I am at an arts retreat called McGregor Summer School from 5th - 15th January 2011. Right in the middle of the Toowoomba flood tragedy, during Australia's "inland tsunami".
Luckily we seem to be up on a bit of a ridge here at the Uni (University of Southern Queensland), so apart from moats around the building and huge puddles, potholes, mud, lashing wind and rain, we are all ok and safe.
We all had no idea what was going on for a while until we caught the news one night. The volume of water coming out of the sky constantly here means that there are torrents and puddles everywhere as it tries to drain away. Everyone’s walking around in thongs the whole time because you can’t go ten metres without having to cross water up to your ankles and then your shoes and socks would get soaked.
The only problem I've heard is that in Kate French's clay sculpture class the clay isn't drying so every now and then the sculptures are collapsing. So really we are incredibly lucky when you see the heartache going on elsewhere.
Murray's Art & Framing, the art shop that supplies all the art materials for each class every day, has a shop in the centre of Toowoomba that was caught up in that flash flood that happened. They have a photo of the water up to the eaves! And of course the b#&%$% insurance companies refuse to insure against flood so that poor small family's business is ruined. Imagine all the art materials destroyed, let alone the framing supplies and equipment and the orignal artworks sitting in the shop!
No-one can drive out of Toowoomba at the moment so if that is still the case at the end on Saturday then rumour has it they are going to let us stay on at the college (rather than sleeping in the car!!!) I have no idea how long I will be stuck here.
Phil is stuck at home at Rancho Relaxo, dry, but the suburb of Bellbowrie is surrounded by water and the only shops inside have gone under. He is without food supplies and power's off for 5 days so luckily there are nice neighbour friends with food & generators!
POSTSCRIPT 16 Jan 2011:
Today I got out of Toowoomba and got home safely, and the 10 new (wet) oil paintings got home safely too. Bellbowrie is no longer water locked and we can get to the shops, and we have power. It is lovely to have the little family all back together again. Little burmese furball Gaia is so happy to see me again that she is miaowing and running up and down the full length of the house now that her play friend is back, I am sure if she knew how to she would wag her tail.
Luckily we seem to be up on a bit of a ridge here at the Uni (University of Southern Queensland), so apart from moats around the building and huge puddles, potholes, mud, lashing wind and rain, we are all ok and safe.
We all had no idea what was going on for a while until we caught the news one night. The volume of water coming out of the sky constantly here means that there are torrents and puddles everywhere as it tries to drain away. Everyone’s walking around in thongs the whole time because you can’t go ten metres without having to cross water up to your ankles and then your shoes and socks would get soaked.
The only problem I've heard is that in Kate French's clay sculpture class the clay isn't drying so every now and then the sculptures are collapsing. So really we are incredibly lucky when you see the heartache going on elsewhere.
Murray's Art & Framing, the art shop that supplies all the art materials for each class every day, has a shop in the centre of Toowoomba that was caught up in that flash flood that happened. They have a photo of the water up to the eaves! And of course the b#&%$% insurance companies refuse to insure against flood so that poor small family's business is ruined. Imagine all the art materials destroyed, let alone the framing supplies and equipment and the orignal artworks sitting in the shop!
No-one can drive out of Toowoomba at the moment so if that is still the case at the end on Saturday then rumour has it they are going to let us stay on at the college (rather than sleeping in the car!!!) I have no idea how long I will be stuck here.
Phil is stuck at home at Rancho Relaxo, dry, but the suburb of Bellbowrie is surrounded by water and the only shops inside have gone under. He is without food supplies and power's off for 5 days so luckily there are nice neighbour friends with food & generators!
POSTSCRIPT 16 Jan 2011:
Today I got out of Toowoomba and got home safely, and the 10 new (wet) oil paintings got home safely too. Bellbowrie is no longer water locked and we can get to the shops, and we have power. It is lovely to have the little family all back together again. Little burmese furball Gaia is so happy to see me again that she is miaowing and running up and down the full length of the house now that her play friend is back, I am sure if she knew how to she would wag her tail.
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