A Mount Isa company has seen the destruction of cyclone Debbie first hand while delivering much needed supplies to Airlie Beach this week.
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ADG Corporation asked locals for donations of bottled water, canned food, insect repellent, bedding, and pet food.
The journey by truck took 12 hours due to the generous load.
Once they arrived on the coast, Doug Gage and Matt McKeown described the scene as ‘devastating’.
“We were driving down the coast from Townsville, and once we started to get towards Bowen you could see the damage,” Doug said.
“Airlie Beach itself was absolutely devastated, and every kilometre you drove, it got worse and worse.
“Not a fence standing, trees on top of houses, still, not a tree in the area with a leaf on it, powerlines down, power poles at nearly 45 degree angles,” he said.
Doug said it was hard to imagine what it was like on the islands, which would have bore the full brunt of the cyclone.
On arrival in Proserpine they met with the mayor to distribute supplies, then moved on to Airlie Beach.
Late on Tuesday night SES volunteers gratefully received the goods and gave some idea of how desperate people were.
“They told us there had been fights at the local BP for people trying to get water, and they had to call the police in,” Doug said.
“There are a lot of people in serious need over there.”
On Wednesday at 9am SES communicated that they had food, water, and clothing, and by 11am it was all gone, said Doug.
“They were absolutely gobsmacked that people came all the way out from Mount Isa to answer the need,” Doug said.
“It was pretty fascinating and surreal, the response was sensational, honestly.”
Many locals said they had only just got their water back, and were hoping to have power by the end of the week.
“The power that they’re setting up isn’t the lines being re-run, it’s all being run off generators on the side of the road,” Doug said.
”They told us it would be two to three months before the actual electric system is set up, fully and completely,” he said.
It sounds like forever but seeing the destruction, Doug said a few months would be ‘impressive’.
While things like food and water remain essential, locals will need physical help in the months to come, said Doug.
“What they’re going to need is hands and bodies and help – the amount of debris down there is just unfathomable,” Doug said.
The crew thanked local businesses and the Mount Isa community for their generous response.
The people of Airlie were so grateful that Doug and Matt had half a dozen invitations to stay, despite many homes having no power or water.
ADG owner Anthony Facelli also travelled to Townsville and bought $1000 worth of shovels, rakes, batteries, and bug spray when he arrived.
Mount Isa businesses pitched in with other supplies, including Woolworths, Bunnings, Mount Isa Furniture and Bedding, and Meteor trailer hire.
Glencore and Mount Isa Copper operations donated $2000 worth of gloves and gumboots..
