With so many locals in trauma and needing legal help after the devastating floods, today’s announcement of funding for Northern Rivers Community Legal Centre (NRCLC) was welcomed by local lawyers – some who have also lost their homes.Attorney General Mark Speakman came to Lismore to announce the $680,000 funding for the centre - to deliver critical legal services to locals recovering from the flood crisis.“We know legal assistance is important - and lawyers here have been working tirelessly for clients - and are exhausted,” he said.“They don’t have huge salaries, but have their clients’ interests at heart.“We know recovery is a long road ahead and having legal professionals to help the most vulnerable in our communities is important.“So many are impacted by homelessness and domestic violence and need help.“Many people will require legal help to navigate insurance and property matters after NSW’s recent catastrophic weather events.”Mr Speakman said the funding from the NSW Government is from the Commonwealth’s $5.45 million package for existing legal services providing advice to flood affected communities in NSW and Queensland.NRCLC chair Jenny Nielson said the centre staff had been helping community, despite their own offices being impacted by the floods.“The NRCLC office sustained extensive damage during the Lismore floods, with significant damage to premises and equipment destroyed,” she said.“The money will help us to acquire a new office space to continue to work with community.”NRCLC chair Jenny Nielson and NRCLC manager Nicole Jenkins with the Attorney general.Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience and Minister for Flood Recovery Steph Cooke said the funds will enable several additional full-time staff to relieve NRCLC staff“This funding will also cover the cost of a van so that NRCLC can provide legal services to wherever they are most needed across the Northern Rivers region.”Executive Director of Community Legal Centres NSW, Tim Leach aid the NRCLC covers a large area, stretching all the way up to Tweed Heads.“It’s important that the CLC is accessible to the entire community,” Mr Leach said. “This funding will enable Northern Rivers CLC to bring on support staff to assist its team.”NRCLC manager Nicole Jenkins said in future - once the Disaster recovery centres in Lismore close – the legal centre staff will continue to get out into community and “we are here with you in the long term. 

This week the NSW Government released its new ‘roadmap’ Koala Strategy - but some local campaigners say it doesn’t go far enough to ensure the preservation of habitat, which is critical to the survival of our threatened koalas. Backed by nearly $200 million in funding, the new Koala Strategy is set out in a five year plan, with more than 30 actions to conserve and double koala population numbers in the wild. Environment Minister James Griffin said the NSW Koala Strategy is the biggest financial investment ever made, to conserve any single species in Australia. “It demonstrates how committed we are to conservation and achieving our goal of doubling koala numbers by 2050,” he said. “We know there are multiple threats to koalas, including loss and fragmentation of their habitat, compounded by the impact of the devastating 2019–20 bushfires, as well as vehicle strike and dog attack.” This strategy is set to better secure 10 climate resilient koala stronghold locations from the Southern Tablelands, to Campbelltown and Lismore. Mr Griffin said these areas will receive “intensive action” in the next five years to support the existing populations there – and includes partnerships with community conservation groups. “Some of these actions include preventing vehicle strike and dog attacks, and restoring and protecting 47,000 additional hectares of habitat,” Mr Griffin said. Conservationist criticism Koala conservationist and ex-president of Friends of the Koala Ros Irwin said it was good to see the government allocate “impressive funds” for koalas, and that the strategy is for five years rather than three.“It’s also good to see support for wildlife carers and community groups that carry out koala-related activities,” she said. Habitat and corridors “However, yet again the strategy ignores the fact that protecting our forests from logging and important existing koala habitat and corridors from development are the only ways to prevent koalas heading for extinction in the long term. “Planting their food trees is great, and as a person whose property has a Biodiversity Conservation Agreement over it because of koalas, I know how important these activities are. “But it takes years for koala food trees to reach the maturity that koalas prefer, and in the meantime we see huge amounts of trees being removed and important colonies being impacted by development. “As the experts have said consistently, loss of their habitat is the critical factor in causing chlamydia and retrovirus, and in pushing them towards the tipping point that, once passed, will mean the end of koalas except in select areas.” Koala Strategy details The NSW Koala Strategy focuses on conservation actions under four themes:$107.1 million for koala habitat conservation, to fund the protection, restoration, and improved management of 47,000 hectares of koala habitat $19.6 million to supporting local communities to conserve koalas $23.2 million for improving the safety and health of koalas by removing threats, improving health and rehabilitation, and establishing a translocation program$43.4 million to support science and research to build our knowledge of koalas.A key part of the Koala Strategy involves establishing partnerships with conservation groups and communities. Projects funded by the new Koala Strategy include: Partnering with Taronga Conservation Society Australia to restore more than 5,000 hectares of Box Gum grassy woodlands around the Western Slopes of the Great Dividing Range. Koalas will be translocated to the site once the woodland is re-established. Partnering with World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) Australia to protect 500 hectares of high quality koala habitat on private land under conservation agreements across the Northern Rivers region through the Biodiversity Conversation Trust.Working with volunteer wildlife rehabilitators, vets and other partner organisations to enhance co-ordination of emergency response for koalas and other wildlife due to bushfire or extreme weather events. Minister Griffin said “we all want to see koalas thrive in the wild for generations to come, and everyone, including land managers, local councils, wildlife carers, citizen scientists and the NSW Government needs to be involved". “Protecting and restoring habitat will also support other threatened and endangered species, such as powerful owls and glossy black cockatoos,” Mr Griffin said. “The Strategy will help to fill key knowledge gaps and fund priority scientific studies to support koalas, including chlamydia vaccine trials. “The new Strategy builds upon the previous $44.7 million NSW Koala Strategy, which protected more koala habitat, invested in fixing koala roadkill hotspots, provided wildlife care training and funded scientific research, among other things.” To read the Koala Strategy, visit: environment.nsw.gov.au/koalas 

There’s a welcoming light shining from a lone shop window inside the Strand Arcade.Lismore hairdresser Nick Wright has reopened his hair salon, Bobby’s, after two floods.Inside, it looks like business as usual – products on shelves, black chandeliers hanging from the roof and the signature water feature cascades with clear water.Nick’s customers sit in comfy chairs and look into shiny mirrors, as Nick chats with them and colours their hair.After the first flood, Nick opened quickly and had a generator running to power the salon. At the time, there was no hot water, but it didn’t matter to Nick’s customers, because they were happy to have their favourite hairdresser open again.Then the second (lesser) flood came a month later. Again, Nick evacuated the salon and had to mop up the mess.Now, with power finally restored to the salon, Nick has been repainting the walls and the phone has been ringing hot with customers booking in.Nick said getting the salon open again so quickly after the first flood, was largely due to the fact that he camped in the Strand Arcade through the flood.He and his mum spent three nights and four days living on the mezzanine level of the arcade.Nick said they had water and food and waited for the flood waters to recede. When they came down on Wednesday morning, Nick was armed with a big ladder, a broom, some exit mould and a fire hose.He worked in his jocks to clean the shop walls, because he knew he needed clean, dry clothes to put on after being in the cold, muddy water.Now, after two floods, Nick is happy to be back to business as (almost) usual and is open from 9am to afternoon, Monday to Saturday.Nick’s flood storyOn the day of the February 28 flood, Nick was working in Bobby’s on the Saturday, the day before the flood began.He didn’t think a flood was going to be problem until that afternoon when his visiting mates said ‘I don’t like how this is looking’.By Sunday morning, Nick had a ‘gut feeling’ it wasn’t going to be good and with his mum’s help, moved all the furniture up high onto the mezzanine floor and the stock onto high shelves – where he thought it would be enough.“But then I went out the front of the arcade (onto Molesworth Street) and I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “I saw water flowing in rapids. “My shop is about two feet higher than the front of the arcade. The building was built on a slope and the rear is on a higher level slab.“So I went back inside to move stock with buckets and scooped the products up.“Other businesses in the arcade were also moving things. The picture framer helped me lift heavy things onto the landing with a trolley.”Then he and his mum went up to the mezzanine level to wait it out, with food and water supplies. They had done it before. “We were upstairs watching as the water was getting higher and higher, creeping up step by step,” Nick said.“In the 2017 flood, it only covered three steps. This time it came to the second step from the top.“The amount of stuff that floated through the arcade was incredible – big sofas and front counters, sailing by really fast.“I saw electrical items like rice cookers and frying pans and realized the electrical shop across the road must have broken its windows.“When the water started getting higher, I looked up and saw the front roller door bowing out from the water. “The electricity was still on so I was able to get there and open it.“Through the night the lights were still on I could hear loud bangs like guns going off. It was a combination of things hitting the front door before bobbing around inside“Many glass windows in the arcade were broken. Ours were ok because the water cold come in through the roller doors.“Shops with doors closed had three feet high water outside and lots of pressure inside.“When the water got up to the second step from the top, I got a message saying another two metres is coming, so our escape plan was to get out through an upstairs landing onto the roof“But, the painters had been painting and I couldn’t get the door open. II was using everything to try to get it open.“I rang one of the owners and told him we were trapped and couldn’t get out. I asked if I could smash the bottom of his door to get to his office and out to the roof.“He said use the fire escape and I told him it was 13 foot under water. I was shocked at his response.“I eventually got the door to the roof open“I was really concerned because my mum was stressing. Knowing we could get out gave us hope that the SES would come and see us on the roof.“It gave my mum hope and it helped calm her down. We realized later that the SES would not have come.”The flood level went to 14.32 metres and Nick eventually came down after three nights.

If your garbage bin has been on the roadside since late last week, you are not alone.The Lismore App has received queries from locals asking why their garbage was not collected as usual last Friday. So we contacted Lismore City Council to find out what was happening.A Council spokesperson said some disruptions have occurred to normal services, even though "regular kerbside collections have resumed to non-flood affected areas".People are asked to leave their bins on the kerb and they will be collected as soon as possible.The delay in garbage collection comes after a fire began last Friday (April 1) at the Lismore Recycling & Recovery Centre.The cause of the fire was a pile of flood-affected mattresses that were transported to the site as part of flood clean-up activities.Recycling & Recovery Centre openThe Recycling & Recovery Centre in East Lismore has now re-opened to the public for NON-flood affected waste only.Council asks people to keep the two streams of waste separate – non-flood affected and flood affected."We ask those with flood affected waste to continue to place it on the kerb for collection by the Public Works Advisory or use the free skip bins in Union Street and the corner of Magellan Street & Diadem Street," a Council statement said."The NSW Government’s EPA fee exemption for flood affected wastes does not apply to non-flood affected waste. This means normal weighbridge fees will be charged."The Earn and Return Bulk Drop Off has also reopened to regular hours, as has the Lismore Revolve Shop."The Nimbin Transfer Station has also re-opened with usual hours."To assist with the second round of flood waste collection, we ask businesses and property owners who still have flood waste that needs to be collected to contact Council on 6625 0500."

If you are hungry for cooked food or some staples, there's a few places now open again in Lismore, after the second flood in a month – and some that are not.If you know of any other places to get food that are open and not listed here - please let us know!Supermarkets and shops openedWoolworths and Chempro in Lismore Centre Shopping Centre are open.Benchtop Expresso on Keen Street is open.Lismore Pie Cart is open on Magellan Street.Spar and Lucky’s takeaway are open on Wyrallah Road – and the Pie Shop on Dalley Street in East Lismore is open.Lombardos in Goonellabah is open, selling fruit and veges.At Southern Cross University, in the Plaza, there are two cafes open providing hot cooked meals and coffee and tea.Also at SCU are the mobile banking tellers, as well as the Lismore Recovery Centre. This provides a range of services including accommodation advice, replacing lost documents, mental health and well-being services, support for businesses, clean-up services, financial assistance and insurance and legal support.The distribution centre at the Showground opened again this morning now that power has been restored to North Lismore.What’s not open yetThe Wyrallah Road distribution centre is closed until Friday, but will then reopen 9am to 5pm to provide staples of food and other donated items.Community centres open: food, clothes and healing needs The Trees Not Bombs café is open in the carpark behind the library (at the Quad) and serves free vegetarian breakfasts, curries, tea, coffee and cakes throughout the day. There’s also a free library operating next to it. Donations of books are welcomed.Koori MailManager of the Koori Mail Naomi Moran, said volunteers spent three days cleaning up after the second flood to get the community hub on Molesworth Street opened again yesterday.There’s plenty of donated fresh bread, water, vegetables and fruit on offer. There’s a free BBQ and vegetarian curries on offer. There’s also a coffee van set up offering free barista-style coffees.The Food Bank is operating from the garage of the Koori Mail building where you can get pasta, rice, tinned veges, pet food, cleaning products, sanitary items, camping gear and tools like shovels and brooms.“We’ve restocked the shelves of the Food Bank and we are calling out for additional supplies that are getting low,” Naomi said.“Sometimes people come in and say they need something like WD40, so we write it on the board and people can look at it daily and hopefully donate needed items.Upstairs at the Koori Mail is also a clothes distribution area – with a section especially for infant supplies - such as nappies, toys and car seats.HealingIn the Koori Mail building, there's a fitted out medical centre there where you can receive triage treatment for things like flood water cuts and other minor injuries.Near the Food Bank is a healing tent, where people are invited to have a chat or get a free massage.“After two floods – mental health is important too,” Naomi said. “People can get social and emotional support here.“People are experiencing varying levels of trauma and might not have been able to access formal support yet.”Borrow equipment Naomi said you can also register to borrow equipment like pressure cleaners, gurneys air purifiers and dehumidifiers.“You can book it out for 48 hours and then bring it back so the whole community can use it."VolunteersVolunteers are always needed to help out in any way – not only at the Koori Mail, but also with Resilient Lismore. Read more: A cry for help comes to make houses safe and warm before winter “Volunteers can help clean properties or remove rubbish,” Naomi said.“They can also help out to sort food, cook or do food and donation drop-offs to people. You can come in and register with our volunteer coordinator to do jobs, or offer support on the ground.”To volunteer or donate goods and money, visit the Koori Mail or contact Resilient Lismore at http://www.floodhelpnr.com.au

“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.

Small treasured items found among piles of flood debris, have become symbols of hope for many Lismore residents who have lost everything in the recent flood disaster.For Lismore business owner Lisa Lamarre, being reunited with a small tartan teddy that was found on a footpath has begun a healing process of grief for her.Lisa discovered the teddy not long after after the Lismore App published a photograph we took of a forlorn teddy lying on Molesworth Street.The social media post on March 16 said "this forlorn teddy on Molesworth Street is just a reminder of the mountains of flood waste recently scooped up by bob cats and dumped into skip bins."While the rubbish removal process slowly makes its way across residential and business areas, the lucky parts of the city no longer smell of rotting garbage and flood mud and mould."ReunitedLisa saw the post and recognised her teddy and she contacted the Lismore App with her story."I'm Lisa, and I own La Trouvaille, which had only just opened in front of the Star Court Arcade," she said."The little bear was a Christmas decoration and I had a box of them in different types of tartan from Canada; we had set up a beautiful Christmas tree in a second shop down the arcade."He was packed away with the rest in a mezzanine level storage, which of course was annihilated during the floods."We had been in and out over the last couple of weeks dumping lost stock and doing our best to clean up... as we were leaving the other day I spotted him in the gutter."It could not have been long after you took that amazing photo."I don't mind telling you - it opened the floodgates."To think this tiny, battered little fella had survived being drowned in mud, and then missed by the front end loaders removing everything and still be waiting for me to rescue him in that lonely gutter... finished me off."I brought him into the ruined store and sat him on a muddy shelf for a photo."Not long after I posted it my neighbour tagged me in your post. Just unbelievable."I know he's not much, but he has come to symbolize more than anyone will know."I will sit him under a glass cloche in the refurbished store and was hoping you might let me purchase a copy of your photo to put next to him."Thank you."Lisa it is an honour to serve this community and share stories of the string and resilient people of Lismore. The photo is yours.More stories - let us knowAnother Lismore business owner Ryan McCann shared a photo with the Lismore App of his "kids stuff".It's often the toys that we discard that trigger tears.If anyone has a story they wish to share with us, please contact liina@lismoreapp.com.au

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.