Village rallies for big clean-up

A huge community clean-up operation has been under way at Mango Hill Village following the biggest floods many have seen in the area.

On Sunday, water levels rose to 1.6 metres around Mango Hill Community Hall and inundated a number of houses in streets nearby.

The hall has been cleaned inside and is drying, while volunteers have washed dirt from the tennis court and are starting on the basketball court.

Several neighbouring houses have had to throw everything out onto the streets. One family said their house was “unsafe for children” following the flood.

Highest seen

“These were definitely highest water levels I’ve seen,” Laurence Christie, President of the Mango Hill Progress Association, said.

“I wasn’t around in the ’74 floods. The highest before this was May 1, 2015. This time the height has gone up a third …. 150mm.

“There has been damage, but we have been fortunate.

"The hall is safe, water went through all the cupboards and there was dirt everywhere, but mainly just clean-up stuff.

“The response from people has been magnificent. We have North Lakes Lions here, people bringing their own equipment down. It's good team work right across the board.

“We hope to have all the physical work done by Friday and get the area officially opened, but be operational next week.”

'Have to leave'

Tiana Reeve and her family, who live in Mary St West, have already cleared skips full of debris after water poured in.

“Sunday lunchtime it came and didn’t stop,” she said, “a stormwater drain burst, we had sewage in backyard.

“That’s why we’ve had to get rid of most of our stuff. It has been affected by sewage water.

“We have to leave. We have children, it stinks. We can’t stay here. It’s not safe for them here.

“We have booked a cabin for the next five days and will work it out from there … looking for the silver lining somewhere.”