It’s coming up to the 5th Anniversary of Cyclone Yasi.
This was our cyclone night.
But you know it’s not what I choose to remember. . . for me it will always be the community spirit afterwards.
I was compelled to photograph and video this recovery process – both in nature and community, and compiled it into a book, which is now also an ebook.
I spent time as a guest blogger for ABC Open, and learnt what it is to write and tell stories from the community, for the community – an experience I will never forget.
More about After Yasi EBOOK
Five years on from Cyclone Yasi, and I am about to launch a kickstarter for a book of poetry Magic Fish Dreaming for children and family celebrating the very area the cyclone made a huge impact on, the Cassowary Coast.
Two of my children are in senior school, one is going into second year.
We all live in Brisbane now, and are really starting to feel like part of the Brisbane community. My husband is still a science teacher but at a different highschool.
We ask after our friends in Tully, but many are down here as students now, and many have moved away.
The one thing that will always unite us is the shared experience of the night and the recovery process and the unspoken realisation that you must always actively care for your family, before, during and after such events.
Sadly some of the families and couples we knew, and many businesses in the local area, did not stay together, but nevertheless those involved have found strength to move on with their lives and rebuild.
May they find peace and happiness, and for all those who were able to give others strength and keep your family, farms and businesses together, good on you.
Although it is true nobody died as a direct result of the cyclone, the untold story of anyone going through a natural disaster is the social and economic impact made on their lives afterwards by such events. Australia is very blessed to have many charity and emergency services as well as funds from governments put towards this recovery process.
Such events challenge people to consider what the real priorities in their life are, and for some, like one dear friend I know currently doing a lot of work in the Philippines, they rise to another level of courage and strength to empower others.
I will always remember the Cassowary Coastal community, its peoples, and natural environment with the greatest affection and happiness.
You can purchase the ebook of After Yasi HERE
or HERE
For the hard cover book HARD COVER and PDF
For the soft cover SOFT COVER
