rebuild this community.”Dep Commissioner Lanyon said people could get the latest information on flood clean up and available services and assistance at servicensw/floods, or they can contact 137788 for assistance.10,000 truckloads of wasteAustralian Defence Force (ADF) Brigadier Robert Lording, gave an update update on recovery operations, saying that in the last week, the numbers of ADF personnel assisting in the local area had swelled from 2,500 to 4000.“We are helping helping householders move rubbish debris from the house to curb and then onto trucks and off the streets,” he said.There have been over 10,000 truckloads of waste moved already since clean up began – described as an ‘unprecedented’ operation on a ‘massive scale’.Nimbin waterThe Brigadier said the ADF was prioritising the repair of the water pipeline into Nimbin.“This will allow fresh water supplies to come from the wier which was damaged,” he said.He estimated it will take about a week to ten days for the pipe to be laid and then for civil engineers to connect it to the wier, then to the filtration and chlorination centre.Door knocks“We have also done over 2000 door knocks in all communities to check on the welfare of individuals. In Casino and in areas with no or limited communications or where traditional road networks are affected by landslips,” he said.“In some isolated areas, the sheer scale and size of locations and the difficulty and size of flooding means we need air capability to get into some areas.”Food dropsHe said in Mullumbimby food drops were being made by “Singaporean comrades” doing air drops and supported by the Fijian Defence Force on the ground to get access to homesteads.“We want to complement the work of community groups in supporting isolated areas.Cabbage Tree Island “We have seen the devastation on Cabbage Tree Island and Coraki.“On the island, every house is affected and the school. We want to make sure residents have somewhere to stay and get the community back together while we rebuild.“It’s devastating that a tight community has lost so much and wehave droppped food into remote Indigenous communities in Woodenbong, Bonalbo and Malabugilmah.”Engineering“We want to bring engineering assets in ­from Queensland to allow more rubbish in Lismore to be cleared off the roads.“Some tasks in smaller communities are almost finished and then can redistribute forces in other areas.Solutions“We are listening to the community and council and working on solution to assist, rebuild and coordinate resources.”The Brigadier said the ADF would remain in the local area over the coming weeks, but when the “reconstruction” phase begins the ADF would pass over the work local councils and public works facilities.“Fixing landslips and reconstructing buildings need engineering capabilities that are beyond the capabilities of the ADF and are in the civil construction domain," he said.He also said that the recent fire at the Telstra communications tower which disrupted communications was “unfortunate”“We are doing lots of work to restore services to community as quickly as possible.”

If you have been waiting since the flood for Australia Post to deliver packages or letters to you - it's possible they may never arrive.When the flood innundated Lismore 17 days ago, it also washed out the South Lismore mail sorting facility.When the Lismore App spoke to Australia Post on March 8, we were told that any recovered mail from Lismore was being sent to Bundall for cleaning. Read more: Buses are running and and Australia Post is cleaning your parcels!We were also told that residents should track their items via the Australia Post website.As a Lismore resident who is still waiting for a package to arrive, that's what I did. Like many other locals. I'm still waiting to hear what happened to it.My burning question is: was my package in the sorting facility at the time of the flood - or not?The answerSo, the Lismore App contacted Australia Post again to find out just where the missing, washed or recovered mail items are now.We received the following response from an Australia Post spokesperson:"While every effort was made to move mail and parcels to a safe location prior to the flooding, we know a number of items will have been severely damaged, contaminated or washed away and will be unable to be salvaged."We are working through the list of affected items and will be contacting affected customers wherever possible to provide help and support. “A number of our Post Offices and delivery facilities have been damaged or are unable to be accessed safely due to the recent flooding in NSW and QLD. "This, in conjunction with local road closures and access issues, is impacting the delivery of some parcels."We are working through the impacts on our network as quickly as possible and continue to deliver parcels as quickly and safely as possible, but we are asking customers for their patience and to allow extra time for their parcel to arrive. "We are keeping customers updated about the impacts to our network via our websites and the Australia Post app, and this information is being updated daily."The good newsThe good news is that there is a mobile post office in Lismore providing access to basic postal products and financial services.For more information, you can visit: https://auspost.com.au/service-updates/domestic-service-updates/queensland-flooding

 At the Lismore Community Support area, an unlikely community cafe has appeared in the carpark behind The Quad.The Trees not Bombs tent has become one of the only places in Lismore where community members can come to, sit down, hang out and get something to eat and drink, for free.It’s become a lifeline to many isolated locals after the flood devastated the entire city - and destroyed all services, cafes, restaurants and shops.The cafe sits alongside a number of other free services, including a food truck selling burgers, a coffee van, portable laundry, Service Australia and NBN advice vans, portable toilets and showers and the Resilient Lismore free pantry.Susie Russell.Crowd fundraisingThe Trees not Bombs tent started with mid-north coast local Susie Russell – who brought the tent, helpers and food supplies up from Elands to Lismore just after the flood.“I was watching Facebook friends rescuing people, when I saw the scale of the problem - and I knew there was something I could do to help,” Susie said.“I saw a post from a friend saying there were no supermarkets and I knew people would need food.“I worked with friends in Newcastle who were crowdfunding for cleaning products we pooled our resources to buy coffee and fresh organic veggies."NEFASusie still had all the equipment from the North East Forest Alliance campaigning days – including the set-up for the travelling NEFA Liberation cafe.So, she pulled the old tent out of retirement and loaded up the kitchen sink, the cups and plates from 1994, the couch and supplies into a trailer.“We tried to come completely self-sufficient, so we would not be taking anything from people here,” she said. “We wanted to make a place where people could gather, sit, talk, and eat.“We are probably the only vego and vegan place around.“We are open 8.30am to 4.30pm and serve beans and eggs in the morning, coffee, tea, curries and rice and sometimes cake.“If anyone wants to make cakes and bring them in, they are always appreciated.“When it gets you down at home, come down, hang out and relax - we have books, games, scrabble and packs of cards.”Trees not BombsSusie said the name Trees not Bombs was a collaboration between a group called Food Not Bombs and the North East Forest Alliance.“So I called it Trees Not Bombs,” she said.“Bombs are being dropped on the other side of the planet, while we are here in this catastrophe.“And our government is buying submarines and weapons – but we have no money for feeding people in a disaster.“And we know that if the logging in the upper catchment river areas hadn’t happened, then the flood wouldn’t have been so severe.“I’ve seen landslides and erosion because the steep hillsides are degraded.”Other food and drink placesThere are other places where you can get coffee and free food in Lismore – including at the Koori Mail on Molesworth Street.Food and clothing distribution centres are also located at 51 Wyrallah Road in the Used Furniture warehouse, at the Southern Cross University and the Goonellabah Sports and Aquatic Centre.You can also keep a lookout for pop up food stalls that appear in different locations – including near the Stock Pot kitchen on Molesworth Street.

Making the decision to close a family business that's been handed down for generations is not an easy one to make.Caddies Coffee owner Jessica Ninness said she struggled with the idea, but in the end, she just couldn't afford to reopen the Carrington Street shop."This business had been in my family even before I was born," Jessica said. "It was my grandparents' business and a family institution."But it has come down to finances and now we can't afford repairs or the fit out of a new shop."Lismore won't recover for months and we cant afford to pay the rent while waiting for the area to regenerate."But worst of all, Jessica has lost her bespoke hot coffee roaster and 20 tonnes of coffee beans.It' a loss that's hard to take - because she had already moved the expensive machinery and beans to a shed on Habib Drive.It was a location which had never previously gone under in a flood.Flood plan thwartedJessica said she bought the business from Bill Sheaffe and Ros Irwin in July 2017, just after Lismore's last flood.Based on that flood, she thought she had a future-proof flood plan and was quick to put it into action when the 2022 flood looked certain to arrive.So, as well as moving the roaster, she also moved the rest of the stock upstairs to the shop's mezzanine floor - also above the1974 flood level."We walked out of the shop, confident we would be trading again within a week," she said.But the water level got up to half a metre from the roof of the shop.Worries for small businessJessica said she is lucky she still has her unflooded home in Alstonville - but has worries for the many other small businesses in Lismore."They will really struggle - $50K from the government is great but it's not enough."Where do we draw the line and say the government can't take responsibility for it all?"We are sad not to be opening the shop again. The community spirit here is amazing and after the last flood, people really pulled together."But this flood is on a whole different scale."We love this area and are definitely not leaving."I was born here and will stay and raise my family here."

At the Quad last Sunday, the drizzle of rain that came to Lismore’s town meeting was a ghostly reminder of the flooding deluge that destroyed the city only two weeks before.As meeting organiser Cassie Can addressed an assembled crowd of over 100 people, noisy dozers continued to remove sodden piles of flood waste from nearby Lismore Library.Hands were raised, concerns were voiced and questions were asked.Community voices spoke of government buy backs of flood prone land, of the need to listen to Indigenous and farmer knowledge and the immediate concern of how to house thousands of displaced homeless. Ideas of how to help business, mental and physical health, weather warning systems and drawing on global expertise.Despite their differences, the assembled were united in their concern for their town, businesses and community. They clapped, and expressed their opinions in a safe forum,Then at the end of the meeting, people wrote their ideas for how to rebuild Lismore on butcher’s paper, hanging on the walls of the Lismore Regional Gallery.The beginningIt was just the beginning. Now the real work begins.Now, Cassie calls for the whole community get involved in shaping the future of Lismore – to make sure the community is heard by those who have the power to make decisions.The ideas – and what’s nextWith the help of others, Cassie said she was in the process of consolidating the ideas that were listed on the butchers paper.Then she hopes to see another general town meeting take place, followed by a series of focus groups consisting of those who want to get involved in any of the theme areas listed at the meeting.‘Overwhelming’Cassie said the response of the community at the first meeting since the flood was “overwhelming”.“It’s great to see the community pulling together,” she said. “There was a buzz afterwards in the discussion groups, with everyone thinking forwards in a healthy way.”Focus group call outCassie is calling for anyone who wants to get involved in the ongoing process of change and join focus groups - or lead them.“We will look at the big picture then break it down into the steps needed to make it happen,” she said.“We can set up a committee to compile the resulting ideas and put them forward to Council. We need government to listen to what we want and need.Opinion poll and GetUp“I’d also like to get a public opinion poll happening and am looking for people who want to help gather the ideas of the community for the poll.”She also said national organisation GetUp had contacted her and she is meeting with organisers this week with them this week to see how they can help get the Lismore community back on its feet.Creative hub“I’ve set up my passion to lead a small business and creative focus group so we can bring art, theatre, craft, entertainment, movies and markets back into parts of town,” Cassie said.“I really want to see the Quad become a hub where the community can gather and I’m talking to Council’s Quad placemaking officer and the director of the Lismore Regional Gallery about how we can do this.“Lismore has a theme of ‘come to the heart’ so it’s important to bring people back to the heart and get Council on board.”HousingCassie said that Lismore MP Janelle Saffin is pushing the housing agenda with the State Government.“Housing is already in a crisis and we need to push it further, so contact Janelle with your ideas so she can collect info about what people want as housing solutions.”How to get involvedTo get involved, you can email Cassie on cultivatecreation11@gmail.com or visit the Lismore Community Facebook page and message her there.You can contact Janelle saffin’s office on (02) 6621 3624 or email lismore@parliament.nsw.gov.auCassie listed some of the ideas that were raised at the meeting:Building construction materials:Bushfire areas have very strong building material requirements.Are there flood standards for retailers and residents that will reduce the amount of waste and damage after a flood?A walk around town seeing the amount of plasterboard and MDF in the waste is a good example of inappropriate building materials. Looking at some buildings using flood proof cladding shows many appear untouched.Regular council clean ups:Bushfire areas (and most other council areas) allow residents to organise a certain number of kerbside pickups.This encourages people to routinely remove any items that may be accumulating on their property. It also allows for a chance to salvage and recycle these items.The current Lismore system of having to drive to the tip and the 'lottery' system of vouchers also excludes the most vulnerable who may not have access to a vehicle to transport or the funds to dispose.Regular cleanups improve safety in the event of flood, reduces the cost and time of clean up and reduces the environmental impact of flood.BOM forecast:We saw a big issue with people being trapped is that the BOM predictions for this flood were way off. It was close to midnight when they predicted the levee could top.This led to people taking risks and staying where they would not have if they had a more accurate figure before going to bed.Can we identify what went wrong with the modelling. Can this error be addressed with any future modelling?Evacuation centre opening:We saw that evacuation centres were not opened until late. If these were opened earlier, more people would have left their homes as they would have had somewhere to go.Shuttle service:Many people were posting on social media that they had no way to get to the evacuation centres in Goonellabah.Introduction of a shuttle service from higher ground would have allowed the more vulnerable in the community without access to a car to be able to access the evac centresRoad maintenance:A look around town shows that well maintained / constructed roads have much less damage than the ones we know were littered with potholes and missing curb/guttering. Ensuring roads in the area are maintained will ensure recovery is faster and evacuation is safer.Drain maintenance:Even homes outside of the flood area have suffered complete loss.For example one home 100m above flood level in Lismore Heights had water from a blocked council drain come over the road edge and flood the home.Ensuring drainage is maintained will help reduce the damage bill and recovery time to town.It is not just rising river water that causes damage.

Getting the Liberty service station on Ballina Road (near Wyrallah Road) ready to open was a mammoth task for owner operator Darren Ackerley – especially after the flood blew out the back wall and destroyed the cool room.“It looked like a bomb hit it,” Darren said.Before and after shots of the wall.Opening the CBD servo is good news for Lismore motorists who have been travelling to Goonellabah and beyond in the hopes of filling up their tanks to keep mobile.Darren said while the servo is now open, the sign board advertising prices has not been replaced yet – but he hopes that a new one will be installed tomorrow.Darren told The Lismore App that four new (hard to get) bowsers have been installed and the petrol tanks are full of fuel.“We didn’t get out bowsers off in time because the bowser blokes were trapped up north by the flood water,” he said.FuelDarren said people shouldn’t worry about the fuel, because it has been tested and is not contaminated with water.“We seal all our tanks before the flood,” Darren said. “When we seal them, they need to be full otherwise they could explode like the Caltex did in the 2017 flood.“When we tested the fuel in the tanks after this flood, they were all clean and clear.”Helpers thankedThis servo is the first cab off the rank to open thanks to a huge team of people who worked with Darren – friends, family, employees and the staff at North Coast Petroleum.Darren was also lucky enough to get builders in quickly to replace the servo wall and glass in the windows.“A big thank you to my staff member Leanne and her neighbours in South Lismore who packed everything in special crates I bought after the last flood,” Darren said.“Then they went back to South Lismore and lost their own homes.“I’d also like to thank Josh and Duncan who loaded and unpacked all the stock at their depot for us – Angus and all the others who helped out.”Good SamaratinDarren said when he started the process of rebuilding the servo, he didn’t know many of the people who were in the shop helping out to pack shelves again.“One guy come up from Sydney, who used to live here,” Darren said.“He told us he had raised money and if anyone came into the servo, and said they had lost everything, he paid for their fuel“One woman was crying and he paid $100 for her fuel - and he wants to remain anonymous.Community support“We’ll try to give back to our community now – without them, we would be nothing.“I’ll hold a party for everyone to thanks them in the near future.“Everybody has lost something.”

When Kate Cairnduff opened her Fitness Manouvres studio on Dawson Street, she set it up with a flood plan.She had no idea that in 2022, she would making a food plan for a town devastated by the worst flood in its recorded history.Kate said when Lismore MP Janelle Saffin contacted her about starting a Food Bank at her studio, she didn’t hesitate.“It’s what you do for your fellow humans,” Kate said.“You need to do something. If I was homeless, I would want someone to help me.”Food bank is a pantry of donated goods which operates in the charity sector.After Kate had finished mucking out the flood mud from her studio (which went under in the flood), the trucks full of donated goods started arriving.Food distributionWhile food is not a scarce commodity anymore in Lismore, the CBD still has no supermarkets and no electricity.Instead, Lismore now has a number of distribution places where free food and essential items can be found.Kate said that she is scaling the Food Bank down since other distribution centres are carrying the main load of donated deliveries now.“We were needed in the early few days,” Kate said. “We reached out to people in North and South Lismore who didn’t have phones and may have fallen through the gaps.“People who knew they were there reached out to them and would take food and animal food packages to them.“It was such a small gesture for those who had lost everything – they would smile and be so grateful“Lismore is pretty cool.Trauma and recovery“This has been a fearful event and it will not be forgotten. There are so many people in trauma right now.“The media is reporting that we are in the recovery phase, but once rubbish is gone, it’s part one – we are not there yet.“There are still a lot of organisations trying to house people and once they have houses and are safe, we can start to get more supplies to them.”Distress“The most distressing thing is that I have no income - I have nothing,” she said.“But I’m better off not thinking about it, so I keep busy and helping people with food is good for all of us.Frozen“We all picked up our boots twice now with covid and had to reinvent ourselves.“I try future proof my finances, but with this flood, I feel life is frozen in time and I don’t feel like I can take action at the moment.“So, the Food Bank is an action – it’s about stepping forward and reaching out.”Flood and reopeningKate said she is keen to open her business again, but needs to wait until the landlord finishes gutting the upstairs flats - which were also destroyed in the flood.She said once she offloads the rest of the products – including lots of toiletries packs, she hopes her clients will return.“It’s all about being slow and steady and being kind to myself,” she said.“It’s one day at a time. Now, I have people helping me and lots of love around.RecoveryFor Kate, despite having a flood plan for her studio, she’s worried about her large pieces of equipment that were left in the studio beginning to rust.And the inevitable mould that is already growing on the inside walls.She also hopes that the town will recover and small businesses will be able to get on their feet again.Don’t compare traumaHer message to locals, especially those who didn’t lose their homes to the flood is ‘don’t be afraid to reach out for help’.“I’ve had people compare their trauma and say that they lost their jobs, but still have homes, so don’t want to take any handouts.“If you feel you need help, reach out and don't feel ashamed.”Toiletry packs Kate said she has a few hundred toiletry packs in the Food bank right now, and wants people to come and take them.“Maybe you know someone you can gift one to – if you want some you can message me at Fitness Manouvres on Facebook”.Visit: https://www.facebook.com/fitnessmanouvers.

Yesterday, the NSW government announced it would invest $25 million in mental health support for flood affected people.Lismore MP Janelle Saffin said since the flood she has been in regular talks with the Premier and Ministers in the NSW Government about mental health support."Supporting our community through the trauma of these floods must be a priority in our recovery," Ms Saffin said"I welcome this announcement and will stay on the case to make sure our community gets what we need."Details of the support package are:$7 million over three years to fund Primary Health Networks to engage both clinical and non-clinical workforce, including staff for the Safe Havens, to boost local access to psychological and clinical support;$5 million over three years to establish grants program for NGOs to fund trauma-based programs. Key focus on supporting young people, older residents and Aboriginal communities;$5 million for state-wide needs based resourcing and support;$3.5 million over three years to appoint Headspace and Lifeline work with affected communities to identify what each community needs;$3.5 million over three years to recruit 10 Local Recovery Coordinators to:Coordinate mental health service delivery within their designated LGA, ensuring service providers are working with each other to plug gaps but also avoid duplication;Identify and respond to emerging issues, such as increases in mental health hospital activity, self-harm or suicidal ideation;Work closely with primary health initiatives, community and welfare agencies and mental health services to provide direct care and respond to local community needs and issues on the ground.$1 million to set up four pop-up Safe Havens in the areas hardest hit.Safe Havens are a place for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or in distress to seek refuge and support from people with lived experience.The space is welcoming and has a range of activities to help people divert their suicidal thinking. No referral is required to access a Safe Haven.

When the Lismore App put a call out for a cartoonist to draw a topical cartoon idea, well-known national cartoonist Ron Lyons put up his hand.Rod, who lives in the Blue Mountains near Sydney, has been following the Lismore App’s reporting of the recent devastating floods.When we spoke to him and he drew this cartoon for us, we were blown away by his amazing skills and this cartoon.Ron, who originally worked as a computer programmer, said he got into cartooning in 1985 when he saw some cartoons drawn for the Computer World magazine “by someone who had no idea”.“My wife said ‘you can draw better than this guy’, so I started drawing drew for Computer World in Australia and New Zealand for 12 years,” Ron said.“Then I drew a comic strip for a while for The Australian computer section - before I needed to have a break."Remember the 'good old days' of Covid? - a poemOnce upon a time, in the city of Lismore, residents had to wear masks to protect themselves from getting a virus called Covid-19.Then, as times changed, masks became optional.But in Lismore, many of the people still wear masks today.Now it's to stop the bacteria, mud and dirt flying into their mouths when they pressure-hose flood debris from the walls, floors and roofs of their homes.When Covid restrictions were happening, we had homes to be in and isolate ourselves in.We had local supermarkets, shopping centres, cafes, take away stores and medical clinics.Now, we have evacuation centres and free food distribution warehouses.We have damp homes, stripped of furniture, bathroom and kitchen fittings.We have borrowed dehumidifiers to stop the mould growing on the inside of the still damp walls.We have $1000 flood disaster payments - maybe to buy a new mattress and portable gas cooker.We have streets without electricity, filled with flood rubbish.But, we have each other.We sleep in borrowed beds at friends' or strangers houses.We have small wins of finding precious items from home, tossed in the rubble on the footpath.We have hugs and hot tea and cold beer and lots of love from our community.We are no longer terrified of an invisible disease.Now, we turn to each other for comfort, support and hugs.Because we survived the great flood of 2022.