On Twitter, Facebook and Instagram pictures of boats floating down streets, pets rescued and homes under water tell the story of inundation
And in Chinderah, a town in the Tweed Shire just one hour drive north of Lismore, Kelly and Mick Hobbins sat on the couch on their porch, waiting. Flood waters were lapping, almost literally, at their doorstep.The couple has lived in Chinderah for 17 years. The area, on the southern banks of the Tweed River near Kingscliff, is known as flood prone, but this was only the second time their house has been at risk. In 2017, water came through and forced them to relocate for 11 months.
Flood waters cover the road beside the Tweed River in Chinderah, northern NSW. The flood post marking previous floods can be seen in the background.Len was clutching his thongs under his fluro yellow rain jacket, having just waded through thigh-deep water to check out the Chinderah flood post and see how things compare.A few doors down, Christine McDonald and her neighbour Mark Curran stood in a frontyard lagoon.
Floodwaters enter the house of Mark Curran in Chinderah, northern New South Wales on 28 February 2022.At Smiley Tots childcare centre, the backyard playground would normally be home to raucous games by mid-morning on a Monday. Instead, a football floated aimlessly in the flood waters as they hoped to avoid a repeat of 2017, which saw the entire playground needing replacing.
“It’s just rainwater there at the moment,” said part owner Greg Best. “So long as that horrible brown flood water doesn’t come through, I think we’ll be all right.” His wife, Erin, is originally from Lismore and has been checking in with friends and family there.“He’s 70 years old and can’t swim.