Clean up begins after record breaking floods devastate community

Massive clean-up efforts are under way for flood-affected communities after record-breaking water levels last week across New South Wales.

Transcript

00:00There's a really big push on today with the weekend with volunteers coming from throughout

00:06the region and even interstate to join what's been called the mud muster.

00:11And what the mud muster is they combine the efforts of the SES, who are all the people

00:15behind me in orange trousers, with people who have become SES volunteers for the day

00:21who have got just the orange safety vests on.

00:23So they've all had a proper briefing in how to operate safely in a flood zone, which means

00:29that they will be much safer out there where they're working, cleaning out homes.

00:34So we're in Wingham at the moment, this morning the action was also in Taree.

00:38There's a lot of these mud muster teams around the area and of course there's debris everywhere.

00:42This flood debris, it's important to remember, was once someone's treasured possessions.

00:47And the clean up will not just take one weekend of huge effort, it's going to take months.

00:54And organisers of the mud muster hope that the volunteers who've come out today will be

00:59able to help them into the future.

01:01Celina?

01:02Clare, those volunteers, they must have given the local community a much needed real boost.

01:08Yeah, we've spoken to some of the flood victims today and they are very bruised and battered.

01:15Not many are keen to talk to media as you can imagine.

01:18But they are so grateful to be living in a community where people like these from all walks of life,

01:23you've got tradies through to retirees, are willing to come out, put on gloves and gumboots

01:28and get in and clean out their homes.

01:30So the spirit's actually quite nice.

01:32We've got some obviously very damaged people who are grieving the loss of animals, possessions,

01:38photos and their homes in some cases.

01:42But we've also got this lovely community spirit which is buoying them up and they're just so grateful.

01:47Thank you so much.

01:48Thank you very much.

01:51Yes, thank you.

01:52Through you.

01:56Thanks.

01:58See you again.