Parkes Phoenix Editor

AN ARMY OF VOLUNTEERS… The ADF and loads more volunteers helped out at Forbes Public School on Tuesday, while the students have been accommodated at Forbes High School. Right: Principal Meg Staples had a huge task managing the clean-up.

As the flood water started receding this week Forbes started the mammoth task of cleaning up for the second time in two weeks.

A horror picture of the devastation and destruction were unfolding with everything covered in mud and debris, but fortunately the pure determination and grit of the community did not wash away.

“It is all a bit overwhelming,” said Forbes Public School principal Meg Staples on Tuesday still managing a smile as she managed over 100 volunteers, including parents, teachers, ADF, RFS and Forbes Shire Council volunteers.

“We prepared really well,” she said, after the school was inundated only 11 days earlier, but it was still a huge task to get about 17 rooms, including the front office, kindergarten classroom, toilets and library, cleared and deep cleaned. Carpets and nails had to be removed, floors, walls and halls washed and everything sorted.

“All the support has been absolutely fantastic,” said Meg looking at the beehive of activity to get the school ready for the kids to return as soon as possible.

The same intensity of activity was seen all over town at businesses, sport clubs and private homes. “We did not lose anything really valuable, but there is so much cleaning to be done,” said Rex Barton at the Forbes Historical Museum. He was very grateful for the help they had received from the ADF and RFS on Monday.

“The old pieces of furniture have done really well, but we have some display cabinets damaged as the water came up to about half a metre right through the museum and higher in the back rooms.” 

The plan is to only reopen next year to give the volunteers enough time to get it all back to normal. 

Ken South was helping at the Forbes Vet Clinic where his wife Sue Brown works. The clinic had moved to temporary accommodation to continue its work. “There’s been some losses, but not as much as some other businesses,” said Ken. “Everyone has been so terrific in coming to help, including the ADF and RFS.” 

Forbes resident Peter Walsh also had some assistance from the RFS on Tuesday to wash all the mud from his partner’s house in Renfree Street. “This flood just beat us. For pensioners the loss is just devastating.” 

Peter said although they had prepared really well, things like the kitchen and bathroom cupboards would still need to be replaced. “There is a lot of assistance offered to farmers and businesses, but I’m not sure what is on offer to us.” 

Despite all the mud and damage, Peter was happy to see the return of frogs in the garden. “We’ve not had them for years, and we found some crayfish in the house!”

FLOOD RAVAGED… The Billabong Creek bridge on the Orange road suffered severe damage as flood waters raged over it on Monday morning. Only one lane of traffic is allowed across the bridge at the moment. (Photo: NSW RFS- Parkes HQ Brigade)

A shock wave rippled through the community of Parkes on Monday as the extent of the worst flood to ever hit the town unfolded.

Torrential rain across the Central West on Sunday with 106mm measured at the Parkes airport created conditions for a ‘freak flood’ which inundated hundreds of homes. Residents on both sides of Billabong Creek and further away towards Kelly Road woke up around 4:30am with water running through their homes.

All the main roads into Parkes were closed on Monday and the town was cut in two as the Billabong Creek bridge on the Orange road was severely damaged. Emergency services were only able to reach flood affected residents by Monday night.

With water gushing 1.7m over the Lake Endeavour spillway, and every other little creek feeding into it filled to capacity, the 4m water marker at the creek crossing on the Eugowra road was completely submerged. The water spread far over the creek banks creating flood plains in places people would never have imagined in their wildest dreams it would get flooded. A resident who had just built a new home on Emerton Road said the water came about 1.5m higher than the one in 100-year flood event level.

Many homes along Nash Street were also inundated and parts of the road was closed because of flooding.

Parkes Shire Mayor Ken Keith said the devastation was unbelievable. He praised the community for the kindness shown in helping each other saying it was really inspiring.