Home sweet home

(In the Age of Climate Distress)

Mid Febreuary, 2022, I drove up to a rural property near Lismore (Northern Rivers, NSW) to pet-sit in paradise, however the sun and surf were switched for clouds and puddles as the unseasonal rain soon washed my holiday plans away. Within a week of my month’s stay the creek rose from less than 1 metre to 7 metres over the bridge that was also my driveway. I was flooded in and within a week the creek turned into a raging river measuring 14 metres high and I awoke to no power or communications that continued for 9 days. I was unable to watch the news or even get the weather warnings on my phone. 3 weeks in to my stay the water gradually went down and I was able to access supplies, only to arrive at Lismore which had been completely under water. It was one of the worst scenes of my life. People were manically throwing on to the street what remained of their belongings. Cars were overturned, dead cattle littered the roads, a caravan was lodged high in a tree – the stench of rot and death was everywhere. I was speechless.