As floodwaters rose at distressing speed across the city of Lismore on February 28, Brad Eyre
knew what he had to do.
The Southern Cross University academic and leading researcher hooked his tinny up to the
university ute and took to the flooded streets. More than 50 rescues later, he had done his small
part to respond to a natural disaster of Biblical proportions. Similarly lecturer Aiden Ricketts
selflessly ferried more than 15 neighbours to safety fully realising his own home was being
inundated.
Both men would be awkward about being singled out in a community-wide response that
displayed urgency, compassion and resilience as the fatal floods devastated the Northern Rivers
region, especially the city of Lismore where previous records for flood heights were smashed by
the wrath of the 2022 deluge.
More than 3000 rescues were undertaken by dozens of boats and helicopters.
The individual stories of two academics are repeated a hundredfold, and institutionally Southern
Cross University has become a centrepiece in the rescue and recovery efforts across the region.
At the height of the emergency, Southern Cross, a national leader in marine science, deployed its
six research vessels for flood rescue.
The University’s Lismore campus was designated as the primary emergency evacuation centre,
with more than 1000 people gathered there at one stage. The first night was chaotic. A deluge
was still falling from the sky, with no power, no lights and hundreds of scared people.
But they were safe. The high ground of the East Lismore campus and the dry floors of the sports
hall providing desperate sanctuary.
Within 24 hours, the evacuation centre was home to not only hundreds of people but pet dogs,
cats, birds, mice and even a snake. Of course, a mobile vet was called in to help out.
And for humans, the campus medical clinic switched its focus from student-led learning to
emergency medical care for flood evacuees.
With shelter and first aid secured, the focus turned to food. Emergency supplies came from every
corner of the community, distributed by volunteers, many of them Southern Cross staff and
students who simply turned up to help.
One of the most endearing stories of the disaster was the Sikh Volunteers Australia driving from
Melbourne to use the campus UniBar kitchen to cook hundreds of meals and feed the mud army
as the clean-up began.
Defence Force Blackhawk helicopters buzzed in and out of the Southern Cross rugby ovals,
dropping off evacuees or picking up supplies.
With each passing day, the campus became more attuned to the immediate needs of the Lismore
community, facilitating the establishment of five hubs run by key agencies looking to meet the
more medium-term challenges for the a region wanting to recalibrate, punch-drunk from
nature’s king hit.
• A business recovery hub, led by Business NSW, was set up within days to provide business
advice.
• A community volunteers hub gave Resilient Lismore a base from which to co-ordinate
community action that we all know will take months more, distributing resources like PPE and
cleaning equipment that have been sent from across the nation.
• A legal hub is providing clear and sound support for individuals and business about their
insurance, tenancy, disrupted court and other legal proceedings.
• An ADF hub that has enabled the first response of 150 troops tasked with retrieval and cleanup operations across Lismore, while also providing them with accommodation at the campus
Enterprise Lab.
• A banking Hub on campus to enable financial transactions, providing cash to evacuees for the
first time since the flood put most ATMs under water.
Dozens more calls are coming in from businesses, high schools, primary schools, childcare
centres. “How can we help?” is the only response possible. It has resulted in Southern Cross
providing technical and IT infrastructure support to mobilise a community matching service to
allow loved ones to find family members. It may well mean that displaced high school students
will find themselves back in class quickly – but on the university campus, while their school is
rebuilt.
And further south, where floodwaters threatened the mid north coast oyster industry, the
university’s National Marine Science Centre was able to house three million oyster babies for all
flood affected commercial farmers in the area, meaning their livelihood literally survived.
It came from another “how can we help” conversation. As did the relocation of the offices of
federal MP Kevin Hogan and NSW state MP Janelle Saffin onto the campus.
University staff and students have been hit hard, several losing their homes, their cars or all their
belongings. One staff member’s parents had their Ballina home flooded and Lismore business
submerged. Another lost everything. Another had his brother-in-law plucked from a rooftop.
Two others are saying they are lucky because only the first floor was destroyed. The second floor
of their house remained dry. The stories of loss, miracles and escape abound among the staff.
That is why they rally so quickly to help. They volunteer, they scrub mud, they house colleagues
who are impacted. And the university has granted anyone who needs it up to 10 days of special
leave to deal with the clean up, to volunteer and help if they can.
A student hardship fund has been established to assist students in need and the call has gone out
to alumni and partners to support a fundraising appeal directly for students.
The filthy water is subsiding. The harrowing images of tearful homeowners are disappearing
from the news feeds. But the recovery remains. It is long-term.
So too is Southern Cross University. It is staying the course as the glue holding everything
together at the moment.
It’s a role not mentioned in its Founding Act, not part of the higher education regulator’s
assessment criteria, and not clearly defined in the rules of progression. But it is a role that is
central to the university’s purpose, to its soul and to its community.
Dean Gould is the chief marketing officer at Southern Cross University.
