NITV Radio’s Kerri-Lee spoke with Melanie Lavelle-Maloney is a Githabul woman of the Bundjalung nation in Northern New South Wales and living at Labrador Queensland (located approximately 70kms south of Brisbane).
Melanie describes last night in the storm and as Tropical Cyclone was approaching last night “The wind was terrifying last night, it started about 7pm and got worse as the night progressed and then losing electricity and then internet”. Melanie said to NITV Radio.
So how are Melanie’s family and friends waking up today? Melanie is concerned “My poor family in Northern Rivers in Lismore and Ballina and surrounds, they are just so traumatised since the 2022 floods down there. Some of them were rescued (2022) and they thought they were going to lose their lives as the water was up to their chins. And now they have to go through this again and some of those have evacuated, some of them haven’t as they are staying with their pets until such time as they really need to go”.
On this Saturday after TC Cyclone has hit landfall in Queensland, Melanie continues to remain calm despite the serious weather event unfolding and is still feeling very worried and concerned about her own mob, her family back down in NSW and at home on country as Melanie expressed to NITV Radio “It is terrible and my heart goes out to all my relations and families and friends down in that Northern Rivers district, it’s just tragic it really is”.
