Editor's Note

Hi Everyone,

I am writing this Editor’s Note from Mackay where I have been ‘stranded’ for the past four days, working to get this newspaper to print while my five-year-old son asks seemingly endless questions about Minecraft, and other subjects I know nothing about!

A particular highlight was Monday morning when I was talking to our local Member for Whitsundays, Amanda Camm, and he kept interrupting because he really wanted me to peel him a pear!

Fortunately, she was understanding, and his interruption only brief.

Since then, we have reached an agreement – no talking to mummy when she is on the phone.

Despite the challenges it has been nice spending this last week of school holidays with him and, as we have been ‘stranded’ at my partner’s house, we have been very comfortable.

Sadly, many others affected by the flooding have not been as comfortable – hundreds of travellers have been forced to stay at local shelters, emergency services have been working around the clock and Mayor Julie Hall told me on Tuesday that she had just slept the night in her office.

While the flooding illustrates some of the worst that nature can deliver, it has also shown us some of the best in our human nature.

Over the past week there have been almost too many stories to tell about the kindness of individuals, volunteers, emergency service personnel and Council staff rallying around to help those affected by the floods.

We have included a few of them here in a special extended Good Deed Feed which highlights the amazing service provided by the Local Disaster Coordination Centres.

Stay safe,

Rach

Quote of the Week “If you cannot feed a hundred people then just feed one” (Mother Theresa)

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