2019 Daintree River flooding oral history project

Billy Dunn and his wife live in remote Diwan and their home was inundated when two rivers met. His dog was washed off the verandah and swam for two days before she was found. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Clint Reynolds is the Rural Fire Brigade chief for Dagmar and helped rescue several people from the flood during the night. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

David White has operated Solar Whisper, a tourism boat on the Daintree River, for 17 years. David keeps watch over the local crocodiles. His office was flooded and he regretted that the forecast was not more accurate. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Enrico Frattin’s house at the turnoff to the Daintree Ferry was flooded and his ducks floated away. His bees drowned. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Gaye Scott lives at Upper Daintree Road overlooking the river. She is Community Liaison officer for the Douglas Shire Council. Her house was safe but she lost all communications when the Telstra tower failed. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Ian Hooper helped to rescue Jaki Turner from her flooded high-set home, floating through the tree-tops in his dinghy in the dark to find her. Together with fellow rescuers Paul Snelgrove and Dave Patterson, he was presented a Certificate of Recognition by the Queensland Fire and Emergency Services in August 2019. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Jaki Turner was trapped on the top floor of her high-set waterside house as the Daintree River rose. She had lived there for 35 years. Luckily her phone still worked then, so she called for help and was rescued. 

Peter and Sally Maher have a farm on Upper Daintree Road and own the Riverside Caravan Park in Daintree Village where two campers were evacuated at 11pm. They had never seen the river rise so quickly.

The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Jody Westbrook was managing the Daintree Eco Lodge and evacuated guests by dinghy the day after the river rose. The restaurant flooded to the tops of the windows just after dinner service and it had to close for two months to clean the kitchen and furniture. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Laurie Taylor lives alone on her cattle farm in Upper Stewart’s Creek. She was cut off by road for 13 days and was without radio coverage, electricity and phone reception.  Some of her cattle were lost. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Leon Bush is a pilot with QG Air Rescue and was tasked with his rescue officer Alaine to evacuate the Duffy family from their property ‘Tranquility’ the day after the flood. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

At the time, Paul Hoye was the Manager of Environment and Planning at the Douglas Shire Council and also the Local Disaster Co-ordinator. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Peter Ryan and Richard Stevens have owned the Daintree Tea House for 32 years but this was their biggest flood. It took a long time to get back into business after their restaurant was ruined. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Tony Duffy and Alicia Smith had just moved into the manager’s cottage at “Tranquility” when they had to be evacuated by helicopter with their three children. The interviewer is Pam Willis Burden.

Public meeting with Douglas Shire Council representatives at Daintree Village.