From ruin to resilience: new book tells the story of flood recovery

A NEW book has captured the inspiring stories of resilience and recovery following the devastating 2022 floods.

Turning the Tide, co-written by former Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond president Colin Lee and journalist Christine McNeil, documents the efforts of Rotarians, tradies, and volunteers who played a vital role in the disaster response.

“I was encouraged to write Turning the Tide as a historical book for Ballina for many years in the future,” Lee said.

“Being a local I have read a number of books about Ballina’s early history, and I felt that a story capturing the events surrounding the greatest natural disaster on the Northern Rivers of NSW must be recorded and written.”

The book covers the five-stage program the Rotary Club provided for more than two years from the first days of the floods, including helping with evacuations, cleaning houses, fundraising and distributing $500 voucher packs to flood-affected residents in Ballina and parts of the Richmond Valley Shire.

Members also provided food for residents in Wardell and Broadwater and the army seven days a week for almost two months and ran large, free events in Broadwater, Woodburn, Wardell and Ballina for flood survivors to help get communities back together.

After the floods they raised money, erected and fitted out 40 temporary homes for people whose houses were either destroyed or rendered unlivable after the floods.

“The book tells of the trauma we experienced for flood-affected residents across the area and the challenges and adversities we faced in providing help and support to thousands of residents we assisted during our flood recovery project,” Lee said. “It also explains the amazing resilience, unselfishness and courage displayed by people who had lost everything.”

Profits will go to Ballina Hot Meal Centre and the Rotary Club of Ballina-on-Richmond.

Copies of the book are available for $20 from Wallace & Co. in Ballina, the Ballina Commonwealth Bank branch, 101.9 Paradise FM, Ballina Maritime Museum or by phoning Colin Lee on 0417 862 602.