How are the flooded Aussies?

[meganjane]

My heart goes out to the farmers who've lost all their crops and had their paddocks ripped up by flood waters.

I can't imagine what that must be like. We had so little rain this year. One side of the country has too much, the other too little. Crazy!

[Frozzie]

It always makes me smile when there is any type of Australian news that makes international coverage - the rest of the world believe this island continent is minuscule, I am sure very few Aussies would worry about Florida disasters affecting Californian friends.

very true...it is a little bit the medias fault though as they just say Australia has been hit with heavy floods etc etc but dont always specify where so people generalise..saying that knowlege of australia in general isnt that great internationally..for most people its a tropical dream land where people live off the land and speak with really strange accents lol.  It used to bother me alot especially as i used to work in marketing tourism for oz and i even used to express concern about putting knowledge out there in foreign schools etc to educate different cultures about Australia as the only form of information regarding australia are documentries I saw in school that dated then back to the 70s (and after ten years its still the same doc being aired) with a bit on dingos and the outback, kangaroos and the bush but nothing of modern australia, its vibrant cities and diverse landscapes!!  The problem is not only knowledge but having access to it and the majority of people have no clue about Australia unless they travel a fair bit and have been there which isnt a huge amount of people unfortunately...in France for example the majority of people travel by car and stay in France, there are alot of people scared to travel by plane and even more afraid to go too far from home.  I think Australians are unique in the sense that its almost like we are born to travel and  experience new things..maybe its the distance between places that gives us that?  I have friends over here that think an hour is a huge trip..i know aussies that travel that just to go shopping and its no big deal!

anyway so sorry to sidestep and go off the main discussion in advance...just blabbing on as usual
do forgive me 

[johnro]

What a pleasant babble  to read Kim. The distances are certainly a shock for first time international visitors - scary actually as they can look at a map and decide that during their 10 day visit a road trip from Cairns to Melbourne would be no problem.  It has always been so refreshing for us to drive in the UK or Europe as distances are so short!!!!!!

[Frozzie]

What a pleasant babble  to read Kim. The distances are certainly a shock for first time international visitors - scary actually as they can look at a map and decide that during their 10 day visit a road trip from Cairns to Melbourne would be no problem.  It has always been so refreshing for us to drive in the UK or Europe as distances are so short!!!!!!

yes we used to laugh in shock at foreign tourists who used to ask cab drivers from sydney to drive them for a day trip to Uluru (Ayres Rock)..lol I dont think many visitors have a true concept of the size of oz..when i worked in schools over here I used to always tell them how many times France could fit into australia to give them an idea of how big it is..used to always wow them!!  If I remember its around 14 times!

[faffa_70]

Lol earlier this year DH was commuting 1.5 hours each way to go to work. A commute of 3 hours a day or 15 hours a week. Yep we sure can travel  I am an hour away from my parents. One end of Perth to the other - yet it is nothing to jump in the car and "call in"

I am grateful that everyone is ok, and thank everyone that has contributed on here to let us know how it all really is. I will happily pay a little extra for my fruit and veg for a while (this also includes from Carnarvon here in the West) as long as everyone is safe 

[cookie1]

You are so right re the travel bit. My parents had some English friends come over and they had the itinerary planned. Go to Monkey Mia in the morning and see the dolphins, (return trip 1760km) have lunch in Fremantle and then go to the Bungle Bungles in the afternoon. (return trip at least 5000-6000km)
We've spoken to a lot of caravanners in our travels who won't come to Western Australia as everthing is so far apart.
I guess you get used to it. At least we can go a distance in time, not have to travel for an hour and only go 15km.

[Ceejay]

Deja vu here..... sitting at home... unable to get out of town in any direction... not sure about over the hill but possibly if desperate.   House full of food... thermomix running... coffee machine fine. 

Dog asleep near the door inside. 

Oh and the knowledge that the local Woolworths... and former Coles buildings are yet again under water....

Stay safe people!!

[Snoozie]

Please keep the people of Dalby, Toowoomba and Gympie in your thoughts.

My hometown of Toowoomba was hit by flash flooding an the pics are shocking to me. The range has had multiple landslides, houses have been swept away along with cars, confirmed deaths. There was no warning.

[quirkycooking]

I hadn't heard that about Toowoomba - that's awful!  I'd better watch the news tonight... I avoid it mostly!  It rained here for half an hour or so this avvie, and it was so heavy that the roads flooded and I had to drive home from town veeerrrryyyy slowly!

[Zan]

Oh no not seen that about Toowoomba, will be thinking of them.
Sooz are you still flooded in?

[judydawn]

I saw the Toowoomba flash flood, that so was frightening and so easy to have been caught up in with no warning. 
Hope everyone is OK - there doesn't seem to be an end in sight with rain continuing to fall.  Ceejay, glad you have food and the dog is obviously blissfully unaware of what is going on. How are the kids coping - with restricted movements they must be getting bored.

[johnro]

We can be thankful that the body of water surrounding Rockhampton and district is not a raging torrent - quite the opposite with the flood peak in the river only 1 cm lower than last Wednesday.  My thoughts are with the residents of the Lockyer Valley, Toowoomba, Gympie etc.  Stay safe all.

[Ceejay]

Toowoomba, Lockyer Valley, Gympie etc are in our thoughts and prayers as well.  It's devastating and a horrific reminder.

Kids are relatively ok JD... my friend has taken two of them to her place 2 mins away to keep them busy..  Thankfully most of our friends are in close proximity.  It seems the two youngest won't get to their daycare mum tomorrow... or their father's place. 

Otherwise... I'm getting used to the noise - it's a small price to pay compared to what others are dealing with. 

[Frozzie]

hope everybody is safe and their families..horrible and it seems to only be getting worse 

[hools003]

I haven't seen any news today, so this forum is great to keep up to date. I hope everyone in the affected areas and surrounds are keeping safe. We are all thinking of you.