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Helping Leaders & Teams Thrive | Workplace Wellbeing Expert | Mental Health & Strengths-Based Leadership Coach | Keynote Speaker | Ex-CEO Local Gov
The cyclone got the spotlight. The floods got the shadows. A few weeks back, Tropical Cyclone Alfred made headlines, and rightly so, cyclones are no joke. But now? Central Western & Western Queensland is drowning. Flooded. Cut off. Devastated. And where's the media coverage? Cue the crickets. I've spent nearly a decade living out west: Almost three years raising my kids in Boulia while serving as CEO of the Shire. Eight years all up in the far reaches of Central Western Queensland including as CEO of Ilfracombe Shire and Longreach Regional Council. A half year stint as Acting CEO of Diamantina just a couple of years back. I know these towns. I know these people. I've seen the resilience it takes to live out there, to build a life, and to keep going through it all. These communities aren't ones to shout for attention. They don't beg. They hunker down, help each other, and wait. But that doesn't mean they should be invisible. Consider this: Quilpie recorded 500mm, a year's worth, of rainfall in just six days. Stonehenge? 600mm. These aren't just numbers; they're lifelines submerged, livelihoods washed away. The towns of Stonehenge, Jundah, and Windorah are facing major flooding surpassing the 1974 levels. Residents in Adavale and Jundah have been evacuated by air, as have multiple properties across the west. It's staggering that we roll out saturation coverage for a cyclone we can see coming, yet completely miss the aftermath of the weather that already came through. Just because it's slower, less dramatic, less click-worthy. Less votes even? But make no mistake, this flooding is devastating. Roads are gone. Homes are waterlogged. Stock's been lost to the tune of hundreds of thousands. Supplies are dwindling. And mental health? Buckling under the weight. To those still stranded or waiting for help, I see you. I remember what it's like to be last on the list. I am thinking of you. To the rest of us, don't wait for the nightly news to tell you it matters. Out west is under water. Let's not leave them under the radar too. *What can you do? Raise Awareness: If you've got a platform, use it. Share this. Tag the outlets. Make some noise for the west, they deserve more than silence. Direct Donations: Don't just shake your head at the news void. If you've got a few bucks, consider donating to organisations like GIVIT, which is supporting recovery efforts in Queensland. Share Stories: Lived through it? Know someone who has? Drop a comment. Tell the story the headlines missed. Let's put faces and places to the flood zone. If you're in a position of influence - HR, leadership, community orgs, crisis response - now's the time to check in. I know that's what I'm doing. Local Government Association of Queensland BOULIA SHIRE COUNCIL Diamantina Shire Council Longreach Regional Council Barcoo Shire Council Winton Shire Council