Latest news with #ManningRiver
ABC News
27-05-2025
- Business
- ABC News
Before and after images of NSW floods show impact on farmland across the state
Specialised imagery equipment fitted to planes flying over flood-impacted NSW show the devastating impact the Mid North Coast floods have had on the state's farmland. Australian location intelligence firm Nearmap took the photos using plane-attached cameras, in order to produce more detailed pictures than what is typically possible with satellite imagery. M'Shenda Turner, the company's senior director of survey and geospatial content operations, said the flooding was "one of the most severe weather events we've seen in NSW in recent years". "Entire communities have been cut off, and the scale of the damage is staggering," she says. "These imagery and insights give us a powerful way to help emergency services, insurers and local councils understand exactly what they're facing on the ground. "In moments like this, fast, clear information is everything — it helps guide critical decisions, prioritise support, and ultimately, speed up the path to recovery for the impacted communities." You can take a look at before and after images using the sliders below. (Source: Location intelligence by Nearmap). Taree was one of the worst-hit areas along the mid-north coast, copping five times its annual rainfall in a matter of days. The mid-coast town experienced record-breaking floods in what has been described by authorities as a one-in-100-year weather event. The Manning River flooded at a level never seen before at Taree, surpassing the 1929 record of 6 metres. The river only fell below flood levels on Saturday afternoon. Bordered by the Manning river, residents in Ghinni Ghinni, Oxley Island, Jones Island, Dumaresq Island, Coopernook, Glenthorne and Moto were forced to evacuate or isolate, as authorities issued emergency-level warnings. Emergency workers performed at least 765 flood rescues in the Mid North Coast and Hunter regions. Five people have been killed in the region during the floods and an estimated 12,000 people are still isolated. Helicopters airdropped medical and food supplies, including animal feed to farmers and residents across the region. An estimated 1,200 businesses and homes remain without power across the Mid North Coast, but supplies were starting to arrive in the region after all lanes of the Pacific Motorway near Taree were reopened over the weekend. As homes faced inundation and tens of thousands of people were cut off from supplies and escape routes, key coastal roads were also severed. At least 10,000 properties may have been damaged in the floods, authorities estimate. As residents count the costs of the damage and mourn those who have died, farmers also grieve the lost of livestock swept away. Helicopters were used to fly fodder into affected areas and rescue large animals. There have also been reports of an estimated 1,000 livestock deaths. This toll is expected to rise. It is not unusual for huge swathes of farmland across the region to flood but farmers have described the conditions as diabolical. Barrington dairy farmer James McRae told the ABC the feed situation would worsen over the next two months of winter. "We are going to lose quite a lot of pasture this year and if it stays wet, it's going to be really hard to get that pasture re-sown before the cold weather," he said. Farmers across the NSW North Coast have reported damages of $17 million as they continue to take stock of the impact of ex-Tropical Cyclone Alfred. Townships Heatherbrae, Woodberry, Tarro and Raymond Terrance are surrounded by the Hunter River, which experienced flooding last week. While the worst of the weather appears to be behind the region, many towns are still cut off by the waters, with warnings still in place. Authorities have warned residents near the flood zone to download the Hazards Near Me app and follow any emergency broadcasts. As floodwaters recede, more than 600 people have joined a community recovery group to help clean up affected homes on the NSW Mid-coast. The state's peak farm body is encouraging flood affected farmers to access the support services available to assist as recovery efforts begin across the Hunter and Mid North Coast. NSW Farmers President Xavier Martin said emergency fodder, veterinary support and a range of other services could be accessed from state government authorities by farmers dealing with the effects of the major flood event. "We know farmers did everything they could to prepare for this disaster, but the reality is these floods have left colossal damage and devastation in their wake," Mr Martin said.
News.com.au
27-05-2025
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Massive reduction across Australia': Farmers devastated by floods and drought as milk shortage looms
Australians may soon be paying more for a litre of milk at the shops, as dairy farmers look to rebuild following the devastating floods which have swept across northern NSW. The dairy industry has warned entire herds of cattle have been lost in the floods as well as fences, machinery and other infrastructure required to keep a farm operational, which could have an impact on prices. Livestock were washed away as the Manning River rose to record levels, while farmers on the Belmore River described the conditions as diabolic. EastAusmilk chief executive Eric Danzi warned the first time many Australians see the devastation of the floods would be when they go to their local supermarket. 'There is going to be a real shortage of milk and products,' he told 2GB. 'How that plays through to consumers I don't know.' 'Between the floods now, ex- Cyclone Alfred and the drought in South Australia as well as Victoria you're going to have a massive reduction in milk production across Australia.' Mr Danzi said the widespread carnage means many farmers are coming home to empty land with their livestock swept into the ocean. 'Most farmers on the mid north coast have been absolutely devastated by floods. There's 100 odd farmers in that area and I think half of them will be struggling with losses of half a million (dollars) if not a lot more,' Mr Danzi said. The same producers impacted by the recent floods were also hit by ex-cyclone Alfred in March, which caused considerable damage to Australian farms in northern NSW. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese visited the mid-north coast on Tuesday, as authorities revealed the downpour had left more than 5,000 properties damaged and 794 uninhabitable. Mr Albanese said the mid-north coast floods would have a considerable effect on the dairy industry 'right throughout Australia,' in addition to the impact on homes and residents. 'It is a point that while there are people who are directly affected here, every Australian is affected as well, by the fact that we've had a loss of dairy industries that will have an impact right throughout Australia,' he said. NSW Farmers president Xavier Martin urged farmers to not 'fight floods alone' with support available to help them get back on their feet. 'We know farmers did everything they could to prepare for this disaster, but the reality is these floods have left colossal damage and devastation in their wake,' Mr Martin said. 'Dreadful connectivity has made it very difficult for many to stay in touch, but there is real help available and please don't hesitate to reach out for support when you can. Mr Martin said the NSW Agriculture and Animal Services Hotline was up and running to provide emergency assistance with livestock and animals, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, as well as Local Land Services, are sharing what support is available via their social media channels. 'Local Evacuation Centres are also open to provide emergency accommodation, food and social support, and Recovery Centres have opened today as a one-stop shop for all flood resources and assistance in this time.' At the peak of the flood, 50,000 people were isolated from their homes. As of Tuesday more than 10,000 Australians remain cut off. A further five Australians have so far been reported to have died during the floods. The Prime Minister announced on Monday Australian Defence Force personnel had been called in to help with the clean up effort. Mr Martin said mental health services were readily available to help farmers in need. 'Lifeline is on 13 11 14 for crisis support any time, and we have a whole host of other mental health services on the NSW Farmers website that are here to help at this time,' he said. 'While many are only just beginning to assess the full extent of the damage, we know communities will need all the help we can get to recover from this – so stay safe, look out for each other, and together, we'll get through this.'
ABC News
25-05-2025
- Climate
- ABC News
'A monumental flood': NSW Mid North Coast farmer says more help is needed
Authorities fear at least 10,000 homes and businesses impacted on the NSW Mid North Coast have been destroyed, or seriously damaged as the flood clean-up begins. About 3,300 damaged properties have so far been assessed and more than 500 of those have been declared uninhabitable and unsafe, with the number expected to rise. Today the clean up in the region continues.. its back breaking and heartbreaking work One man who's got a big job on his hand is Wade Death.. his family farm lies on the Manning River just outside Taree and its been wiped out by the flooding. He told ABC NewsRadio's Sarah Morice how high the water got his farm and what damage its done.
Jordan Times
24-05-2025
- Climate
- Jordan Times
Thousands remain isolated as floods ease in eastern Australia
A resident visits a waterlogged motorcycle showroom on the banks of the Manning River in Taree on May 23, 2025 (AFP photo) SYDNEY — Tens of thousands of Australians remained isolated and thousands were without power on Saturday, authorities said as conditions in New South Wales eased after days of heavy rain that caused widespread flooding. Floodwaters were slowly subsiding but more than 20 emergency warnings remained in place, with the focus shifting to assessing properties and delivering supplies to cut-off communities. NSW emergency authorities estimated up to 10,000 properties had been damaged by flooding, mostly in central and northern parts of the state. Many communities were still isolated, with 50,000 people estimated to be impacted, NSW State Emergency Services (SES) said. "We will continue to resupply those isolated residents by land, water and air as part of our multi-agency response," SES Chief Superintendent Paul McQueen said. "We ask you to be patient, remain in a safe location and please don't be tempted to drive through floodwaters or go sightseeing." The death toll stood at five after the body of a man in his 80s was found at a property near Taree, one of the worst-hit towns. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was unable to visit Taree, as planned, because of treacherous access. "Conditions remain critical with flood and evacuation warnings in place," Albanese said on X. "We're continuing to work closely across federal, state and local governments to make sure Australians get the support they need now and through recovery." More than 600 flood rescues were carried out over the previous three days, prompting NSW Premier Chris Minns to praise the work of emergency services. "We would have had hundreds of deaths if it wasn't for the bravery, the courage of emergency service workers in the last 72 hours," he told journalists. SES deputy commissioner Daniel Austin said he expected the number of warnings to decrease over the weekend but urged motorists to avoid driving in floodwaters. He said stagnant water posed a health risk and that vermin and snakes could make their way into homes. The storms dumped more than six months' worth of rain over three days, according to the government weather bureau, smashing records in some areas. Although difficult to link to specific disasters, scientists warn that climate change is already fuelling more extreme weather patterns. Page 2
The Guardian
23-05-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
‘Destruction everywhere': Taree cleanup begins as NSW floods reignite inter-agency tensions
For the second time in just four years, Michele Bennett has lost pretty much everything. The 50-year-old returned home on Friday to find most of her belongings destroyed after a record-breaking flood engulfed her house in Croki, a tiny community north of Taree, earlier in the week. 'All the beds are gone,' she says. 'I opened the fridge to get a can of soft drink out and there was two foot of water in the veggie crisper. 'It's two inches of water right through the house. The washing machine – everything's pretty well gone.' Bennett and her partner, Mario Agus, sheltered with their 96-year-old neighbour, whose house is on higher ground, as a coastal trough inundated the New South Wales mid-north coast and Hunter regions. Five people have died. Another 50,000 are isolated. In Taree, the Manning River rose to an unprecedented 6.5m, surpassing the previous record set in 1929 by half a metre. By Friday, the rain had cleared and locals were taking stock of the damage. In central Taree, people wheeled shopping trolleys full of debris down Pulteney Street, dragged soaked mattresses out of buildings and filled skip bins with mountains of rubbish. Croki, right on the Manning River between Taree and the coast, was also badly affected. Many residents, still recovering from serious flooding in 2021, couldn't afford rising premiums and were uninsured for flood damage this time around, Bennett says. She and Agus are among them; faced with a $30,000 premium, they had to opt out. 'We'll just have to start saving and buying the essentials as we need them [and] just sort of start again, basically,' Bennett says. 'Everyone in the community has been a bit flat … but at the same time, you've got to look at the good in life. We are all safe, we are dry, and we all have each other.' 'This morning there was a beautiful rainbow. I'm not sure if Mother Nature was playing tricks with us or not, but it was fantastic.' Bennett says the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) volunteers have been 'really good'. One dropped off a gas bottle for someone who was out, another came round with a Webster pack for her elderly neighbour. Out on the flood plain, Ian Sharp said he and his nephew were trying to feed a 250-head of cattle on a 'massive' dairy farm that had been 'just destroyed'. Some farmers were forced to leave their cows behind to drown. 'It's dead cattle and destruction and debris everywhere,' Sharp says. 'Like, high water's high water, but it's what it does to people's livelihoods [that] is the devastating part of it.' Sharp, an oyster farmer, and another oyster farming family from the area rescued dozens of people and their pets earlier in the week. In terrible weather, they steered their oyster punts down the submerged streets using Google Maps to work out where the roads would have been. 'We rescued some older people that were just absolutely in shock. They had no idea where they were going to go and what was going to happen to them,' Sharp says. 'We were helping these people get in boats and with their dogs and their medication and an overnight bag and all that sort of stuff.' Sharp is critical of the SES, the volunteer organisation which is the lead agency in responding to floods. The other oyster farmers rescued many people from Dumaresq Island including a family of six that was stranded, said another farmer, Ian Crisp. He claims SES volunteers on the ground told the oyster farmers they weren't allowed to put the family of six in their boat until they 'got permission from command'. The SES strongly disputes this claim 'The NSW SES does not require flood rescue crews to seek approval … before allowing community members into boats,' a spokesperson for the agency says. 'In a lot of cases members responding to incidents have encountered others needing rescue along the way and have picked them up.' The floods have reignited long-running tensions between the SES and the firefighters union, who have pushed for Fire and Rescue NSW (FRNSW) to take over as the lead agency for all disaster responses. 'For years we have campaigned for the lead combat agency for large-scale emergency events of this nature to be allocated only to professional agencies with trained operators ready to respond,' the Fire Brigade Employees Union wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday. In the same post, the FBEU claimed its members were being 'left to sit on their hands while SES members struggle to turn out with adequate crewing'. The FBEU declined to comment further when contacted by Guardian Australia. FRNSW also declined to comment. One Taree resident, Val Schaefer, believes some of the response could have been better coordinated. Her partner, who is a retained firefighter with FRNSW, had to assist in evacuating aged-care residents from the Bushland Care units with rubber rafts at 3am on Wednesday. 'They talk about pre-deploying assets? We couldn't get our heads around why they didn't pre-evacuate the aged-care residents,' she says. A NSW SES spokesperson said it commenced a coordinated response on 14 May and has been working closely alongside all partner agencies, including FRNSW, since then. They rejected any suggestion that the SES could not cope with the number of calls. 'At no time during this recent flooding event has the NSW SES exceeded its capacity … for call taking,' they said. 'The NSW SES has answered over 12,000 calls since the start of this event, with the average speed of answer being sixty-two seconds.' The SES says it has more than 11,400 volunteers and the number is growing. 'Since the beginning of this flooding event, the NSW SES and partner agencies have responded to nearly 7,000 incidents, including over 700 flood rescues,' a spokesperson said. The emergency services minister, Jihad Dib, says 'there are always things that can be improved' and reflected upon, but he had confidence in the SES remaining the lead agency for this kind of disaster. 'This is a professional outfit that is doing an extraordinary job,' he told Guardian Australia. 'It's a longstanding and known fact that the FBEU would think paid firefighters should be replacing volunteers. 'They think they could do what the volunteers could do, and I don't know that the capacity is there.' Dib said the government had invested 'quite heavily' in flood rescue capability and worked hard to improve the way different emergency services coordinate their responses to disasters, following the catastrophic northern rivers floods of 2022. 'I want a situation where all of our emergency services respect one another. I'm seeing it on the ground,' he says. 'In the worst of times we see the best of people. I'm seeing that.' Schaefer says seeing her beloved Taree underwater made her 'just want to cry'. People have been cooking meals for one another and offering each other hay and rescuing cows that have washed up on the beach, she says. 'There's so much kindness in our community, she says. 'But they're also sad.'
