New mural says ‘thank you’ to the Tinnie Army

RAMEKA “Billy” Remo Wetere was emotional as he looked over the new mural in Larkin Lane, commemorating the Tinnie Army.

He was one of the many rescuers depicted in the 47m mural in Lismore’s CBD – steering a boat up the river with a dog on board.

It brings back difficult memories of what unfolded on February 28, 2022 – one of the darkest days in Lismore’s history when floods devastated the town.

Billy struggled to talk about what happened that day, and he was anxious about attending the unveiling.

He says it was “very confronting”, but was glad he came.

Billy was one of the 450 registered boaters who put their safety aside in Lismore’s darkest hour.

Between them, they rescued about 4500 people who found their lives at risk when flood waters rose 2m above the highest previous record.

There was no official call to arms. Many, like Billy, saw people in the community needed help, and they did what they could.

Billy was a fisher, so he knew his way around a boat.

He was living at Lismore Heights, and when he saw what was unfolding, he borrowed a neighbour’s boat and got to work.

By the time he was done, he’d rescued countless people during his 24 trips and saved four dogs.

“I don’t know how many people, or who they were. It doesn’t matter,”

Billy said.

“If nobody does nothing, nothing gets done.”

The Tinnie Army epitomises the Lismore spirit, and it is fitting there will be a permanent monument to what they did that day.

Over the past 12 months, the Back Alley Gallery, in partnership with Summerland Bank and The Hotel Metropole, has been developing the large-scale mural in honour of their courageous efforts.

Erica Gully is one of the project coordinators of the Back Alley Gallery.

She said the mural was the brainchild of chiropractor, and Green Innovations Awards founder, Bridie Cullinane.

“We did a lot of stringent community consultation because it’s a community project,” Ms Gully said, emphasising the mural was a celebration of the civilian rescuers, not a memorial.

She said it was important to have the mural in the CBD as it gives the community a way to say thank you to the rescuers and share memories.

They can do that by adding messages to the mural in what Erica hoped would “facilitate a healing of sorts”.

Helping Ms Gully paint the mural was her fellow co-ordinator Holly Ahern, other Back Alley Gallery artists and volunteers from all walks of life.

Dulux came on board to help with the paint.

The feedback about the mural has been overwhelmingly positive.

“Everyone who has come through the laneway as we’ve been painting has been encouraging us,” Ms Gully said.

“We’ve been really overwhelmed. A lot of people have had different emotional responses as well, but mainly pride, happiness, and reflection.”

Sally-Anne Jung from Summerland Bank said the bank was happy to support the project because they were part of the community.

“We are Lismore born and bred as well. So we have been through many floods ourselves.

“A lot of us are local, so it’s really important to have something like this to commemorate the Tinnie Army. As we know, a lot more people may have passed in that tragedy.”

Judy Arpana lived in South Lismore and was rescued on the back of a jet ski.

“I’m so pleased that it has happened, because I know a lot of the Tinnie Army didn’t feel like heroes, and they didn’t particularly want recognition,” Ms Arpana said.

“But we need to recognise them. In a way, it’s for us, the rescued.”