Cyclone Gita + Sand/Silt Damages Vehicles

With the 250mm downpour which Ex-Cyclone Gita brough us, we were going through near apocalyptic events that have left us shaken still. Our resilient community was devastated due to massive slips, on steep terrain, underneath an area which has been commercially logged. These slips brought down with them many cut logs, stumps and general scrap which subsequently wiped out large sections of native bush as they carved out a new path to the valley floor which has endangered numerous houses. It also brought with it unimaginable amounts of silt/sand/gravel with it, creating a up to a 2-metre blanket over roads, carparks and paddocks.

Our fundraiser is specifically for the repair/replacement of a caravan which got swept away in one of the flash floods, one work truck and two personal/work vehicles. This has prevented the lot of us, for the most part, from working. For most of us, we have lost our sole investments!

Unfortunately, most of the vehicles damaged will not be covered by insurance; Merv & Leena's work truck might be partly covered. As follows are the specific persons in the community and their needs (which will be updated to include others as needs become apparent):

Leena: I've been living in this community for over six years. All of my assests were damaged/destroyed by the cyclone. My caravan, massage studio & sleepout, is now jammed amongst trees and logs on the other side of the property where it came to a stop after being swept away when log jams from the forestry caused a flash flood. In addition, my car was half-buried in sand, silt and logs in the community carpark. It will need major repairs, if it is salvageable at all. The work truck I share with Merv will also be written off because of the same cause.

Merv: A long-standing member of the community, the work truck I share with Leena was destroyed with sand, silt and water making its way through the engine which has totalled the vehicle. Luckily for us, we will be able to recover our tools but will not be able to recover our livelyhoods immediately

Jessi & Inki: We were renting Leena's caravan nestled between orchards, duck ponds and native bush. While we were lucky enough to evacuate the caravan before it was carried off by flood waters, due to the course of the water being altered by the log jams our car will be written off as a result of the silt/sand which encased it during the flood. This car allows us to pursue our passions as a cave guide and professional nanny/bushskills mentor.