Community
26 February, 2025
Coast in full recovery mode
AS the sun begins to shine on Cardwell, the real challenge starts for the council and the community as all efforts go to filling up the shelves, repairing homes and businesses and supporting families that lost everything.
After two weeks of what seemed like non-stop rains, Cardwell is now into recovery as the Cassowary Coast Regional Council focuses on supporting impacted families and businesses while the community continues to apply for hardship.
Although families and businesses continue to struggle, big steps have occurred over the last week. The Bruce Highway was finally reopened to Cairns, meaning hundreds of trucks rolled in and were speeding up the supply shortage issues.
The council has also extended rates payment for residents so they can instead focus on cleaning, contacting their insurance companies or just resting after the traumatic event.
“To everyone affected, the Cassowary Coast Regional Council is here to support you. We know this is a hard time and we’re listening,” said Mayor Teresa Millwood.
“We know many residents are flat out trying to clean up and get their lives back on track,” she said.
“While we cannot postpone rates bills indefinitely, and still provide services that residents rely on and that some need now more than ever, we’ve worked to buy time for residents and further assist those that are hard hit.
“Cassowary Coast Regional Council is pushing back the dates for rates payments by a fortnight to March 14, we’ve also set a simpler system for everybody affected by the flooding to access hardship help.”
Other services like the Cardwell Community Hub will remain open indefinitely to help with anything from supplies and a chat to advise on how to apply for disaster funding.
The council is also still offering cleaning supplies and mosquito repellent for free to prevent any soil-borne diseases that become prevalent after a weather event like this, however, there’s still a sentiment within the community that more should’ve been done ahead of the tragedy.
Deb Churton, her partner Brent and her two children Elle and Aston lost their home on Roma St on February 2. Two weeks after the tragedy the family is still readjusting to managing life and a small business.
Ms Churton said there was an overall feeling by Roma St residents that much of the tragedy could’ve been avoided.
“Not being in our house is challenging, we haven’t got out home to run normal everyday life,” she said.
“Our belongings are not with us and attempting to run our business without our office at home is very challenging, we feel so scattered.
“The council have only supported us and the wider community by setting up the hub and visiting damaged homes. They haven’t come to our house or spoken to us just to see how we’re doing.”
A council spokeswoman said recovery was a long and complex process, but the council would focus their efforts on infrastructure repairs and financial aid for Cassowary Coast residents. She said the council would advocate for assistance to businesses which were suffering.
