Motorists Stranded by Floods Set Up Food Kitchens for their Fellow Travelers

When farmworkers arrived down a hillside and burrowed their way under a barbed wire fence to bring water and bananas to the hundreds of people stranded by floodwaters on the Australian highway, they were slightly surprised that they were all well fed. 

They were also cheerful, despite the situation.

The farmers said it was a happy community of shared resourcefulness and resources. 

The truck drivers had food out that was intended for the supermarkets and there were holidaymakers who cooked this food using their camping stoves.

But, not everyone got to be so lucky. 

Thousands of Vehicles Are Still Stranded in Australia

Possibly thousands of vehicles are stranded on the M1-the main motorway between Brisbane and Sydney. Moreover, several hundred were stuck between Tweed Heads and Ballina for 30 hours after the road was cut south of the Tweed River. 

The ones stuck further north had to join their forces and arrange their vehicles onto a series of road islands because the floodwaters rose around them in pockets overnight.

How it was for people depended on how stocked the other travelers on the island were. A lucky group of 100 vehicles stuck on a road that’s approximately 800 meters long had a short road tunnel that kept them safe from the rain and also provided lighting. 

One of the stuck drivers, Rahjah McNae was driving a truck full of raw chicken for Aldi. He opened the truck doors during dinner time and the chicken was shared amongst the drivers.

They also had cooking equipment and they did an amazing job prepping the food for everyone. A hot breakfast and supper meant a lot. 

One Clark Luckman was part of a convoy of five vehicles going for Fraser Island. They were under the tunnel running the made-up kitchen. People brought sausages and anything else they could cook. 

Everyone Worked Like a Team

People didn’t bring it for themselves, but for everyone. They all came together and did such an amazing job. 

It was heartwarming that there was a formula for a four-month-old baby supplied by truck drivers. There were also fold-up chairs that elderly people received or the people who felt unwell. 

Sheree Guyder from Brisbane spent the night with her three kids aged eight to 16 after they had their holiday cut short. According to Google Maps, it said a four-minute delay; however, they were still there, 24 hours later.

Darcy Chadwick who was stuck south near Pottsville with other 50 people spent the night on an overpass above the highway. 

He said that the food was short, but everyone shared with each other. A local farmer brought them boxes of bananas and passionfruit and a stuck driver offered a tray of prawns in an esky. 

One lady had non-alcoholic gin spritzes so she handed them around.

Sources:

THE GUARDIAN

SUNNY SKYZ