Salvation Army to the fore as flood clean-up continues in Bundaberg
Prime Minister Julia Gillard met Salvation Army representatives when she visited Bundaberg during the disaster. (Photo: Paul Beutel)
Bundaberg has been one of the places hardest hit by recent floods and storms in Queensland and northern NSW.
For the second time in two years, the Central Queensland city has been flooded. This time, however, it has been much worse.
The Burnett River, which runs through Bundaberg, peaked at a record 9.5m, a full 2m higher than two years ago.
Thousands of people had to be evacuated as their homes faced inundation and many more have been rescued by helicopter as rapidly rising floodwaters left them stranded.
“The Salvation Army responded immediately,” says Major Glenn Whittaker, the Army’s Central and North Queensland Divisional Secretary.
“SAES [Salvation Army Emergency Services] crews were running evacuation centres and welfare was organised to move to the [Army’s] undamaged Tom Quinn Centre.”
Throughout the crisis, which extended to over two weeks, SAES workers and volunteers responded to over 30 evacuation centres and sites and provided more than 20,000 meals.
The Salvation Army’s welfare centre and furniture warehouse in Bundaberg have been was destroyed, while the corps hall and band room has been flooded and extensively damaged. The SAES hall has also been inundated.
Despite having to cope with their own losses, SAES teams continue to feed people at the local YMCA evacuation centre.
“We are now providing furniture, clothing, whitegoods and care packs to those moving into alternative accommodation as well as those who have lost everything and going back to their own homes,” says Major Kevin Unicomb, Bundaberg Corps Officer.
“We're also still involved in meetings with recovery teams and other agencies, chaired by [the local] council, each day.”
Major Unicomb and his team have also been helping prepare 51 accommodation units at Finemore Caravan Park.
“These are donga-type buildings that the Department of Housing has brought from Charleville for short-term accommodation solutions,” he says.
“The SAES fed the people going into these units at evacuation centres, and then chatted with them in the tent city.
“My heart goes out to them because the transitions and change are going to continue for a long time.”
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