Washed Away – a movie and a movement

IN the lead up to the third anniversary of the devastating 2022 Northern Rivers floods, Byron Theatre will host the feature documentary Washed Away on February 22.

The award-winning true story by Terry Webster and Stuart McKay of Free Flow Films delves into the heart of the catastrophe, illuminating a community’s courage and resilience. It is told by the people on the front line who banded together when neighbourhoods became rushing waterways and homes were submerged in many meters of water overnight.

Officialdom was hampered by red tape and a lack of resources. Scores of people were trapped in their homes, and frightened communities fended for themselves.

A group of surfers led by three-time world surfing champion Mick Fanning were the unlikely architects of Australia’s most remarkable community-powered rescue mission.

Surfer Joel Parkinson’s urgent call to Fanning sparked a six-day operation that redefined community disaster response.

Within hours, the Tweed Heads boat ramp transformed into a makeshift emergency hub, with surfers using their knowledge of water dynamics to navigate the treacherous flood waters. Fanning’s name drew the headlines, but the community of ordinary heroes that emerged lies at the heart of the film.

The community has flood fatigue, and the repair and reconstruction news seem endless. But more deeply, the inner challenges continue. Mental health emerges as a silent secondary crisis, along with housing as the hardest hit of life’s necessities.

“The waters receded, but the struggle didn’t,” Fanning said.

The film aims to be more than a movie but a movement that actively creates change. Fifty per cent of profits from screenings and streaming go towards ongoing recovery efforts through Mid Richmond Neighbourhood Centre’s Hands and Hearts project.

In an era where natural disasters are becoming more frequent, the story of community courage and everyday heroes offers hope and a blueprint for future crisis response.

At its simplest definition, Fanning echoed the thoughts of many in the community.

“That’s what we do,” he said.

“We support each other; we support our neighbours and let them know they are not forgotten.”

For more information and tickets to the screening and a post-film panel discussion, visit byroncentre.com.au/theatre-events/washed-away