There's nothing like a disaster to prompt people to think creatively, using their individual skills to solve problems and take care of each other and the community.
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During the recent floods, Mt Coxcomb Road at Upper Lansdowne was badly damaged - three bridges were taken out of action and the road needed repairing, completely stranding 43 families.
Lyn Connor was responsible for coordinating a collaboration between locals and MidCoast Council to get the work done much quicker than it would have happened otherwise.
Earthmoving contractor Alan Ryan, and his offsider Cameron, worked with council to replace a bridge that had completely washed away. Other locals donated their time, heavy equipment, and gravel to repair the other bridges, grade the road, and remove a landslide.
Pieta Laing took to her keyboard.
Mobile reception, as it was many in many places, was "appalling", so Pieta and her friend Brenda quickly created a private Facebook group for Mt Coxcomb Road residents to keep in contact with each other.
"I'm not a great supporter of Facebook, but in these small communities, I really am, because in an emergency it comes into its own," Pieta said.
She also created a GoFundMe campaign so locals could be reimbursed for the work they were doing to repair the bridges and road.
The goal was $1500, but Pieta closed the campaign when donations reached $1465.
"We had employed someone to do the work, and then council, when they employed that same person, Alan Ryan, to do the bridge work, said that they would pay Alan's costs," Pieta said.
"So now I'm in the process of refunding some money. Which is good!"
However, many of the donors, which come from as far away as Nabiac, don't wish to be refunded. They have told Pieta they want the money to go to the community.
"So what we've been able to is instead of using the GoFundMe money for Alan, as council is picking up the tab, I'm using it to reimburse locals who used their petrol, and one of their machines, their backhoe, was broken so they had to buy a new part, things like that. petrol and parts, basically!"
Julia Driscoll
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
Julia Driscoll has worked as a journalist for the Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Times for seven years. She values the deep connection with community that being a rural and regional journalist brings. Career highlights have involved environmental stories - bringing the plight of the little known endangered Manning River helmeted turtle to the attention of the public, resulting in wide-spread knowledge in the community and conservation action; and breaking the news of the Manning River ceasing to run for the first time in recorded history.
