May 2022. Worst floods in one hundred years. Six weeks of torrential rain.


Toby pulled hard on his leash, and it snapped. Heather screamed as Toby slid down the bank into the floodwaters.
She called and called and then got too close to the muddy bank and she also slid into the raging Mary River.


The swift water rescue boats were busy rescuing drivers from the roofs of their sinking cars. All causeways had signage 'IF IT's FLOODED FORGET IT'. Drivers obviously thought better and tried to cross the raging torrent; swept into the swirling waters they made more work for the exhausted men in rescue boats.

Heather struggled with the current. Suddenly she saw a submerged tree. She slammed into it with the intensity of the current. Then she climbed painfully up as far as she could. It was a strong gum tree that would hold her weight. Her tears mingled with the rain, painful bruises and the loss of her dog was causing her to go into shock. Heather was scared now, it was pitch black and the heavy rain lashed her face. Lightning cracked and the storm was getting worse. Heather had come up from Sydney with her parents.

It was her grandma's birthday. She had never been to Queensland before. Grandma had moved from Sydney to share a rural property with her oldest nephew.


By the light coming from the search boats, Heather saw dead and dying cattle being swept out to sea. Huge logs and debris, upturned boats and many roofs of submerged houses.

The Mary River is very wide and the color of cappuccino. Large saltwater crocodiles and poisonous snakes call it home. Anyone stupid enough to swim in it wouldn't last very long.

The river's source is in the mountains and it starts as freshwater then flows as saltwater to the sea. Crocodiles can swim in either type of water.

The swift water rescue boat had high-powered lights and was searching for people in the water.

Suddenly one of the men sighted a dog clinging to an upturned boat.
"Hey, there's a dog stuck on that boat." They fought the current and headed for the boat floating sideways, half submerged.

The men grabbed Toby by the collar and hauled him on board. Exhausted and soaking wet, he licked his savior's hand.
The man wrapped Toby in a towel and put him in the bow of the boat.
"Where's your owner mate?" Toby snuggled into the man.
Continuing their sweep of the river they sighted Heather clinging to the tree. She wouldn't last much longer.

"We're going to come over and get a rope around you. Won't be able to take you in our boat, the rivers running too fast. Do you think you can tie the rope around your waist?"

"I can't hang on much longer. So tired, lost my dog."
"Don't worry, we have your dog in our boat. When you tie the rope fast around you we will run it to shore and pull you across the water. Do you understand sweetie?" She shook her head.

The boat crew caught the rope and motored towards the shore where SES men were waiting to haul Heather to safety. Three men hauled on the rope as Heather plunged into the racing torrent.
It felt like forever as she swallowed the filthy water and was dragged quickly to the safety of the shore.

Wrapped in a special aluminum material to stop the hypothermia, she held Toby in her shaking arms and kissed his loving face. The men carried Heather to her waiting parents as lightning struck the tree she had been clinging to.

"Oh, Heather, you and Toby were so lucky to be saved." Mother hugged her tight.

After a hot, sweet cup of tea, Heather stopped shaking and hugged her parents. Many people were not so lucky during the storm. Some bodies were never found, such was the ferocity of the storms and raging waters.
Many homes and properties were lost.