A Lismore man has warmed hearts with his optimistic outlook in the face of “unprecedented” local flooding.
“Good to see some rain, though,” he said cheerfully as he embarked a rescue boat on the Wilsons River near Bruxner Highway Bridge.
John, 86, boarded the boat with hisxjmtzyw wife and was interviewed by 7 News reporters, who appeared surprised by his unflappable personality.
He swiftly pointed out beyond a stretch of murky waters towards his residence of 56 years, where the couple have weathered their fair share of floods.
“After the second week you’re not too bad,” he said, remaining positive about the community’s resilience after a number of historical flood events.
The couple had been patiently awaiting a rescue boat since 9am, but spoke glowingly of the SES volunteers working hard across northern NSW to save people from floods.
“These fellas were too busy to get to us, but they do a wonderful job, don’t you think?” he told 7 News.
The Wilsons River has exceeded both the 1954 and 1974 peak flood levels by more than two metres, with floodwaters reaching 14.37m, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.
A total of 12 evacuation orders have affected 16,000 people in the north east, while an additional 14,000 people are awaiting updates on whether they need to evacuate.
The floods have been called “unprecedented” by NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet and are set to worsen as they move south over the course of the week.
