26-05-2025
It's the only home Judy has ever known. Now floods have destroyed it again
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
When Judy Gill returned to her beloved home at Jones Island after the record-breaking floods it was uninhabitable.
The 80-year-old, overwhelmed by what she saw, began clearing the debris from the fences.
"She was a mess," her nephew Jeff Gill told ACM, the publisher of this masthead.
"She couldn't process it. She couldn't process she wasn't going to be able to move back in."
Ms Gill suffers from dementia.
She can function, but during times of high stress becomes confused and disoriented.
Her condition has made the recent flood particularly difficult for her to comprehend.
The small rural town of Jones Island on the banks of the Manning River was battered by the recent weather event.
The river flooded at a level not seen before, surpassing the 1929 record of 5.9 metres and rising to an unprecedented 6.45 metres on May 21.
Despite the danger, Ms Gill didn't want to leave her property during the flood, which in its past life functioned as a dairy farm.
Besides, she had been through countless floods before and lived to tell the tale.
Flood waters had only entered the house one time previously during the catastrophic 2021 floods.
That time, photos, personal items and memorabilia were destroyed as well as some other belongings.
Ms Gill was also deeply worried about leaving her animals, her three cats, countless canaries and chickens.
"Her home and her animals are her life," said Mr Gill.
Eventually, she had no choice.
The speed the water rose necessitated an evacuation that was so fast she could only pack a small bag.
She was forced to leave her animals behind with basic food and water.
She's been staying with a family member in nearby Cundletown over the last couple of days.
"She isn't in a good place," said Mr Gill.
"Her house and her animals were her life," she said.
While her three cats survived, the other animals did not, leaving Ms Gill greatly distressed.
Mr Gill said his aunt has lived at her Jones Island property her whole life.
She worked in Taree at the RSL before spending years caring for her sick mother, who needed full-time care, and died around 10 years ago at age 103.
She never married. As a pensioner, she learnt to live frugally.
For many years, she was a volunteer at the local fire service.
"Judith has never asked for much," Mr Gill said.
"She was always looking out for others, now we are asking for help for her because we know she won't ask herself."
The family has launched a GoFundMe fundraiser in the hope of restoring her property.
Funds will go directly to restoring, clearing, cleaning and replacing furniture, the family said.
"It's the least we could do," said Mr Gill. "She's a lovely lady."
READ MORE: Young family rescued after pleading for help from rising floodwaters
