Queensland Floods,Salvation Saturday & Sunday Muddy Sunday

These pictures demonstrait just how vicious these floods have been but as the sign below states. 'Queenslanders don't give up'.

At Last count, 20 lives have been tragically lost and 12 remain missing with grave fears for their safety. The force of this devisation has reeked havoc throught Queensland and now Victoris is also in it's grip. The total land affected by these floods is an area the size of France and Germany combined. 75% Of Queensland was flood effected.

To explain the ferocity of these floods one person's body was found 86 kilometers from where they lived.

Queenslanders have raised over 100 million dollars to aid people recovering what they have lost.

Below: The force behind these treacherous floods have caused this descrtuction to this steel railway track. No wonder so much destruction was left behind in it's path.

Above: Children have lost so much.

Above: The desperation felt by all home owners having to face this mess.

Above and Below: A few tragic pictures from Toowwoomba where the inland tsumani came so tragically quickly.

Below: This is what Brisbane normally looks like and the Brisbane River is normally an almost still body of water that gently flows along calmly.

Above: I snapped these pictures on the afternoon of Melbourne cup day last year. This is what Brisbane looks like on a beautiful clear day and it will come back bigger and stronger. These floods can take away treasured possessions but it cannot take away the spirits of the Qld. people.

Above: A sad loss for some child.AS the news spread of an impending and devistating flood that was heading our way, many people commenced removing their treasured possessions and salvage what they could.

As the tide came in so did the flood waters and our large river became even wider than normal and the descruction began.

Above: The Drift Cafe and below this is what became of it when torn from it's morrings and was sent hurtling down the river only to be destroyed as it hit one of the bridges.

Above: Typical Auzzie humor.

Below: Some stores have sold out of stock and have not been able to replenish thier supplies.

Above: This shopping centre after the flood and below, what it normally looks like.

Above: Suncorp stadium. Water was up to the third row of seats and the grass had only been laid three weeks pria to this in readyness to the start of footy season.

Above: It has been very cruel to constantly hear news of all the rubbish that has to taken away and used as landfill. I know this has to be the case but it sounds terrible to hear it called rubbish when in your heart you know that this 'rubbish' was only yesterday, people's loved and treasured possessions which must have taken a lifetime to accumulate.

An office destroyed and you can clearly see the water mark where this dirty water reached.

Salvation Saturday was an apt description for Sat.15th January 2011.

The call went out through all the media for volunteers to sign on and help clean up. They uderestimated the goodness of Queesnland's generosity. Over 20.000 people rolled up to sign on. Some had to be turned away as the numbers grew.

Jimmy just rolled up on Friday and Saturday to help. Renae and Craig went on Saturday. They just went to areas that were seen on T.V and helped any house that needed to be cleaned. Troy baked a few batches of biscuits and Elise, Troy, Savanna, Blake and Taleea deliverd the goodies to SES headquaters to help feed the volunteers. Elise enrolled in Save the Childrens organisation and was given shifts to help look after and entertain children.

There were many people bringing food and cold drinks for the masses of volunteers and they were placing the food in their mouths because their hands were covered in mud. Everybody was warned by media that the mud contained much bacteria and that they should come and help wearing long sleeved shirts, long pants, hats, broom/spade and bucket.

SUNDAY MUDDY SUNDAY

On Sunday 16th January 50.000 volunteers showed up at designated meeting areas throughout Brisbane. They were bused into areas that still needed cleaning up.

Jimmy tells me that the army of helpers went throughout the houses and cleaned up all goods from homes with the owners approval and the trucks would come and take it away. There was no room to park nearby therfore the volunteers who drove themselvs had to walk a fair distance but many did just that.

When I drove Elise to her area it was amazing to see people in our area walking with hats, brooms and buckets on their way to help with the cleanup. WE don't even live near these unfortanuate areas. WE have heard that people came from interstate and even New Zealand. Just amazing.

The volunteer army at work and have now been named 'The Mud Army.'

Just so proud to be a Queenslander and especially proud of my beautiful helpfull, thoughtful family who chipped in to do their bit.

Savanna and Blake phoned Jimmy on Friday night when they heard that Grandad had helped with the clean up. Savanna said, "Grandad, I'm so proud of you for helping people even people you didn't know" Blake followed with the same sentiments.

Above: This sceen demonstrates the Queensland fighting spirit through disastrous circmstances.

The Queesnland Flag hanging proudly behind the loss of destroyed personal possessions.

We can always replace possessions but we can never replace lives.

For all who have lost so much, you are all in our prays aspecially for the families of loved ones lost in this tragedy.

For lives lost, we ask God to take their souls and keep them close to him.